Hubbry Logo
Mike AldreteMike AldreteMain
Open search
Mike Aldrete
Community hub
Mike Aldrete
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Mike Aldrete
Mike Aldrete
Mike Aldrete
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Michael Peter Aldrete (born January 29, 1961) is an American former professional baseball first baseman/outfielder and current hitting coach for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for 7 teams over a span of ten seasons, including the Athletics, San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, California Angels, and New York Yankees from 1986 to 1996.

Key Information

Playing career

[edit]

Aldrete was a four-year letterman at Stanford University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication. He is a member of Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity. From 1986 through 1996, Aldrete played for the San Francisco Giants (1986–88), Montreal Expos (1989–90), San Diego Padres (1991), Cleveland Indians (1991), Oakland Athletics (1993–95), California Angels (1995–96) and New York Yankees (1996). He batted and threw left-handed.

Aldrete's best season was 1987 when he hit .325 with 51 runs batted in (RBI), 50 runs, 116 hits and 18 doubles, all career-highs.

Aldrete's teams made the playoffs twice. The Giants reached the 1987 National League Championship Series and he was a member of the 1996 World Series champion Yankees as they beat the Atlanta Braves.

In 930 games over 10 seasons, Aldrete posted a .263 batting average (565-for-2147) with 277 runs, 41 home runs, 271 RBI and 314 bases on balls. Defensively, he recorded a .993 fielding percentage playing primarily at first base and all three outfield positions.

Coaching career

[edit]

Since 2001, Aldrete has maintained a role in professional baseball as a coach. After three years in the minors in the Arizona Diamondbacks chain, he has been a first base coach for the Seattle Mariners (2004) and served as the hitting coach for the Diamondbacks (2005–06). Aldrete served as assistant hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals since 2008[1] and was the bench coach for the Cardinals[2] through the 2014 season.[3]

Following the 2015 season, Aldrete became the Athletics' first base coach.[4] On November 28, 2022, Aldrete was named Oakland's first base coach for the 2023 season.[5]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Mike Aldrete

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Michael Peter Aldrete (born January 29, 1961) is an American former professional baseball player and coach, best known for his eleven-season career as a left-handed and in (MLB) from 1986 to 1996, during which he compiled a .263 , 41 home runs, and 271 runs batted in across 1,030 games. After retiring as a player, Aldrete began his coaching career in the Arizona Diamondbacks' system in 2001 and later joined the Athletics' organization, spending over a decade with the , including serving as the hitting coach since 2024. Aldrete was born in Carmel, California, and attended , where he played for four years before being selected by the San Francisco Giants in the seventh round of the 1983 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Giants on May 28, 1986, and enjoyed his most productive season in 1987, batting .325 with 9 home runs and 51 RBIs while posting a 3.4 Wins Above Replacement (WAR). Over his playing career, Aldrete appeared for seven teams: the Giants (1986–1988), (1989–1990), San Diego Padres (1991), Cleveland Indians (1991), (1993–1995), California Angels (1995–1996), and New York Yankees (1996), contributing to the Yankees' championship in his final season. Notable defensive highlights include leading National League left fielders in per nine innings (2.42) in 1988. Aldrete has been retained for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, continuing to mentor Oakland's hitters amid the team's relocation to . In July 2024, Aldrete temporarily stepped away from his duties to support his wife, Gina, during her treatment for at UCSF, including and CAR T-cell therapy, marking a rare family-first pause in his lifelong dedication to .

Early life and education

Youth and amateur baseball

Mike Aldrete was born on January 29, 1961, in Carmel, , and raised in the nearby Monterey area. He grew up in a family with strong connections to , including his younger brother Rich Aldrete, who was drafted by the Giants in 1987 after playing at the , and spent nine years in the before transitioning to coaching. This familial involvement in the sport likely fostered an early interest in for Aldrete, who developed as a left-handed batter and thrower during his youth. At Monterey High School, Aldrete was a standout multi-sport athlete, lettering in , , and football during his tenure, which culminated in his graduation in 1979. While specific baseball statistics from his high school career are not widely documented, his versatility across sports highlighted his athletic prowess and contributed to his reputation as a promising talent in California's Central Coast region. Local youth leagues and the competitive environment of Monterey provided foundational experiences that honed his skills as an and . Aldrete's high school achievements drew the attention of college recruiters, leading to his enrollment at Stanford University, where he would go on to have a distinguished amateur career as a four-year letterman. Stanford's interest in Aldrete aligned with the program's emphasis on developing versatile, left-handed players from the West Coast talent pool during the early 1980s.

