The Giants are going to hire Blue Jays assistant hitting coach Hunter Mense as their hitting coach, reports Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. Yesterday, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reported that the Giants were targeting Mense.
Mense, 41, played baseball at the University of Missouri at the same time as new Giants manager Tony Vitello. Mense was drafted by the Marlins and played in the minor league system for a while, then spent some time in indy ball. Once his playing days were done, he pivoted to coaching, working in the Blue Jays’ minor league system.
He was promoted to the major league staff ahead of the 2022 season. It’s always tough to give one coach credit for the performance of several players, but for what it’s worth, the Jays have performed well during his time as an assistant hitting coach. Over the past four years, the Jays have a .257/.326/.416 line and 109 wRC+, which puts them fourth-best in the majors.
Last week, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said there would be no “proactive subtractions” from the coaching staff. However, it seems Mense has been lured to San Francisco by his former college teammate offering him a promotion. The Giants have had Pat Burrell as their hitting coach for the past two years. It was reported last week that he would be staying with the Giants but in a different role.
The Giants have been hovering around .500 for the past four years. In 2025, they hit .235/.311/.386 for a wRC+ of 97. Perhaps a full season from Rafael Devers and/or a breakout from Bryce Eldridge will help them break through, but Mense will also try to do his part to help. The Jays will presumably look to add an assistant to replace Mense, whether that’s an internal promotion or external hire.
Photo courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images
Here goes nothin… 🥺
Hold on, is this just Hunter Pence in a fake mustache?
🤣
I thought it was a misspelling. Who knew it was for real.
Congrats to him on the promotion. Our hitting staff is about to be picked apart. Won’t be surprised if Lou Ionnotti lands the top hitting coach job elsewhere as well.
Rhymes with?
I was hoping the Giants would poach someone from the Brewers hitting coaches. I love their approach at the plate.
If Pat Burrell has an advisory role, I hope it won’t be advising the new hitting coach.
But I’ll admit to knowing nothing about coaches (possibly about Burrell as well). Certainly how a team hits isn’t entirely based on the coaching.
Instead of going with the “locals only” Bay Area ties philosophy, now it’s hiring or signing anybody that’s a former Missouri Tiger.
Why is he so sad to get this job?
Not Vitello’s teammate at Mizzou, Vitello was a coach when Mense and Scherzer were players.