Hague returns to Pirates as hitting coach (source)

PITTSBURGH -- During the spring of 2012, Matt Hague earned the nickname “the hit collector” after a torrid Spring Training that earned him a spot on the Major League team. Twelve years later, the Pirates are turning to him again to try to get the offense going.

Hague has been hired as the Pirates' new hitting coach, a source told MLB.com, replacing Andy Haines, who was dismissed after three years with the team at the conclusion of the season. The team is also hiring longtime pitching coach Brent Strom as an assistant pitching coach. The club has not confirmed the news.

Hague, 39, spent last season as the Blue Jays’ Major League assistant hitting coach after serving as a Minor League hitting coach in their system from 2020-23. As a player, he played parts of the 2012 and '14 seasons with the Pirates and the '15 campaign with the Blue Jays.

Hague will be inheriting an offense that certainly has some pieces, but it has struggled to produce. The 2024 team ranked 24th in the Majors in runs scored (665) and 27th in team OPS (.672), but did have some bright spots. Bryan Reynolds returned to All-Star form, Joey Bart and Nick Gonzales started living up to their first-round pedigree and Oneil Cruz improved as the season progressed and had a 20-20 season.

However, there are plenty of players who are going to need to take a step forward in 2025, including Ke’Bryan Hayes -- whose health is going to be paramount in him producing more -- Henry Davis, Jack Suwinski and Bryan De La Cruz, to name a few.

Many of the prospects in the upper levels of the Pirates' farm system are pitchers, with infielders Termarr Johnson (No. 3, per MLB Pipeline) and Nick Yorke (No. 6), and outfielder/infielder Billy Cook (No. 24) the only position players on the organization’s top prospects list who finished the season at Double-A Altoona or higher. That’s going to mean it will be imperative for other young hitters to continue to develop, including Liover Peguero, Endy Rodríguez, Jared Triolo and many of the other players who were already mentioned.

General manager Ben Cherington spoke at the GM Meetings in San Antonio last week about not looking for a “unicorn” hitting coach, and that it's going to be the work of the hitting team to best serve the group. The Major League hitting coach is going to be an integral part of that team, of course.

“We’re looking for someone who can add to those areas, but also be a complement to our group,” Cherington said. “Serve all that through the group of people.”

During his end-of-season news conference, Cherington expressed a desire for a “tighter connection” from the hitting team, “so that work that goes toward getting players better faster is happening better and faster all the time.”

The Pirates have often gone with player-centric candidates with a background in player development for their coaching hires since Cherington and manager Derek Shelton took charge, and Hague seems to fit that bill. While the Blue Jays did not have a great season offensively in 2024, many of their hitters complimented Hague on their success. Isiah Kiner-Falefa was in the mix for an American League batting crown in the first half of 2024 before landing on the injured list and then being dealt to the Pirates at the Trade Deadline.

Hague will be the third hitting coach under Shelton, who is entering his sixth season with the Pirates. Rick Eckstein was relieved of his duties in-season in 2021, and Haines spent three years with the Pirates.

Strom spent the past three seasons as the Diamondbacks’ pitching coach after holding the same position with the Astros from 2014-2021. He also was a pitching coach for the Astros in 1996 and the Royals from 2000-2001.

The Pirates still need a replacement for former bullpen coach Justin Meccage and expect to hire someone to coach from the bullpen. Strom will coach from the dugout during games.