The New York Mets are bolstering their pitching staff by adding Desi Druschel, who joins from the Yankees as an assistant pitching coach, according to SNY. Druschel, who previously served in the same role with the Yankees, is expected to work alongside Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, concluding a six-year stretch with the Yankees.
Before transitioning to MLB, Druschel built his coaching resume as the pitching coach at the University of Iowa. The Yankees brought him on board in 2019, creating a unique role for him as minor league manager of pitch development. His success led to a promotion to the major league staff in 2021, where he partnered with Matt Blake to refine the team’s pitcher development strategies.
The move reunites Druschel with Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, with whom he worked on the Yankees’ staff during the 2022-23 seasons. Additionally, he reconnects with Mets vice president of pitching Eric Jagers, one of his former players at Iowa.
This is the second consecutive year the Mets have looked to the Yankees for pitching expertise, following last offseason’s hiring of Grayson Crawford, formerly Double-A Somerset’s pitching coach, who now leads the pitching staff for Triple-A Syracuse.
Yankees on course to shake up Boone’s support staff
The New York Yankees have reaffirmed their confidence in Aaron Boone, officially picking up his managerial option for the 2025 season, though they appear poised for further adjustments within the coaching ranks.
In a virtual press conference on Monday, Boone confirmed that at least one coaching role would change this offseason, though he expects most of his current staff to stay. Boone hinted at potential adjustments in up to two positions. “We’ll have one for sure,” he confirmed, “We’ll see. I would say largely intact is my expectation but there could be one or two that end up changing.”
One of these shifts quickly became clear as reports surfaced of assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel’s move to the Mets.
Another position under scrutiny is that of third base coach, held by Luis Rojas for three seasons. Rojas, previously the Mets’ manager, faced backlash for a pivotal decision in Game 3 of the World Series against the Dodgers, where his send of Giancarlo Stanton led to an out at home by left fielder Teoscar Hernández. During the regular season, the Yankees were tagged out at home 18 times, ranking sixth-highest in the league.
The Yankees underwent significant staff changes last offseason, including the additions of hitting coach James Rowson, assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler, and bench coach Brad Ausmus.
Changes have also impacted the team’s development system, with Joe Migliaccio, former hitting coordinator, leaving to join the Miami Marlins as director of hitting, where he will guide hitting development across all levels, including the majors.
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