Mets name Luis Natera assistant hitting coach
FLUSHING, N.Y., March 24, 2014 - The New York Mets today announced the club has named Luis Natera the assistant hitting coach, a newly created position for the major league club.
Natera enters his 24th season in the Mets organization. He had spent the past seven years as the hitting coach for Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League. In 2009, he split the year between Buffalo (AAA) of the International League and Binghamton.
Natera, 48, also served as a hitting coach for St. Lucie (A) of the Florida State League in 2007, Hagerstown (A) of the South Atlantic League from 2005-2006, Kingsport (R) of the Appalachian League from 2003-2004 and Capital City (A) of the South Atlantic League in 1999.
He worked as the coordinator of the Mets Dominican Academy from 2001-2002 and managed the Dominican Summer League team in 2002. Natera also guided that team from 1992-1997.
Natera was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Mets in 1984 and spent five years as an infielder in the organization before retiring as a player in 1989.