College career at Stanford

Mike Aldrete enrolled at Stanford University in 1980 and played four seasons for the Cardinal baseball team from 1980 to 1983, earning a letter each year as a first baseman and outfielder. During his collegiate career, Aldrete developed into a key offensive contributor, posting an overall batting average of .356 with 255 hits, 21 home runs, and 176 RBIs over 716 at-bats. His progression included a freshman year average of .247 in 1980, followed by steady improvement to .393 in 1981, .354 in 1982, and a senior-year peak of .381 in 1983. In his final season, Aldrete hit .381 with 85 hits, 13 home runs, and 61 RBIs in 223 at-bats, earning First-Team All-Pac-10 honors and Third-Team recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association. He also received Third-Team honors from America in 1982. Aldrete's contributions helped Stanford secure Pac-10 South Division titles and advance to the in both 1982 and 1983, where the team finished with a 1-2 record in each tournament. His consistent power and plate discipline solidified his role as a versatile corner and during Stanford's postseason runs. Aldrete's standout college performance led to his selection by the San Francisco Giants in the seventh round (174th overall) of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft, concluding his eligibility after graduating from Stanford. In recognition of his impact, he was inducted into the Stanford University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996.

Professional playing career

Minor league beginnings

Following his selection by the Giants in the seventh round (174th overall) of the 1983 June Amateur Draft out of , Mike Aldrete signed with the organization and began his professional career that summer. He was initially assigned to the rookie-level Great Falls Giants of the Pioneer League and the Fresno Giants of the , where he appeared in limited games to adjust to the rigors of . In 1984, Aldrete settled in with the Fresno Giants for his first full season at the level, posting a .339 with 12 home runs and 72 RBIs over 136 games. His performance highlighted his plate discipline and power potential, earning him recognition as a promising hitter in the Giants' farm system. The following year, 1985, saw further advancement as he split time between the Double-A Shreveport Captains of the and the Triple-A Phoenix Giants of the , batting .330 with 15 home runs and 78 RBIs in 130 combined games. Throughout the 1984 and 1985 seasons, Aldrete developed versatility across positions, primarily serving as a while also playing to maximize his opportunities in the minors. This multi-positional capability, combined with his consistent offensive output, facilitated his rapid progression through the Giants' affiliates leading to his major league call-up in 1986.

Major League Baseball tenure

Aldrete made his Major League Baseball debut on May 28, 1986, with the San Francisco Giants against the Philadelphia Phillies at , where he started in left field and went 0-for-3 at the plate in a 6-5 loss. Over the next three seasons, he established himself as a versatile and for the Giants, appearing in 349 games while batting .292 with 16 home runs and 118 RBIs. On December 8, 1988, the Giants traded him to the in exchange for Tracy Jones, marking the first of several team changes in his career. With the Expos from 1989 to 1990, Aldrete played 172 games, hitting .252 with 11 home runs and 81 RBIs, primarily serving as a platoon player and defensive replacement. After being released by Montreal in March 1991, he signed with the Padres in April and appeared in 12 games before another release, then joined the Indians in May, where he played 85 games that year, batting .256 with 7 home runs and 43 RBIs as a utility and . He spent 1992 in the minors with Cleveland's organization, playing for the Triple-A , where he batted .284 with 7 home runs and 49 RBIs in 98 games, and returned to the majors in 1993 after signing with the , enjoying three productive seasons there through mid-1995, including a .278 average in 95 games during his first year with the team. On August 24, 1995, the Athletics traded Aldrete to the California Angels for minor leaguer Demond Smith; he played 18 games for them that season before signing back with the Angels for 1996, where he appeared in 31 games. Midseason on June 12, 1996, he was traded to the New York Yankees for pitcher Rich Monteleone, contributing in 32 regular-season games with a .217 average while providing depth at first base and in the outfield. In the postseason, Aldrete served as a for the Yankees' -winning team, appearing in three games across the ALCS and with one . Over his 10-season MLB career spanning 930 games with seven teams, Aldrete maintained a .263 , 41 home runs, and 271 RBIs, excelling as a left-handed bat and defensive specialist. His peak performance came in with the Giants, when he hit .325 with 9 home runs and 51 RBIs in 126 games, helping the team win the [National League West](/page/National League West) division.

