PORT ST. LUCIE — Troy Snitker spent the past seven years as the Astros hitting coach, but that came after nearly a lifetime with the Braves.
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The new Mets hitting coach spent much of his childhood watching his father, Brian, manage and coach in the Braves organization before he became the manager in Atlanta in 2016.
“He influenced me a ton,” the younger Snitker said of Brian, who signed as a player with the Braves in 1977 and continued working in the organization once he stopped playing in 1980.
“I got to sit in the dugout and watch him my whole life,” Troy Snitker said of his father Sunday at Clover Park. “I was the batboy and saw how he managed a game, communicated with players and staff and how he worked and treated people.”
Troy Snitker is pictured before the Mets’ Feb. 28 game at spring training. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Through those years, Snitker grew up in Snellville, just east of Atlanta, but spent his school breaks traveling to see his father in minor league cities around the area.
“I have so many memories of being in motels and jumping to different apartment complexes in a small town with the family,” Snitker said. “We never moved, but every summer, spring break or last day of school, my mom would pack the minivan and we’d go.”
Snitker played two years in the Braves system after being drafted in the 19th round and he eventually joined his father in the majors as a coach.
Brian Snitker is pictured before a Braves game in May 2023. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The duo’s journey culminated in 2021, when Brian Snitker managed the Braves to a World Series title, beating Troy’s Astros.
“I got to see the sacrifices he and my mom made,” Troy Snitker said. “He’s never done any of it for attention, but to see him do it at the biggest stage was extremely gratifying for my family. It was unbelievable.”
Troy Snitker won a title with the Astros a year later and now he’ll try to help the Mets get their offense going, as the 37-year-old joined the team’s director of major league hitting, Jeff Albert, in the 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 having. We want the same type of culture and teamwork, [with the] ability to pass it to the next guy. We want to work together, build off each at-bat and not have guys feel 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’s so much depth here and I’m excited to get to work.”
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