A.J. Hinch
From BR Bullpen
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 207 lb.
- High School Midwest City High School
- School Stanford University
- Debut April 1, 1998
- Final Game September 24, 2004
- Born May 15, 1974 in Waverly, IA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
A.J. Hinch was drafted in the second round of the 1992 amateur draft out of high school. He batted .440 for Team USA in the 1991 World Junior Championship and drove in 10 runs to tie for the team lead; he led them in average as they won Bronze. Hinch hit .450 with 10 steals, 11 runs and 9 RBI for the US in the 1992 World Junior Championship, leading the team in steals and finished second in average behind John Roskos as they won Silver. He batted .214/.290/.321 as the catcher for Team USA in the 1994 Baseball World Cup. He elected to attend Stanford University where he was a third round pick after his junior year in 1995. He decided to return to school and was again a third round pick as a senior in 1996. In the same year, he won a bronze medal for the United States at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Even while playing, Hinch was planning a post-playing career. He even went so far as to go to the General Managers' winter meetings to look for future job opportunites and contacts in 2003. In July 2006 Baseball America named him one of baseball's "10 to watch" in the next 10 years for his promise as a Farm Director and future General Manager. He is currently the Arizona Diamondbacks' Director of Player Development.
