The Phillies didn’t have to look far for their new infield coach. They went straight to a division rival’s former dugout boss to fill the job. On Thursday, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced that former Mets manager Carlos Mendoza will serve as the club’s infield coach and third base coach in 2027, joining Don Mattingly’s staff.
Mendoza replaces Bobby Dickerson, who was dismissed earlier in the week along with hitting coach Kevin Long. Anthony Contreras, who moved into the third base coaching box during the 2026 season, is expected to stay with the organization but in a different role. The hire is aimed squarely at one of the club’s biggest weaknesses, an infield defense that has slipped badly over the past two seasons.
The Basic Resume
Mendoza spent more than a decade as a minor league infielder, beginning in the San Francisco Giants system in 1997. He was a classic good-glove, light-bat shortstop who led his league’s shortstops in fielding percentage early in his career.
His path was anything but smooth. After the Giants released him, he spent parts of three seasons (2004 through 2006) with the independent Pensacola Pelicans. He hit well enough there to earn another affiliated chance with the Yankees, and his playing days wound down in their system.
The Yankees became Mendoza’s baseball home for the next 15 years. He coached at short-season Staten Island in 2009 and Single-A Charleston in 2010. He managed the Gulf Coast League Yankees to a league championship in 2011 and returned to manage Charleston in 2012. He also managed the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League in 2012 and 2016.
After the 2012 season, the Yankees made him a roving defensive instructor in their minor league system. He held that job for five years. After the 2017 season, he was promoted to the big league staff as quality control and infield coach. He held that role for two seasons before Aaron Boone made him his bench coach in November 2019, a job that he held through 2023.
The Mets hired him as manager in November 2023 and he went 206-199 in two and a half seasons before he was fired in late June 2026.
Why He Fits the Infield Job
Strip away the managerial headlines, and Mendoza’s resume reads like that of a career defensive teacher. He played shortstop professionally for more than a decade. He then spent five years as a roving instructor, traveling the Yankees’ farm system and teaching footwork, positioning, and throwing mechanics to young infielders at every level. That kind of job builds a deep library of drills and teaching methods.
He then coached infielders in the Bronx in 2018 and 2019. As bench coach, he stayed closely involved with the defense. With the Yankees, he was known for daily, structured work routines with infielders. He is also widely described as comfortable with the data-driven positioning approach the Phillies want to lean on more heavily.
Mattingly admitted the hire was largely driven by the front office. Still, he came away impressed. He said Mendoza’s enthusiasm for infield work and defense stood out in their conversations. He also noted that “you never hear really a bad word about Carlos.” Mattingly added that Mendoza’s experience handling superstar players should help him connect with veterans.
That communication piece matters. Mendoza is bilingual and has a long track record with Latin American players. He also served as Venezuela’s bench coach in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and managed the Cardenales de Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League in 2021 and 2022.
The Trea Turner Assignment
The biggest item on Mendoza’s to-do list is obvious. Turner had a rough defensive year at shortstop in 2026. He posted a minus-17 fielding run value and minus-10 Outs Above Average, down sharply from plus-16 OAA in 2025. There was offseason chatter about moving him to the outfield. Dombrowski instead said Turner will open 2027 as the shortstop, with a clear condition. If Turner defends the way he did in 2025, the job is his. If he defends the way he did in 2026, the Phillies will turn to fallback options.
That makes Mendoza’s relationship with Turner one of the most important on the staff. The broader picture is no prettier since the Phillies ranked 28th in the majors in defensive efficiency in 2025. The infield could also look very different next spring. Alec Bohm and Luis Arraez are both free agents, and top prospect Aidan Miller appears ready to compete for a spot after back trouble cost him most of 2026. Whoever lines up on the dirt, Mendoza will be responsible for tightening it up.
Success Stories and Accolades
Mendoza’s best-known player development story involves fellow Venezuelan Gleyber Torres. Mendoza was the first coach to greet Torres in the minor league system after the Yankees acquired him from the Cubs in 2016. He served as a mentor and, at times, a demanding one. Torres has said Mendoza “went hard with me” when he made mistakes, and has credited that tough love for his growth.
As a manager, Mendoza’s first year was a hit. The 2024 Mets recovered from a poor start to go 89-73, and Mendoza became the first rookie manager in franchise history to reach the postseason. The Mets then reached the NLCS before falling to the Dodgers in six games. He was named a finalist for National League Manager of the Year.
His reputation across the game has stayed strong even after his firing. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Mendoza was beloved by everyone who worked with him daily. Stearns called his impact on the club’s culture transformative.
The Criticisms
The knocks on Mendoza are real, and some of them touch on defense. The 2025 Mets owned baseball’s best record at 45-24 in mid-June before collapsing and going 38-55 the rest of the way which left them 83-79 and caused them to miss the playoffs on a tiebreaker. Stearns took much of the blame himself, but he also pointed to defense as a major problem. That club ranked 22nd in Outs Above Average.
Things got worse in 2026. The Mets were 34-47 and in last place when Mendoza was fired. One of his final games featured six errors. Owner
In fairness, a manager’s record is not an infield coach’s record. Many observers, especially in New York, felt the Mets’ front office deserved more blame for the roster than Mendoza did. Still, Phillies fans are entitled to note that the last two defenses he oversaw were not good ones.
The Bottom Line
The Phillies did not hire Mendoza for his win-loss record. They hired him for nearly two decades of teaching infield defense, his communication skills, and his knowledge of the NL East. If he can help Turner get back to his 2025 form and steady a reshuffled infield, this could quietly become one of the most important moves of the Phillies’ offseason.
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