Gretchen Got Game

[Edgy MD]

Charting new territory for the organization, the Mets have added Gretchen Aucoin to their minor league instructional team. While her description as "development coach" doesn't make clear what her specific assignment will be, the former collegiate and professional softballer will apparently be their first female coach teaching game skills. For the last decade or so, the organization has appointed women as trainers, performance coaches, and life-skills coaches, Aucoin is slated to be the first uniformed female Mets coach assigned to teaching the ol' baseball skills.



Gretchen came recommended to the team by new Tampa Bay Tarpons manager Rachel Balkovec after new Mets assistant hitting coach Jeremy Barnes reached out to her.



A two-way player (pitcher and third base), Aucoin also excelled on the hardwood, playing basketball only in high school, playing softball instead on travel teams (not unlike Brandon Nimmo and Jarred Kelenic), before switching to the diamond fulltime in college.



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