Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports that the New York Mets will be filling the bench coach spot vacated by Bob Geren from a group of four internal candidates. Geren left the Mets last week to take a similar position as bench coach with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The potential candidates for a promotion to the major league staff include pitching rehab coordinator Jon Debus, minor-league catching coordinator Bob Natal, Dominican-based catching instructor Alberto Castillo and Binghamton manager Pedro Lopez.
I’m hearing that Pedro Lopez is the front runner in that group and that the Mets could have him take over as the third base coach while Tim Teufel replaces Geren as bench coach.
Lopez caught 744 minor-league games in his pro career which would bode well for working with and developing young catchers Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki.