Post-playing retirement

Aldrete retired from following the 1997 season at age 36, after a brief appearance with the Triple-A Syracuse SkyChiefs, affiliate of the Blue Jays, where he batted .297 with 8 RBIs in 27 games and 93 plate appearances. In a professional playing career spanning 1983 to 1997, Aldrete batted .263 with 41 home runs and 271 RBIs in 930 Major League games across 10 seasons with seven teams. After retiring, Aldrete spent several years away from organized baseball, focusing on personal transitions before entering the coaching ranks.

Coaching career

Minor league coaching roles

Aldrete began his coaching career in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, serving as hitting coach for the short-season Single-A Yakima Bears of the Northwest League. In 2002, he transitioned to a managerial role with the same Yakima squad, leading the team to a 23-53 finish and fourth place in the East Division. The following season, Aldrete managed the Single-A Advanced Lancaster JetHawks in the California League, where the team posted a 73-67 record and secured fourth place in the Southern Division. Throughout his three seasons in the Diamondbacks' farm system, Aldrete contributed to player development by emphasizing hitting fundamentals and strategic approaches tailored to emerging prospects, helping prepare them for higher levels of . This experience paved the way for his transition to a major league coaching position with the Seattle Mariners in 2004.

Major League coaching positions

Aldrete began his Major League Baseball coaching career as the first base coach for the Seattle Mariners in 2004, working under manager during a season highlighted by Ichiro Suzuki's record-breaking 262 hits. In this role, Aldrete supported base-running strategies and player development for a rebuilding Mariners team that finished fourth in the AL West with a 63-99 record. He then served as hitting coach for the Diamondbacks from 2005 to 2006, again under . From 2008 to 2011, Aldrete was the assistant hitting coach for the Cardinals, followed by three seasons as their bench coach from 2012 to 2014. Aldrete rejoined with the in 2015 as bench coach, marking the start of a decade-long tenure with the team. He transitioned to first base coach for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, then served as assistant hitting coach from 2018 to 2019, contributing to offensive improvements during a period when the Athletics reached the playoffs in 2018 and 2019. Aldrete returned to first base coach duties in 2020 and 2021, followed by a shift to in 2022, where he analyzed game data to enhance strategic decision-making and player performance. In 2023, Aldrete resumed his role as first base coach for the Athletics before being promoted to hitting coach for the 2024 season. During 2024, he temporarily stepped away in July to support his wife through treatment for , resuming his duties after a month. As hitting coach entering his second year in 2025, Aldrete has focused on refining batting techniques and integrating to foster young hitters' development amid the team's relocation to . His long association with the Athletics, now in its 11th season, underscores his role in shaping the club's offensive identity through versatile coaching expertise.

Personal life

Family and health challenges

Mike Aldrete has been married to Gina Aldrete since the early 1990s, and she has provided steadfast support throughout his career, from his playing days to his coaching roles. The couple has two sons, Michael and Blake, both of whom pursued interests in during their youth. Michael Aldrete, born in 1989, was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 39th round of the out of and played two seasons in the Cardinals' system from 2012 to 2013 before transitioning to other pursuits. Blake Aldrete, the younger son, played at . The Aldretes are also grandparents to at least two grandchildren, Zoey and Aaron. In mid-2023, Gina Aldrete was diagnosed with , a form of blood cancer, after experiencing persistent back and hip pain initially attributed to tennis-related strain. She underwent radiation, multiple rounds of , and a bone-marrow transplant following their son's wedding, but required further aggressive treatment in 2024. This diagnosis prompted Mike Aldrete to take a temporary leave from his position as hitting coach for the starting in July 2024, allowing him to accompany her during a two-week inpatient regimen of followed by CAR T-cell therapy at UCSF Medical Center in . Aldrete returned to the team later that summer, resuming his duties as the Athletics prepared for the remainder of the season. Throughout this period, Aldrete demonstrated resilience in balancing his demanding coaching career with family priorities, emphasizing the unwavering support from his wife and sons as a source of strength. He reflected on the ordeal in a 2024 interview, stating, "Gina has been my rock through everything in , and now it's my turn to be there for her completely," highlighting the couple's mutual commitment during adversity. The family maintains a residence in , where Aldrete has spent much of his off-field life since retiring as a player in 1996, enjoying time with grandchildren and local community activities in the Monterey County area.

