Reports: Former El Paso baseball player hired as San Diego Padres hitting coach

Former El Pasoan Alan Zinter is the new hitting coach for the San Diego Padres, according to published reports

The team has not officially announced the hire, but the San Diego Union-Tribune and MLB writers are reporting the hire.

A Twitter account that appears to be Zinter’s also seems to confirm the hiring.

“Very Excited to have the opportunity to Lead the Padres Attack,” states the description on the @Alan_Zinter Twitter account.

“It’s an opportunity to be the No. 1 guy and try to get them going,” Zinter told Astros beat writer Brian McTaggart about going to the Padres.

Zinter, 47, played for Hanks High School before playing for the University of Arizona. He was drafted by the New York Mets in the first round of the 1989 MLB Draft.

He played 19 seasons of professional baseball.

Zinter was the Astros assistant hitting coach last season and previously worked for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2008-’11 as that team’s hitting coach.

Below is Zinter’s bio and list of accomplishments from the El Paso Baseball Hall of Fame website:

Inducted in 2009
Four year letterman for Hanks High School
All District and All City Honoree
El Paso High School Player of the Year in 1986 as a senior
Had a .505 batting average
Led the state in home runs with 15
Led the state in runs batted in with 51
Earned baseball scholarship from the University of Arizona
As a freshman, he led the team with 7 triples in 1987
Played in Alaska Collegiate League and led his team the Mat Su Miners to win the 1987 NBC World Series in Wichita Kansas
His sophomore year at Arizona, he led the team in hits with 79 and led the Wildcats in runs batted in with 55
Following his sophomore year he played in the Cape Cod League for the Harwich Mariners
Played with Team USA in Taiwan – – 1988
Led Team USA with a .412 batting average and helped lead them to a Silver Medal with a 6-1 record
His junior year he tied the Arizona Wildcats team record with 18 home runs and led the team in runs batted in with 81 RBI and had a .352 batting average
Named to the NCAA, Baseball America, The Sporting News and ABCA All American teams
Named Pac 10 Conference “Co Player of the Year” with teammate pitcher Scott Erickson
Finalist for 1989 Golden Spikes Award
Led University of Arizona in hitting categories each of his three years playing in 162 games with 211 hits, 29 home runs, 357 total bases, 35 doubles, 12 triples, 172 RBI’s with a .336 batting average
Chosen in the First Round, 24th overall selection by the New York Mets in the 1989 Professional Draft
Played 19 seasons of professional baseball (1989-2007) with the Mets, Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Astros and in Japan
Named to All Star teams for Florida State League (1990) and Pacific Coast League (1997 and 1998)
In his 19 seasons, he had 1,562 hits, 276 home runs, 1,013 runs batted in and a .257 batting average
Made his major league debut in Milwaukee on June 18, 2002 against the Brewers while playing for the Houston Astros
First Major League hit was a home run for the Astros against the Cincinnati Reds in 2002
Played in Major Leagues for Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations
Hitting Coach for Arizona Diamondbacks minor league teams at Missoula and Visalia in 2008 and 2009