Jared Porter officially hired as Mets general manager

Jared Porter, a longtime and highly regarded major-league executive who learned under Theo Epstein in Boston and Chicago, officially is the Mets’ new general manager, the team announced Sunday.

Porter, 41, received a four-year contract and will report to club president Sandy Alderson, who reports directly to owner Steve Cohen.

The Mets will introduce Porter in a video news conference at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

"I’m extremely grateful for the trust [Cohen and Alderson have] shown in me," Porter said in a statement. "I’m excited to join the community, get to work, and help build a collaborative and sustainable baseball operation and culture for the New York Mets."

Alderson initially set out to hire a president of baseball operations — who would help hire a GM to work under him — but on Nov. 23 revealed that he had lowered his target to just a GM.

He interviewed at least a half-dozen candidates for that job, including Red Sox assistant GM Zack Scott, Athletics assistant GM Billy Owens and former Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill. Alderson and Cohen offered Porter the job on Saturday, a source said.

"Jared has proven himself at every level and in every position he has held, earning respect from his peers throughout baseball," Alderson said in a statement. "He is deeply knowledgeable in all aspects of the game and has worked with several accomplished baseball executives. Jared is prepared for this next challenge."

Porter was an assistant GM for the Diamondbacks for four years until this weekend. He got his start in professional baseball with the Red Sox, who hired him as an intern in 2004. He was their director of pro scouting from 2012-15.

Epstein brought him to the Cubs for a quick stint as director of pro scouting/special assistant — 13 months in 2015-16, just long enough to be there for the organization’s first World Series championship in 108 years. That was Porter’s fourth title after being in Boston for 2004, 2007 and 2013.

Jauss returns. The Mets hired Dave Jauss as bench coach, sources said. Jauss, 63, had been a pro scout for the Yankees, his most recent stop in a baseball career stretching more than three decades.

This actually marks a return to the Mets for Jauss, who was Jerry Manuel’s bench coach in 2010 and the organization’s coordinator of staff development in 2011. He also has been a bench coach for the Pirates, Orioles and Dodgers. The Mets have not commented on the status of the rest of manager Luis Rojas’ 2021 coaching staff.