Adam Wogan has, at least temporarily, assumed Tony Bernazard’s old position as vice president of player development for the Mets. But thus far Wogan is not working any more with the Mets’ major league club than before, his increased involvement limited to the minor leagues.
Wogan is not assured to retain Bernazard’s job after the season.
“We’ll evaluate it after the year,” said general manager Omar Minaya, who admitted that the team hasn’t decided if it will hire outside the organization or if it will promote from within.
Minaya said he picked Wogan to fill the role for the rest of the season, because he’s familiar with the inner workings of the organization. Having been the Mets farm director, Wogan was just behind Bernazard on the organizational minor league ladder.
“It was the smoothest transition,” Minaya said.
Wogan, 34, is well-regarded, drawing praise for his overall talent, organizational skills, attitude and decision-making. With his new role, he has more direct interaction with Minaya and assistant general manager John Ricco but still primarily handles the Mets’ minor league and international clubs. Wogan has more decision-making duties now as well and is more directly immersed in the Mets’ minor league affairs.
The Mets’ minor league system has been under scrutiny, and one question is whether there will be any changes in its operation. It’s another item that Minaya and co. will evaluate after the season.
Wogan, who has an economics degree from Wake Forest (he graduated Magna Cum Laude with Honors) and a master’s in sports management from UMass, has been the Mets’ minor league operations director since January of 2006. He served as player development director — a similar title Bernazard once had — with the Expos and Nationals from 2002-05, working with Minaya with the Expos from 2002-04.