HARBOR ST. LUCIE – Troy Snitker was the Astros’ coach for the past seven years, but that came after almost a lifetime with the Braves.
The new Mets coach spent much of his childhood watching his father, Brian, manage and coach in the Braves organization before becoming manager in Atlanta in 2016.
“He influenced me a lot,” the younger Snitker said of Brian, who signed with the Braves as a player in 1977 and continued to work in the organization after retiring from playing in 1980.
“I’ve had to sit in the dugout and watch him my whole life,” Troy Snitker said of his father Sunday at Clover Park. “I was the bat boy and saw how he officiated a match, communicated with players and staff and how he worked and treated people.”
Through those years, Snitker grew up in Snellville, just east of Atlanta, but spent his school holidays traveling to see his father in minor league cities in the area.
“I have so many memories of being in motels and jumping with the family to different apartment complexes in a small town,” Snitker said. “We never moved, but every summer, spring break or the last day of school, my mother would pack up the minivan and we would go.”
Snitker played two years in the Braves system after being drafted in the 19th round and eventually joined his father in the majors as a coach.
The duo’s journey culminated in 2021, when Brian Snitker led the Braves to a World Series title, defeating Troy’s Astros.
“I’ve seen the sacrifices he and my mother made,” Troy Snitker said. “He never did it to get attention, but to see him do it on the biggest stage was extremely satisfying for my family. It was incredible.”
Troy Snitker won a title with the Astros a year later and now he will look to help the Mets get their offense going as the 37-year-old joined Jeff Albert, the team’s director of major league hitting, this offseason, replacing Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes.
“I just want the guys to work together like some of our offenses did [in Houston] to do great things,” Snitker said. “I think we have a chance to have a great lineup like I’ve had experience. We want the same kind of culture and teamwork, [with the] ability to pass it on to the next person. We want to work together, build on each stroke and not make the boys feel like they have to do it themselves. I think we can do that.”
Snitker said he had interest from other teams after he and fellow hitting coach Alex Cintron were let go by the Astros before opting to join the Mets staff.
“It was an easy decision for me,” Snitker said of coming to Queens. “I think there is so much depth here and I’m really excited to get started.”
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