Matt Padgett

A 17-year veteran in affiliated and independent baseball, Matt Padgett returns to the New Jersey as its hitting coach for the 2016 season. This will be Padgett’s first season coaching baseball at the professional level. A former draft pick of the Miami Marlins in 1998, Padgett developed the reputation as a consistent middle-of-the-lineup power source.

Padgett's career statistical highlights include: 120 home runs, 230 doubles, 588 RBI, and a lifetime batting average of .264.

Padgett began his playing career with the Marlins, making it all the way to Triple-A Albuquerque in 2004, where he belted 24 homers and drove in 93. While he didn’t get the call-up to the Majors, Padgett continued to play at Triple-A over the next three seasons, including stints with Triple-A affiliates for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.

Independently, Padgett has spent time with the York Revolution, Long Island Ducks and Camden Riversharks of the Atlantic League, and the Kansas City T-Bones and Wichita Wingnuts of the American Association. In 2013, the Jackals acquired Padgett in a late season deal with the T-Bones to add power to the lineup. Padgett turned out to be a terrific addition, belting five home runs, driving in 19 and batting .324 in 19 games as a Jackal.

Padgett also spent five winters playing in Mexico and Venezuela during winter ball, an experience that the former first baseman says taught him a lot about the diverse culture of the game.