The Tigers have turned to a familiar AJ Hinch connection to fill a coaching job that had been open for months.
On Friday, Cody Stavenhagen and Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported that Detroit is hiring former major league catcher Martín Maldonado as its quality control coach. The spot had been vacant since Billy Boyer shifted to third base duties after Joey Cora was dismissed mid-season.
Maldonado spent parts of 2018 and 2019 with Hinch’s Astros, and his reputation in Houston was built less on the box score than on everything around it. He was known as a clubhouse leader, which helps explain why the Astros kept him around full-time from 2020 through 2023 even though his offense was well below average and his defense had fallen off badly by the end of that run.
The exact shape of a quality control coach’s job can change from team to team. A 2025 article from The Athletic described it as a flexible role, and former Mariners QC coach Steven Vogt said it became more of a bullpen coach role, while former Padres QC coach Ryan Flaherty said he helped with infield instruction. With Maldonado’s background, a Vogt-style assignment seems like the most logical fit.
Maldonado continued playing through 2025 before announcing his retirement after a season that saw him bounce between the minors and majors with the Padres. He was 38 and had spent 15 years in the big leagues with seven clubs, though most of that time came with the Astros and Brewers.
For Detroit, he looks like a natural resource for young catchers. He could be especially useful for Dillon Dingler, and even more so for Eduardo Valencia, who the Tigers are keeping as their backup for now. Valencia’s bat may be legitimate, but his work behind the plate still needs polish if he’s going to earn more playing time in 2027, even if a move to first base should also be on the table.
Maldonado also brings a strong recent connection to Framber Valdez. He caught a franchise-record 20 strikeouts with Valdez on the mound in 2022, then was behind the plate for Valdez’s only career no-hitter in 2023. Those games came after Hinch’s stint in Houston, but they still add to the sense that Detroit is bringing in another Astros voice.
Stavenhagen noted on October 7 that the Tigers have had some trouble keeping coaches, and that has become something of a talking point around the industry. Detroit is clearly hoping Maldonado sticks.
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Tigers Add Respected Former Catcher To Key Staff Role
The Tigers have added a familiar baseball mind to their staff, bringing in former major league catcher Martn Maldonado as their quality control coach. It is the kind of hire that fits the way A.J. Hinch has often valued experience and communication, and Maldonado arrives with a strong background from his years behind the plate, including time playing under Hinch with the Astros.
Maldonado retired in October and briefly moved into a special assistant role with the Braves, but his next step already had another layer to it. Along with his new assignment in Detroit, he is expected to manage a team in the Puerto Rican Winter League, a reminder that even after his playing career ended, his baseball calendar has stayed full. [Read more 🡒]