Pirates hire former draft pick as hitting coach after extensive search

More than a month after the firing of Andy Haines, the Pittsburgh Pirates' seemingly interminable search for a new hitting coach has finally come to an end.

According to a report from Scott Mitchell of TSN, Matt Hague is leaving the Toronto Blue Jays to become the Pirates' new Major League hitting coach. Hague spent the 2024 campaign as a Major League assistant hitting coach for the Blue Jays after spending each of the previous three seasons as the hitting coach for each of Toronto's Minor League affiliates, from High-A Dunedin to Double-A New Hampshire to Triple-A Buffalo.

The hire marks a homecoming of sorts for Hague, who was a ninth-round pick by the Pirates in 2008 and debuted with the team in 2012. He also had a three-game cameo on the 2014 Pirates team and a 10-game stint with the 2015 Blue Jays before ultimately finishing out his pro career at the Triple-A level across three organizations from 2017-18. Though he never stuck at the big-league level, he posted a career .298/.376/.423 slash line in nearly 800 Triple-A games over his career.

Hague, 39, is known for being a true players' coach and is widely regarded as one of baseball's biggest up-and-comers in the coaching sphere. With 11 pro seasons under his belt, he brings plenty of playing experience to his new role in Pittsburgh while also incorporating modern technology and training methods.

Pirates reunite with former draft pick Matt Hague after extensive hitting coach search

In Pittsburgh, Hague will have the unenviable task of rejuvenating the Pirates' sputtering offense. In 2024, the Pirates finished 23rd in team batting average (.234), 26th in on-base percentage (.301), 27th in slugging (.371) and 27th in OPS (.672).

Only five teams finished the 2024 campaign with fewer home runs than the Pirates’ 160, and it's worth noting that the Blue Jays were one of them with 156. Still, highlights of Hague's young coaching career include his work with Silver Slugger recipient Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was having a career year offensively in Toronto before being traded to the Pirates at the deadline.

The Pirates certainly took their time with this hire, so hopefully it will turn out to be a good one. But after three years of Haines running this offense into the ground, Hague will certainly have his work cut out for him.

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