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 September 28, 2024)
Batting average	.219
Home runs	32
Runs batted in	112
Managerial record	877–793
Winning %	.525
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 on May 15, 1974, is an American baseball coach and former catcher. He is currently the manager for the Detroit Tigers, a team in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Before becoming a manager, Hinch was a player. He won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He played in MLB for several teams, including 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 championship in 2017. He is now helping the Detroit Tigers compete in the MLB.

A. J. Hinch's Early Life and College Baseball

A. J. Hinch grew up in Iowa before moving to Oklahoma when he was eight. He went to Midwest City High School. There, he was named the best high school baseball player in the country in 1992.

Even though he was drafted by a pro team, Hinch chose to go to Stanford University. He played college baseball for the Stanford Cardinal team. He was drafted again by MLB teams in 1995 and 1996. He decided to finish college before starting his professional career. At Stanford, 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.

A. J. Hinch's Playing Career

The Oakland Athletics picked Hinch in the 1996 MLB draft. He started playing for them in 1998 and stayed until 2000.

Later, he was traded to the Kansas City Royals in 2001. He played for the Royals until 2002. In 2003, he joined the Detroit Tigers. His last season as a player was in 2004 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He spent 2005 in the minor leagues before he stopped playing.

During his eight years in the major leagues, Hinch played 350 games. He had a batting average of .219, hit 32 home runs, and had 112 runs batted in.

A. J. Hinch's Managing Career

After he stopped playing, Hinch started working behind the scenes in baseball. The Arizona Diamondbacks hired him in 2005 to work with their minor league teams. He was seen as a promising future leader in baseball.

Managing the Arizona Diamondbacks

In May 2009, the Arizona Diamondbacks made Hinch their manager. He was only 34 years old, making him one of the youngest managers in MLB history. This was his first time managing any team.

Hinch was the Diamondbacks' manager until July 2010. During his time there, the team won 89 games and lost 123.

Working for the San Diego Padres

After leaving the Diamondbacks, Hinch joined the San Diego Padres in September 2010. He became their vice president of professional scouting. This job involved finding talented players for the team. 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. However, they lost in the next round to the Kansas City Royals.

In 2016, the Astros did not make the playoffs. But in 2017, they had an amazing season. They won 101 games and their division title. Hinch guided them through the playoffs. They beat the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to win the American League title.

The Astros then faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series. Hinch led his team to win the series in seven games. This was the first World Series championship in Astros history! Hinch set a new team record for playoff wins by a manager.

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

In January 2020, Hinch faced consequences for not stopping rule violations that happened during the 2017 season. Major League Baseball suspended him for one year. The Astros' owner then decided to fire Hinch. The owner stated he had higher standards for the team.

Managing the Detroit Tigers

After his suspension ended in 2020, the Detroit Tigers hired Hinch as their new manager in October 2020. He signed a multi-year contract with the team.

In 2024, Hinch led the Tigers to the playoffs. They finished third in their division but earned a spot in the Wild Card Series. This meant Hinch would face his former team, the Houston Astros, in the playoffs. He became only the third manager in MLB history to face a team he previously led to a World Series title in the postseason.

Managerial Record

Here's a look at A. J. Hinch's record as a manager in Major League Baseball:

See also

• Houston Astros award winners and league leaders
• List of Olympic medalists in baseball