Twins Hire José Martínez as Minor League Hitting Coach
The Minnesota Twins have brought on former major league infielder José Martínez to coach hitters in their minor league system.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Baseball
The Minnesota Twins hired José Martínez as a minor league hitting coach. Martínez concluded his playing career in 2025 after five major league seasons, finishing with a lifetime .289/.356/.447 batting line.
Why it matters
The hire adds a former major league hitter with a documented offensive track record to the Twins' player development system. Martínez's playing career ended after a 2021 injury that cost him that season and his spot on the Mets' roster.
Martínez's lifetime .289/.356/.447 slash line over five major league seasons reflects a hitter whose on-base and power production ran well above average. The extraction does not detail which minor league levels or affiliates he will oversee.
The players
José Martínez
A Venezuelan-born infielder and outfielder who played five major league seasons and later finished his career in the Mexican League and Venezuelan winter ball.
Minnesota Twins
The Major League Baseball franchise based in Minnesota that hired Martínez to coach hitters within its minor league system.
The details
Martínez played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2016 to 2019, hitting double-digit home runs in three of those seasons. He split 2020 between the Rays and Cubs and signed with the Mets for 2021, but a meniscus tear suffered in a Spring Training collision with an umpire cost him that season and his place on the roster.
Timeline
2016-2019: Martínez played for the Cardinals, with three double-digit home run seasons.
2020: Martínez split the season between the Rays and Cubs.
2021: Martínez tore a meniscus in Spring Training and missed the season.
2025: Martínez concluded his playing career following time in the Mexican League and winter ball in Venezuela.
November 7, 2026: The Twins announced Martínez's hiring as minor league hitting coach.
Season Trajectory
Former major league hitters moving into minor league coaching is a familiar development pattern in baseball's player development system. Martínez's path, with an injury that ended his major league opportunities, reflects how many veteran hitters transition into the coaching ranks.
The hire may shape which young hitters in the Twins system receive instruction from a coach with a documented major league offensive profile. Fans following minor league prospects may see changes in development focus as Martínez begins his role.
The takeaway
Former big league hitters who move into coaching bring firsthand knowledge of the adjustments required at the highest level. Martínez's transition shows how a playing career cut short by injury can lead into a new role within the same organization's system.
Further reading
For more on the Twins' organization, see Baseball coverage across Minnesota.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MLB Trade Rumors.
