Buck Showalter’s first coaching staff with the Mets is still under construction, but at least one vacancy is close to settled.
The team is finalizing an agreement with Joey Cora to become the new third base coach, sources told The Post on Tuesday. The 56-year-old Cora spent the last five seasons in the same role with the Pirates.
Cora will replace Gary DiSarcina, who spent the last three seasons as the third base/infield coach. DiSarcina, who wasn’t retained as part of the staff shakeup that included Luis Rojas’ departure as manager, has since joined the Nationals’ coaching staff.
Cora, whose brother Alex manages the Red Sox, has a deep major league coaching resume that also includes stints with the White Sox and Marlins. With the White Sox he was the third base coach for a World Series-winning team in 2005.
Jeremy Hefner was retained as pitching coach by the Mets after the season, but Showalter and general manager Billy Eppler still have to fill vacancies at hitting coach, on the bench, first base and the bullpen.
John Russell, who served as Showalter’s bench coach in Baltimore, is among the possibilities for that role with the Mets. Team officials were also impressed with Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough in his interview for the managerial opening that went to Showalter and could look to hire him as bench coach.
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