Luis Rojas is switching boroughs and dugouts. The Yankees have hired the former Mets manager to serve as their third-base coach, the club announced on Monday.
Rojas, 40, will try on the Yankees’ pinstripes after spending the past 16 years with the Mets organization (2006-21), including the previous two seasons as the club’s skipper. Rojas will replace Phil Nevin, whose contract was not renewed.
Under Rojas, the Mets posted a 103-119 record (.464), including a 77-85 mark and a third-place finish in the National League East this past season. The Mets declined Rojas’ 2022 option in early October and have not yet named a replacement.
The New York Yankees today announced that Luis Rojas has been named the club’s third base coach. pic.twitter.com/m7hNYy7ROY
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) November 15, 2021
While manager Aaron Boone received a three-year extension from the Yankees in October, his coaching staff will take on a different look. In addition to Nevin, hitting coaches Marcus Thames and P.J. Pilittere and first-base/outfield coach Reggie Willits will not be back for 2022.
Bench coach Carlos Mendoza, pitching coach Matt Blake, catching coach Tanner Swanson and bullpen coach Mike Harkey are all expected to return.
Rojas was the sixth Dominican-born manager in Major League history. His father, Felipe Alou, was the first when he managed the Montreal Expos (1992-2001) and San Francisco Giants (2003-06) after his 17-season Major League playing career.
Rojas and Alou were the sixth father-son duo to serve as Major League managers, joining Buddy and David Bell, Aaron and Bob Boone, Connie and Earle Mack, George and Dick Sisler, and Bob and Joel Skinner. Luis’ brother, Moises Alou, played 17 seasons in the Majors with seven teams.
In 2019, Rojas served as the Mets’ Major League quality control coach. Before joining the club’s Major League staff, Rojas managed Double-A Binghamton (’17-18), Class A Advanced St. Lucie (’15-16), Class A Savannah (’12-14) and the Gulf Coast League Mets (’11). In ’14, he was named the South Atlantic League Manager of the Year.
Rojas also served as a Minor League coach for Savannah in 2010 and held the same role for the Gulf Coast League Mets from ’08-09. He spent his first full season in the Mets organization in ’07 with the Dominican Summer League team after joining the organization in ’06.
Rojas also managed the Dominican Republic National Team in the WBSC Premier12 tournament in 2019. The Santo Domingo, D.R., native led Leones del Escogido to a Dominican Winter League championship in ’15-16.
During his playing career, Rojas spent time in the Minor League systems of the Orioles (2000), Marlins (’01-02) and Expos/Nationals (’03-05).
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].