METS RELIEVE CHILI DAVIS AND TOM SLATER OF THEIR DUTIES

HUGH QUATTLEBAUM & KEVIN HOWARD TO JOIN COACHING STAFF

FLUSHING, N.Y., May 3, 2021 — The New York Mets have announced tonight that the club has relieved hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater of their duties, effective immediately. The club has named Hugh Quattlebaum the team’s new hitting coach and Kevin Howard the new assistant hitting coach. Both will be in St. Louis on Tuesday.

Quattlebaum, 42, joined the Mets organization this offseason as the minor league director of hitting development. He had spent the previous three seasons with Seattle. Quattlebaum was the Mariners’ minor league hitting coordinator in 2018–2019 and was the assistant hitting coach with the Major League team during 2020. Prior to working with the Mariners, he was coaching and consulting in Southern California. Quattlebaum was drafted by Detroit in the 25th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft from Amherst College (MA). He spent four years in the Tigers (2000–2002) and Orioles (2003) minor league systems.

Howard, 39, joined the Mets this year as the organization’s director of player development. He spent the previous six seasons in Cleveland’s organization, including 2019–2020 as the minor league hitting coordinator. Howard played professionally for 12 seasons, playing in the Reds, Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers, Mariners, Padres, Blue Jays and Cardinals organizations before spending the final two years of his playing career in Independent ball. He was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft by Cincinnati. Howard earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Miami, where played collegiately for three seasons, winning a National Championship in 2001.

Davis was in his third season as the Mets hitting coach and Slater was in his fourth season as the team’s assistant hitting coach.