Yankees lose assistant pitching coach as he takes new role with Mets

11/11/2024 03:44 PM

Andy Martino of SNY reported that Yankees’ assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel is taking the same role with the Mets, as he’ll depart the Bronx and head to Queens. He joins Carlos Mendoza and Grayson Crawford, both of whom were hired out of the Yankees’ organization after 2023, as prominent coaches that have crossed over from the Yankees to the Mets since David Stearns took over. Druschel was brought onto their Major League staff after the 2021 season but has been with the organization since 2019.

Desi Druschel Departs From the Yankees, Becomes Mets Assistant Pitching Coach

Make no mistake about it, the Yankees lost one of the brightest minds in the organization, as Desi Druschel was highly regarded internally by many coaches former and present. His feel for data and ability to communicate complex concepts to players on the roster allows him to get plenty of buy-in, allowing him to help pitchers take massive leaps.

The Yankees hired him after the 2019 season from the University of Iowa, and he’s been on the Major League coaching staff for three seasons. He’ll join the Mets as the assistant pitching coach, the same role he held with the Yankees, but there could be some more upward mobility there for him.

Sam Briend and Matt Blake are the Director of Pitching and Head Pitching Coach, and unless either of them take jobs elsewhere, it’s hard to imagine that changing in the near future. They have built up a new culture in the organization on the pitching side, as they’re on the cutting edge of pitching analytics and development.

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For the Mets, it’s another coach they’ve poached from the Yankees’ organization, as they’re beginning to build up a forward-thinking operation. Grayson Crawford served as the pitching coach of the Somerset Patriots back in 2023, where his staff had by far the best ERA in Double-A (3.56) while striking out the third-most batters (1,397), as various top prospects such as Drew Thorpe, Chase Hampton, Will Warren, and Richard Fitts improved thanks to him.

They most infamously hired Carlos Mendoza last winter as well, who in his first year as the manager of the Mets took them to the postseason and guided them to an NLCS berth. While they were vanquished by the Dodgers, it’s hard to argue that 2024 was anything short of a roaring success for the Mets.

Desi Druschel will be an immense help for the Mets who are not only hoping to import talent, but also develop from within and build a sustainable and dominant operation in Queens. The Yankees will have to replace his services, but with their pipeline of coaching talent, they should be able to find a suitable replacement in due time.