A. J. Hinch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids A. J. Hinch
Hinch with the Houston Astros in 2015
Detroit Tigers – No. 14
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1974-05-15) May 15, 1974 (age 51) Waverly, Iowa, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 1, 1998, for the Oakland Athletics
Last appearance
September 24, 2004, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics (through July 9, 2025)
Batting average	.219
Home runs	32
Runs batted in	112
Managerial record	936–828
Winning %	.531
Teams
As player Oakland Athletics (1998–2000) Kansas City Royals (2001–2002) Detroit Tigers (2003) Philadelphia Phillies (2004) As manager Arizona Diamondbacks (2009–2010) Houston Astros (2015–2019) Detroit Tigers (2021–present)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (2017)
Medals Representing  United States Men's Baseball Summer Olympics Bronze 1996 Atlanta Team World Junior Baseball Championship Silver 1992 Monterrey Team Bronze 1991 Brandon Team

Andrew Jay Hinch (born May 15, 1974) is an American professional baseball coach and former catcher. He is currently the manager of the Detroit Tigers team in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Before becoming a manager, Hinch played baseball himself. He won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He then played in MLB for teams like the Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

After his playing days, Hinch became a manager. He led the Houston Astros to a World Series win in 2017. He also helped them win over 100 games for three years in a row. Later, he was suspended by MLB and fired by the Astros because of a rule-breaking incident. In 2021, the Detroit Tigers hired Hinch as their manager. He led them to the playoffs in 2024.

Early Life and College Baseball

A. J. Hinch was born in Iowa and moved to Oklahoma when he was eight. He went to Midwest City High School, where he was a top baseball player. In 1992, he was named the National Gatorade Player of the Year for baseball.

Even though he was drafted by a pro team, Hinch chose to go to Stanford University. He played college baseball there and was drafted again after his junior and senior years. He also won a bronze medal for the United States at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Hinch is married to Erin Hinch, and they have two daughters, Haley and Kaitlin.

Playing Career in MLB

The Oakland Athletics picked A. J. Hinch in the 1996 MLB draft. He started playing for them in 1998 and stayed until 2000. He was a catcher, which is a player who squats behind home plate.

After leaving the Athletics, Hinch played for the Kansas City Royals from 2001 to 2002. Then, in 2003, he played for the Detroit Tigers. His last season in MLB was 2004 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He played a total of 350 games in his major league career. He had a batting average of .219, hit 32 home runs, and had 112 runs batted in.

Managing Baseball Teams

Starting with the Arizona Diamondbacks

After he stopped playing, Hinch started working for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005. He helped manage their minor league players. People in baseball thought he had a lot of promise for future leadership roles.

In May 2009, Hinch became the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was only 34 years old, making him one of the youngest managers in MLB history. He had never managed a team before at any level. He managed the Diamondbacks until July 2010.

Working for the San Diego Padres

In September 2010, the San Diego Padres hired Hinch. He became their vice president of professional scouting. This job involved finding and evaluating professional baseball players. He worked for the Padres until August 2014.

Leading the Houston Astros

Hinch became the manager of the Houston Astros in September 2014. In his first year, 2015, he led the Astros to the playoffs for the first time in ten years. They won their first playoff game against the New York Yankees.

In 2017, the Astros had an amazing season. They won 101 games and their division title. Hinch guided them through the playoffs, making important decisions about which pitchers to use. They won the American League Championship Series against the Yankees. This sent them to the 2017 World Series.

The Astros then faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Hinch's team won in seven exciting games, earning the Astros their first-ever World Series title! Hinch set a new club record for playoff wins as a manager.

The Astros continued to be very successful under Hinch. In 2018 and 2019, they won over 100 games each season. In 2019, they won a club-record 107 games. However, they lost the 2019 World Series to the Washington Nationals.

Challenges and Consequences

In January 2020, A. J. Hinch faced a big challenge. He and the Astros' general manager were suspended for one year by MLB. This was because of a rule-breaking incident that happened in 2017. The investigation showed that Hinch knew about the rule-breaking. Even though he didn't approve of it and tried to stop it a couple of times, he didn't do enough to prevent it from happening.

The Commissioner of Baseball said that managers are responsible for making sure players follow the rules. He said Hinch should have done more to stop the actions. Because of this, Hinch was suspended for a year. On the same day, the Astros' owner fired Hinch and the general manager. The owner said he had higher standards for the team.

Managing the Detroit Tigers

After his suspension ended in 2020, A. J. Hinch was hired by the Detroit Tigers as their manager in October 2020. He signed a contract to lead the team for several years.

In 2024, Hinch led the Tigers to the playoffs. They finished third in their division and earned a wild card spot. This meant they would play against the Houston Astros in the first round of the playoffs. This was a special moment because Hinch was facing his former team, the one he led to a World Series title.

Managerial Record

Hinch's career as a manager includes his time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros, and Detroit Tigers. As of July 2025, he has managed 1,764 games. He has won 936 games and lost 828 games, giving him a winning percentage of .531.

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in baseball