The New York Mets will lose one of the pillars of their coaching staff: Antoan Richardson, first base coach and baserunning specialist, has decided not to return for the 2026 season
Despite being one of the few coaches invited to continue under Carlos Mendoza, Richardson did not reach a contractual agreement and will seek new horizons in MLB.
The mentor behind Juan Soto’s 30-30
Richardson was instrumental in the development of Juan Soto as a runner. The Dominican stole 38 bases in 2025, tying with Oneil Cruz as the National League leader. “Antoan did an amazing job. He has helped me from day one. I give him all the credit,” Soto said in September.
A historic record for stolen bases
Under Richardson’s guidance, the Mets set a new record for stolen base efficiency with a success rate of 89.1% (147 steals in 165 attempts). The team also achieved a streak of 39 consecutive steals without being caught, tying the mark of the 2013 Boston Red Sox.
Recognized by players and coaching staff
In addition to Soto, Brandon Nimmo praised Richardson’s communication skills: “He’s a great communicator, he knows how to connect with different personalities and convey information clearly.” Carlos Mendoza himself described him as “a special person, a coach who really cares about his players.”
A departure that leaves doubts
Although he was one of the few coaches backed after the purge of the coaching staff, Richardson opted not to renew. His departure follows that of other coaches such as Jeremy Hefner, Eric Chavez and John Gibbons, amid a deep restructuring after the disappointing second half of the season.
A blow for Mendoza?
Richardson’s decision could be interpreted as a lack of confidence in Carlos Mendoza’s project, who was ratified as manager for 2026. Although the team is looking to rebuild, losing such an influential player development coach as Soto represents an additional challenge for the coaching staff.
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