Mets hire Luis Rojas to replace Carlos Beltran as manager

When the Mets made the choice to hire Carlos Beltran as their new manager, it left questions as to what the other candidates had to give them a strong look. There was one name in particular that was receiving rave reviews. Following Beltran’s dismissal as a result of the Astros cheating scandal, the Mets went back to that aforementioned name with just a few weeks until Spring Training.

The Mets officially announced the hiring of quality control coach and outfield instructor Luis Rojas as the next manager.

Luis Rojas was voted by his peers as the Best Managerial Prospect in the FSL in 2015 and 2016 and Best Managerial Prospect in the SAL in 2014 for Baseball America's MiLB Best Tools voting. https://t.co/pcY4r71zZ8

— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) January 22, 2020

“I will work tirelessly to help this team win,” Rojas said in a press release. “I believe this team and coaching staff can do special things, and I look forward to working together with everyone to reach our goals.” 

Rojas is well-liked by ownership and the players. A member of the team since 2007, he started out as a manager in various minor-league systems for the Mets. As an instructor, he spent personal time with Jeff McNeil, Noah Syndergaard and Pete Alonso. The development of young players and his commitment to it was one of the reasons players felt like they could trust him.

LUIS ROJAS! Love love love it. Loved being around him on the bench last year. Always teaching and full of knowledge. Super laid back and brings nothing but great vibes each and every day. Beyond even keel. Excited even more for the year! @Mets

— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) January 22, 2020

“Luis has grown up with baseball in his blood, as his family is part of baseball royalty,” said Mets COO Jeff Wilpon. “Luis managed many of our current players during his time in our organization. He is fully prepared for this exciting opportunity.”

When it comes to experience, Rojas’ family has been around baseball for many years; his father is Felipe Alou, one of the first Dominican-born players to play full-time in the majors. Felipe is a member of the Canadian and Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame. Luis’ half-brother is Moises Alou, a six-time All-Star and World Series champion. Moises played with the Mets from 2007-2008, slashing .342/.391/.507 with 129 hits in 102 games.

While the mess that was left behind from the Beltran situation still smells fresh, Rojas’ young presence may be what the Mets need in order to clean it up for good.