The Pittsburgh Pirates have hired Matt Hague to be their next hitting coach, according to Scott Mitchell of CSN. Hague was the assistant hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024, after three years as a hitting coach in their minor league system.
Hague was originally drafted by the Pirates in the 9th round of the 2008 draft, and made his Major League debut with the club in 2012. He spent parts of three seasons and 91 plate appearances in the Majors between the Pirates and Blue Jays, eventually ending his playing career following the 2018 season.
FanGraphs interviewed Hague earlier this year about his philosophy, calling him one of the best young hitting coaches in the game. As a player, he was nicknamed “The Hit Collector”, due to his smart approach at the plate. He’s also a great communicator, which will only help him coach up younger players.
The Pirates ranked as one of the worst offenses in the game under former hitting coach Andy Haines. Hague will have a difficult task ahead of him, and if he’s successful, he’d bring the biggest impact any individual could bring to the 2025 roster.
