Q&A with Hague, the new Pirates' hitting coach

Matt Hague originally joined the Pirates' organization as the team’s ninth-round Draft pick out of Oklahoma State University in 2008. One of the highlights of his career as a corner infielder included batting .309 for Triple-A Indianapolis and leading the International League with 165 hits in 2011.

In 2012, Hague batted .400 (22-for-55) with seven homers and 14 RBIs in 25 Spring Training games. He was so impressive during Grapefruit League play that year, he earned a spot on Pittsburgh’s Opening Day roster and former Pirates manager Clint Hurdle nicknamed him “The Hit Maker.”

Hague's 11-year playing career -- which included stints in the Majors with Pittsburgh (2012, 14) and Toronto ('15) -- ended in '18. Over the past five seasons, Hague has worked for the Blue Jays in scouting and as a hitting coach in the Minors and Majors. In '24, he served as Toronto’s assistant hitting coach.

In the following Q&A, Hague shares his thoughts as he steps into his new role as the Pirates’ hitting coach.

What does it mean to you to return to the Pirates organization, where your professional career began?

Hague: “I don’t think I’ve fully grasped everything yet, but there are a lot of emotions, especially excitement and joy. Thinking back to when I was drafted and came out of college, I didn’t necessarily know where I fit in the pro game. But I have vivid memories of playing for the Pirates in the Minors and the Majors. I often think about the times when we were rolling, the Wild Card games and how the city of Pittsburgh came alive. It was something very special.”

What’s the game plan for the next couple of months as you ramp up and get ready for Spring Training?

Hague: “The first thing is gaining an understanding of the players. You can have all the plans you want, but those have to be adjusted accordingly with player profiles. What they’re working through, their past experiences and things like that. There’s a lot that goes into it. Like understanding how a player moves, how he game plans [and] how he executes his approach off certain pitch profiles. I want to be able to help guide them and create road maps where they can continue to grow, and that starts with creating really good relationships.”

Are there certain principles or philosophies you have about hitting that apply to every player? Or do you operate on more of a case-by-case basis?

Hague: “You can’t tell all the guys to execute the exact same thing. It’s more about talking to them and finding out how they’ve gone about it in the past and getting creative with finding solutions for things that they’re working through. They’re at the Major League level because they know how to solve problems with their bodies and mentality-wise. It’s just about, over time, bringing out the consistency of performance. And I think performance will take care of itself by how we prepare and what the road map looks like for each player.”

The Pirates had some challenges offensively in 2024, but at the same time, there are exciting hitters on the roster. Guys like Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, Ke’Bryan Hayes and Joey Bart, to name a few. Can you talk about the group as a whole?

Hague: “It is an exciting group, because they’re very strong and athletic guys, and we want to use that to our advantage. You look at Bryan Reynolds, who’s done it for a long time at a very high level. His teammates have such extremely positive things to say about him and how he goes about his work. And then there’s the physicality and athleticism of Oneil Cruz, a guy who hits the ball extremely hard. Looking at the roster, it’s the athleticism and physicality that stand out. So, it’s about bringing that together to where they do grow. It’s putting those puzzles together, one by one. No matter what stage of their career they’re at, they all want to take that next step, they all want to win, and they’ll do whatever it takes. It’s an extremely positive lens that all these guys are looking through. And I want to help mold that and bring that together.”

Pirates manager Derek Shelton had stints as a Major League hitting coach for Cleveland and Tampa Bay. What have your conversations with him been like so far?

Hague: “With Sheltie, you really listen when he speaks because it’s a fun conversation. It’s never dull. And I want to pick his brain, because he’s been there as a hitting coach. He’s done it, and his input is extremely valuable. What sticks out is just the extremely organic conversations and how he views what he wants. He’s very clear with his direction. I’m going to lean on him because he knows what it’s like and he’s very respectful of the hitting coach landscape.”

There’s no more raw part of the game than pitcher vs. hitter. And with seemingly every team loaded with guys that can throw in the upper 90s and even over 100 miles an hour, hitting is more challenging than ever. Is your job to put hitters in the best possible position for success?

Hague: “Always. And helping them navigate situations where it’s going to be a little tougher. The way teams are designing pitches and playing with pitch usage, you have to be able to identify and understand those and prepare for those. The way the pitching world is going -- as hitters and hitting coaches -- there has to be some counter to that, whether the stuff is extremely good or it’s just a lot of different angles coming at you. As a coach, you have to understand where the hitter is coming from, how they’ve gone about it in the past, and then make adjustments. That creates a lot of excitement and guys being able to take that next step.”