In a move that’s stirring excitement among Yankees fans, assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel is returning to the Bronx after a one-year stint with the New York Mets, as confirmed by The Post. Druschel, who previously spent three seasons under pitching coach Matt Blake with the Yankees, is rejoining the organization where he began his MLB coaching journey in 2019.
Druschel’s departure to the Mets last season saw him take on a similar role under pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. However, after the Mets opted not to renew Hefner’s contract following the 2025 season, Druschel was granted permission to explore opportunities with other teams while also being offered a chance to stay with the Mets. Given his prior connection to Hefner, who played a key role in bringing him to Queens, Druschel’s decision to return to the Yankees feels like a natural homecoming.
The Yankees, meanwhile, made their own coaching staff adjustments, parting ways with longtime bullpen coach Mike Harkey. Druschel’s return fills a critical gap, bringing back a familiar face who contributed to the development of the Yankees’ pitching staff during his earlier tenure. Preston Claiborne, who replaced Druschel last year, is expected to remain with the team.
Druschel’s exit from the Mets marks another departure from manager Carlos Mendoza’s staff, which has seen significant turnover. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, bench coach John Gibbons, hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, infield coach Mike Sarbaugh, and catching instructor Glenn Sherlock, who retired, have all left the organization.
Druschel’s return to the Yankees, first reported by ESPN, is a move that promises to bolster the team’s pitching development as they look to build on their 2025 campaign. For Yankees fans, it’s a reunion that feels like a perfectly timed middle-inning change-up—one worth watching closely.