Legacy and family in baseball

Mike Aldrete's influence extends beyond his playing and coaching roles through his family's involvement in , particularly his nephew Carter Aldrete, who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 15th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of . Carter progressed through the Giants' system, reaching Double-A with the , where he showcased versatility across infield positions and a career batting average of .246 with 47 home runs over 348 games. After being released by the Giants in January 2024, he played independent ball in the American Association before signing a contract with the in February 2025, starting at Double-A Midland before his release in mid-summer. As of November 2025, Carter continues his professional career in the Atlantic League with the Gastonia Ghost Peppers, having participated in the league's earlier that year and maintaining to the sport through his uncle's ongoing MLB presence. Aldrete's broader legacy lies in his enduring mentorship of players across generations and organizations, from his early coaching stints in the Arizona Diamondbacks system to his major league roles with the Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, and especially the . Since joining the Athletics staff in 2015, he has held positions including bench coach, first base coach, quality control coach, and hitting coach—marking his 11th season with the team in 2025—contributing to the development of young hitters and maintaining a collaborative environment under manager , a former teammate. His work has fostered continuity in Bay Area baseball, bridging his playing days with the Giants and Athletics to current prospects, earning quiet recognition within circles for his player-focused approach and longevity in the sport. While Aldrete has not received formal individual awards for his coaching, his tenure aligns with notable team achievements, such as the ' consistent development of position players and the Cardinals' postseason appearances during his bench coach years from 2012 to 2014. Looking ahead, Aldrete's continued role as hitting coach for the into 2026 positions him for further impact, while his nephew's persistence in suggests potential family succession, keeping the Aldrete name active in the game's competitive landscape.

References

  1. https://www.mlb.com/player/mike-aldrete-110119
  2. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aldremi01.shtml
  3. https://www.mlb.com/news/as-name-mike-aldrete-new-bench-coach/c-99777186
  4. https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-a-s-announce-major-league-coaching-staff-for-2024
  5. https://www.mlb.com/athletics/history/coaches
  6. https://www.si.com/mlb/athletics/onsi/news/a-s-bring-back-coach-from-san-francisco-giants-for-2026-campaign
  7. https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/athletics/article/a-s-coach-mike-aldrete-stepping-away-wife-19552485.php
  8. https://www.milb.com/player/richard-aldrete-451152
  9. https://www.montereyherald.com/20141014/cardinals-coach-mike-aldrete-reflects-on-past-looks-ahead/
  10. https://gostanford.com/news/2001/07/10/athletics-news-230
  11. https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/8098/
  12. https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/1983_College_World_Series
  13. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1983/05/31/the-story-on-stanford-pretty-good-overall/62843632007/
  14. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=aldret001mic
  15. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/trades.php?p=aldremi01
  16. https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/minor_team/10444/
  17. https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-NORW/y-2002
  18. https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/stats_minor/2003~10272/
  19. https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Mike_Aldrete
  20. https://sodomojo.com/2022/03/03/best-right-fielders-mariners-history/
  21. https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/2004_Seattle_Mariners
  22. https://www.athleticsnation.com/2022/1/28/22901315/oakland-as-quality-control-coach-mike-aldrete
  23. https://pressbox.athletics.com/Publications/Athletics%2520Media%2520Guides/2025%2520Athletics%2520Media%2520Guide%2520Preview.pdf
  24. https://www.mlb.com/news/athletics-coaching-staff-2026
  25. https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Michael_Aldrete
  26. https://www.milb.com/player/michael-aldrete-623448
  27. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2011/10/21/mike-aldretes-son-dreams-of-sharing-triumph-with-dad/
  28. https://www.sonomaseawolves.com/sports/baseball/roster/blake-aldrete/2499
  29. https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/08/21/we-all-have-our-fingers-crossed-for-him-california-wildfires-threaten-home-of-as-coach/
  30. https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/A-s-draft-two-with-local-ties-Mike-Aldrete-s-13944097.php
  31. https://www.montereyherald.com/2025/02/26/aldrete-signed-by-sacramento-as-organization/
  32. https://www.si.com/mlb/athletics/news/a-s-add-versatile-former-san-francisco-giants-prospect-01jmebemrttr
  33. https://www.montereyherald.com/2025/08/22/aldrete-heating-up-after-being-release-by-as-organization/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.