PORT ST. LUCIE — Johan Santana has enjoyed coaching his son in jayvee baseball at a Florida prep school, but also looks forward to the day he might provide instruction at the professional level.
The former Mets ace has been receiving a taste of that satisfaction this weekend at Clover Park, where he is serving as a guest instructor for the team.
Fellow lefties Sean Manaea and David Peterson are among the Mets pitchers who have sought Santana’s counsel.
“Here, they listen,” Santana said when asked about the difference between instructing major leaguers and high school players. “There, they think they know.”
Manaea might be the Mets pitcher most excited by Santana’s presence.
Growing up, Manaea said he idolized the two-time Cy Young award winner, whose career was built on his mastery of the changeup.
The two compared notes on Saturday.
“It’s cool when you have the greats like that [visit],” Manaea said.
Santana was humbled to find out he was the 33-year-old Manaea’s favorite player growing up.
“I told him it was an honor, pretty cool — he’s a great kid,” Santana said. “He’s got great stuff and he’s going to be a big part of this team. Whatever it takes to get him better and help him to go all the way through because this team is built up to win.”
Santana’s place in Mets lore was solidified when he threw the first no-hitter in franchise history on June 1, 2012.
Santana needed 134 pitches to complete the historic performance and within weeks thereafter was placed on the injured list.
He returned the following spring and tore a capsule in his shoulder for the second time, effectively ending his career.
Santana has mostly remained out of public view since his retirement — he returned to Citi Field in 2022 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the no-hitter — but his friendship with fellow Venezuelan Carlos Mendoza led to the visit to spring training this weekend.
Mendoza first mentioned the idea to Santana last season, when the Mets played in Miami and Santana was visiting.
“[Mendoza] is a big deal for us in Venezuela,” Santana said. “To have him and the way that he did it and where he’s at right now and how the future looks for him, it’s great. As a Venezuelan, I am proud.”
