Source: The Enquirer
Sources tell Metsmerized that the New York Mets have hired Eric Jagers to be their director of pitching development. The hire has been lauded by folks in baseball circles since the news broke earlier today.
Jagers, 27, was the Cincinnati Reds’ assistant pitching coach for the last two seasons after joining their organization in late 2019 as the organization’s assistant pitching coordinator under Kyle Boddy. Jagers spent the shortened 2020 season assigned to the Reds’ alternate spring training site. Prior to that, he was a pitching strategist with the Phillies for a season, where he focused on the technical aspects of pitching, pitch design, rehabilitation, and advanced delivery work.
After two shoulder injuries forced the lefty thrower to retire, Jagers went to work at the Driveline facility in Kent, Washington as the manager of technical development. The Iowa native has continued to work at Driveline with his most recent position being special assistant for pitching.
Boddy, the founder of Driveline and former Reds employee, raved about Jagers when the Reds brought the 25-year-old onto the major league staff. “He’s the best at the actual information and delivering it to players. That’s without question what he’s the best at. Is he the best nerd in the world? Probably not. Is he the best coach in the world? Probably not. Is he the best meld of both when it comes to pitch design? I don’t think there is any question,” Boddy said.
Jagers also learned a lot from Phillies’ pitching coach Caleb Cotham going back to their days at Driveline together to working with the Reds. Jagers was moved up to the big league staff when Cotham was hired by the Phillies.
A couple of months ago, Jagers talked about what a major league assistant pitching coach does. “Whether it’s a throwing program or it’s a drill progression integrating with the strength and conditioning group or our health performance group to keep them alive and well over 162 [games]…Try to maximize the talent that we can out of our players and give them enough possible chances to succeed. I think the biggest thing is the wins and losses. Even the losses, to be there and where do we go next. To have a shoulder for those guys to lean on, keep them positive throughout it. 162 is a long, long time,” Jagers said.
Mets GM Billy Eppler started overhauling player development last month when the team let go of long-time fixtures in Tim Teufel, Phil Regan, and Endy Chavez. The Mets have also moved on from numerous minor league coaches including Triple-A Syracuse manager Kevin Boles and Low-A St. Lucie manager Robbie Robinson.
