Twins Hire José Martínez As Minor League Coach

Former MLB outfielder José Martínez is taking a job in the Twins’ system as a minor league hitting coach, he announced. Martínez concluded his playing career in 2025 after a run in the Mexican League and winter ball in his native Venezuela.

Martínez played five seasons in the big leagues. He’s best known for his 2016-19 run with the Cardinals, for whom he had a trio of double digit home run seasons. He split the 2020 season between the Rays and Cubs. He signed with the Mets for the ’21 campaign but suffered a meniscus tear during a Spring Training in a collision with an umpire. Martínez missed the season, was dropped from the roster at the end of the year, and never appeared in the majors again.

The right-handed hitter finished his career with a lifetime .289/.356/.447 batting line. He didn’t have a lengthy MLB run but was 18 percentage points better than an average hitter on a rate basis, measure of wRC+. This will be his first coaching stint in affiliated ball.