Alfonzo reassigned as club ambassador

NEW YORK -- Less than two months after Edgardo Alfonzo led Class A Brooklyn to its first outright New York-Penn League championship, the Mets have removed Alfonzo from his role as Cyclones manager, a source confirmed. Alfonzo has accepted an offer to remain in the organization as a club ambassador.

When contacted Thursday, Mets officials gave no reason for declining to offer Alfonzo, a popular Mets player from 1995-2002, a new contract as Cyclones manager. He led the team to a share of the best record in the New York-Penn League, then to wins over Hudson Valley and Lowell in the postseason.

“It was fun to develop, learn to compete and then win a championship,” Alfonzo said after the championship clincher. “I’m so proud to be this team's manager.”

Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Alfonzo, 45, began his coaching career in a limited capacity with the Cyclones in 2014. He became their manager in '17, improving their record from 24-42 that season to 40-35 the following year, then 43-32 this summer.

Alfonzo came to the Mets organization as a teenager, breaking into the big leagues as a 21-year-old in 1995. He was a key part of the team’s World Series run in 2000, making the National League All-Star team that year while batting .324 with 25 home runs in 150 games. After leaving the Mets, Alfonzo played parts of four more seasons in the Majors, plus another six in independent and foreign leagues before retiring as a player in 2012.