Per UM:
Chris Dominguez grew up at The Light rooting for the Hurricanes. Now the Miami native will call The Light home, as he is set to help mold the next wave of Canes baseball greats.
Dominguez starred at Miami’s Gulliver Prep before an outstanding collegiate career that helped springboard him towards the big leagues. With his playing days behind him, Dominguez jumped at the opportunity to coach his hometown Canes.
“I just think the tradition of UM as being one of the greatest programs in college baseball history. How can you say no to a chance to be part of that?” Dominguez said. “And not only to get to coach at one of the great programs in college baseball, but I get to come back home so it was really an easy decision for me.”
Following a pro career that spanned over a decade, Dominguez coached at Bellarmine University in 2020. Now the former third-round pick of the San Francisco Giants joins head coach Gino DiMare’s staff, where he will mentor the infielders and assist with the hitters.
“We are excited to welcome Chris Dominguez to the University of Miami baseball program,” DiMare said. “Having played at the highest levels in college baseball and in the Major Leagues, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program. His energy, passion and positive demeanor were major qualities that stuck out to me during the interview process.”
Dominguez, who played professionally from 2009-19, appeared in parts of two MLB seasons in his pro career. The former slugging infielder made his big league debut in 2014 with the Giants, crushing a homer for his first MLB hit. A year later, he appeared in 14 games with the Cincinnati Reds.
“Being in the big leagues is awesome,” Dominguez said. “It's the best experience, but it takes a lot of hard work and it takes a lot of group effort and, hopefully, you have a good team and you win a lot of games, but it takes a lot of learning and it takes a lot of failure, too. Having been through pro ball, I hope to help prepare our players to get there and succeed there.”
A big name in South Florida baseball circles, Dominguez was an elite high school talent at Westminster Academy, Monsignor Pace and Gulliver before heading to the University of Louisville, where he was a two-time All-American.
Dominguez, though, has not called Miami home since high school, so he is overjoyed at the opportunity to coach in his hometown and be closer to his family while doing what he enjoys.
“I love Miami and I'm so happy to be back. It's been a long time,” Dominguez said. “When you leave, you start going to other places because life falls into place that way, but I'm super excited to be back and especially being around my family again. You get to see them in the holidays and stuff, but you don't get to see them all the time, especially when I was playing, so it's awesome to be back.”
In addition to getting a chance to come back home again, Dominguez is looking forward to mentoring young players in his hometown like others did for him while he was growing up.
“Coming from Miami, which is so full of baseball talent, I wanted to be able to teach kids what it was going to be like to play professional baseball and college baseball,” Dominguez said. “I've always known that I wanted to help prepare kids for what it was going to be like to play high-level baseball and what they were going to confront later on.
“I was lucky growing up playing in Miami because I knew a lot of players that were playing professional baseball and that helped me. So being able to teach those kids in college, I just thought it was great,” Dominguez added. “It's always really interested me and the kids at that age in college, you can influence a lot and you can make a big difference in their game but also in life even outside of baseball. I just think it's a great age to be able to teach not only the game but life.”
Dominguez, who recalls watching former Miami stars like Pat Burrell, Ryan Braun, Alex Cora and Charles Johnson when he was growing up, has always admired Hurricanes baseball. His understanding of the program and its history was another attractive quality when DiMare was considering the 33-year-old for the vacant coaching position on UM’s coaching staff.
“As a Miami native, I know he is very familiar with the program’s history and accomplishments,” DiMare said. “Chris understands and is aware of the expectations that come with being a Miami Hurricane. I couldn’t be happier and more excited to have Chris join us and help get our baseball program where we all expect it to be, which is in Omaha and winning a national championship.”
One of the top players in America while at Louisville, Dominguez helped lead the Cardinals to the program’s first College World Series appearance in 2007 and was named Co-BIG EAST Player of the Year in 2008 before winning the award outright in 2009.
Chris Dominguez grew up at The Light rooting for the Hurricanes. Now the Miami native will call The Light home, as he is set to help mold the next wave of Canes baseball greats.
Dominguez starred at Miami’s Gulliver Prep before an outstanding collegiate career that helped springboard him towards the big leagues. With his playing days behind him, Dominguez jumped at the opportunity to coach his hometown Canes.
“I just think the tradition of UM as being one of the greatest programs in college baseball history. How can you say no to a chance to be part of that?” Dominguez said. “And not only to get to coach at one of the great programs in college baseball, but I get to come back home so it was really an easy decision for me.”
Following a pro career that spanned over a decade, Dominguez coached at Bellarmine University in 2020. Now the former third-round pick of the San Francisco Giants joins head coach Gino DiMare’s staff, where he will mentor the infielders and assist with the hitters.
“We are excited to welcome Chris Dominguez to the University of Miami baseball program,” DiMare said. “Having played at the highest levels in college baseball and in the Major Leagues, Chris brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program. His energy, passion and positive demeanor were major qualities that stuck out to me during the interview process.”
Dominguez, who played professionally from 2009-19, appeared in parts of two MLB seasons in his pro career. The former slugging infielder made his big league debut in 2014 with the Giants, crushing a homer for his first MLB hit. A year later, he appeared in 14 games with the Cincinnati Reds.
“Being in the big leagues is awesome,” Dominguez said. “It's the best experience, but it takes a lot of hard work and it takes a lot of group effort and, hopefully, you have a good team and you win a lot of games, but it takes a lot of learning and it takes a lot of failure, too. Having been through pro ball, I hope to help prepare our players to get there and succeed there.”
A big name in South Florida baseball circles, Dominguez was an elite high school talent at Westminster Academy, Monsignor Pace and Gulliver before heading to the University of Louisville, where he was a two-time All-American.
Dominguez, though, has not called Miami home since high school, so he is overjoyed at the opportunity to coach in his hometown and be closer to his family while doing what he enjoys.
“I love Miami and I'm so happy to be back. It's been a long time,” Dominguez said. “When you leave, you start going to other places because life falls into place that way, but I'm super excited to be back and especially being around my family again. You get to see them in the holidays and stuff, but you don't get to see them all the time, especially when I was playing, so it's awesome to be back.”
In addition to getting a chance to come back home again, Dominguez is looking forward to mentoring young players in his hometown like others did for him while he was growing up.
“Coming from Miami, which is so full of baseball talent, I wanted to be able to teach kids what it was going to be like to play professional baseball and college baseball,” Dominguez said. “I've always known that I wanted to help prepare kids for what it was going to be like to play high-level baseball and what they were going to confront later on.
“I was lucky growing up playing in Miami because I knew a lot of players that were playing professional baseball and that helped me. So being able to teach those kids in college, I just thought it was great,” Dominguez added. “It's always really interested me and the kids at that age in college, you can influence a lot and you can make a big difference in their game but also in life even outside of baseball. I just think it's a great age to be able to teach not only the game but life.”
Dominguez, who recalls watching former Miami stars like Pat Burrell, Ryan Braun, Alex Cora and Charles Johnson when he was growing up, has always admired Hurricanes baseball. His understanding of the program and its history was another attractive quality when DiMare was considering the 33-year-old for the vacant coaching position on UM’s coaching staff.
“As a Miami native, I know he is very familiar with the program’s history and accomplishments,” DiMare said. “Chris understands and is aware of the expectations that come with being a Miami Hurricane. I couldn’t be happier and more excited to have Chris join us and help get our baseball program where we all expect it to be, which is in Omaha and winning a national championship.”
One of the top players in America while at Louisville, Dominguez helped lead the Cardinals to the program’s first College World Series appearance in 2007 and was named Co-BIG EAST Player of the Year in 2008 before winning the award outright in 2009.
