Chris Heintz

[William Malone]

Christopher John Heintz was born on August 6, 1974 in Syosset, New York.

He was a star catcher for the University of South Florida, and is now enshrined in their athletic Hall of Fame. The Chicago White Sox used a 19th round pick on him in 1999. Heintz bounced around several minor league systems before making his Major League debut with the Minnesota Twins as a 31-year old rookie on September 10, 2005.

Minnesota used him as a third catcher behind Joe Mauer and Mike Redmond for the next few seasons. Heintz spent most of his time with the Rochester Red Wings, making 34 big league appearances for the Twins between 2005 and 2007. He hit .232 with three doubles and nine RBI while in the Majors, throwing out two of a potential 18 base stealers from behind the plate.

After spending all of 2008 in Triple-A, the Twins hired Heinz as a minor league coach. He managed the GCL Twins in 2009, and ran the club's extended spring training camp. The University of South Florida, his alma mater, hired him as an assistant coach in 2010. He has coached at various levels of the Phillies minor league system since 2018, and is set to be their Single-A hitting coach in 2025.

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