Syracuse Mets Announce 2021 Coaching Staff

SYRACUSE, NY – The Syracuse Mets announced the team’s coaching staff for the 2021 season. Hitting Coach Joel Chimelis is the only returner to Syracuse from the 2019 staff, but Manager Chad Kreuter, Pitching Coach Mike Cather, and Bench Coach Luis Rivera all have multiple years of experience as coaches within the New York Mets’ system.

Manager Chad Kreuter is a former major league catcher who comes to Syracuse as the team’s manager for the 2021 season after he was slated to take over in 2020. Kreuter is in his fifth season in the New York Mets’ organization and his first as manager for the Syracuse Mets. Before coming to Syracuse, the 56-year-old managed the St. Lucie Mets, the Advanced-A affiliate of the New York Mets for three seasons. Previously, Kreuter managed the Modesto Nuts, the Advanced-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, to begin the 2006 season before being named the head coach at the University of Southern California in June of 2006. Kreuter managed the USC Trojans for four years from 2007-2010. The Santa Barbara, California native also worked in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as the minor league field coordinator in 2011. As a player, Kreuter was a catcher for 16 years in the majors from 1988-2003 between the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Seattle Mariners, Chicago White Sox, Anaheim Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Los Angeles Dodgers. During his major league career, Kreuter was behind the plate for 892 games and caught 36 percent of baserunners stealing.

Hitting Coach Joel Chimelis returns to Syracuse for his second season in Central New York and his fourth year at the Triple-A level for the Mets. Chimelis was born in Brooklyn and came to the Mets’ organization in 2018 after spending 12 years with the Astros and two seasons with the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals organization. As a player, Chimelis was drafted by the Athletics in the 11th round of the 1988 draft. He spent eight minor league seasons with the Athletics, Giants, and Mets.

Pitching Coach Mike Cather is entering his first season with the Syracuse Mets and his third season in the New York Mets’ organization as a coach. Cather is also the organization’s assistant pitching coordinator. The Roswell, Georgia native began his time with the Mets in June 2019 as a pitching coach with Advanced-A St. Lucie after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach and pitching coach for Arizona State University. In 2016, Cather was the Marlins’ minor league pitching coordinator. In 2015, he was the Triple-A pitching coach for the Cubs. Cather spent time in the Padres’ organization as the club’s minor league pitching coordinator for 2012 and 2013 and the pitching coach for Triple-A El Paso in 2014. Cather began his coaching career in 2006 as a pitching coach for Single-A Wilmington in the Red Sox organization and stayed with the organization for six seasons, serving as the pitching coach for Double-A Portland from 2007-2009 and then becoming an advanced scout for the Red Sox in 2010. Cather’s professional playing career started when he was drafted by the Rangers in the 41st round of the 1993 draft out of the University of California-Berkeley. He played nine seasons of professional baseball with the Rangers, Braves, Marlins, and Cardinals. Cather made all of his MLB appearances for the Braves, making 75 career relief appearances and pitching in the 1998 playoffs with two scoreless innings of relief in Game Two of the 1998 NLDS against the Astros and not allowing a run over four appearances in the NLCS against the Marlins.

Bench Coach Luis Rivera begins his first season with Syracuse. Rivera was going to be the bench coach with Double-A Binghamton last year, and he served as the hitting coach with Single-A Columbia in 2019. Rivera is entering his 13th season as a coach in the Mets organization. Previously, Rivera was the bench coach for Double-A Binghamton in 2018, the manager of rookie-level Kingsport from 2015-2017, the hitting coach at Double-A Binghamton in 2014, the short-season hitting coordinator for the Mets from 2012-2014, the hitting coach for Kingsport in 2011, and he split the 2010 season between Single-A Savannah as a player/coach and Kingsport as an infield coach. Rivera was a middle infielder as a player and played in the minor leagues for the Mets and Cubs from 2005-2010, making it as high as Triple-A Buffalo in 2009.

Athletic Trainer Hiroto Kawamura starts his first season with the Syracuse Mets. This is Kawamura’s sixth season in the Mets organization. The Japan native previously worked as an athletic trainer for the Fresno Grizzlies (the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants), the Pawtucket Red Sox (the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox), and the Texas State University baseball team.

Performance Coach Tanner Miracle also begins his first season with the Syracuse Mets. This year is his sixth within the Mets’ organization. Miracle also spent the 2019 into 2020 winter as the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator for Toros Del Este, a team in the Dominican Winter League.

Tickets for the 2021 Syracuse Mets baseball season will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, April 20th at 10 a.m. Fans will be able to purchase tickets at the Onondaga Coach Ticket Office at NBT Bank Stadium or over the phone during regular office hours (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or online anytime at syracusemets.com.

Opening Day is scheduled for Tuesday, May 4th at 6:35 p.m. at NBT Bank Stadium. Please follow the Syracuse Mets on social media or check our website for the most up-to-date information on 2021 Syracuse Mets tickets, promotions, and more.