Twins Announce Big Change on Coaching Staff

There’s been a significant amount of change happening in the Minnesota Twins organization, of late, this time amongst the coaching staff. Manager Rocco Baldelli was fired at the end of the season. This week, he was officially replaced by his good friend, Derek Shelton.

The field staff will continue to see more changes, as the offseason continues, but the first major addition was announced on Thursday. While MN Twins fans haven’t had a lot to cheer about in recent years, they’ll like this hire. because it sure will be nice to see LaTroy Hawkins back in a Twins jersey again.

LaTroy Hawkins named MN Twins bullpen coach

And when Hawkins puts that uniform back on, he’ll do so as the Minnesota Twins’ new bullpen coach. It’ll be the first time LaTroy has donned Twins threads since the end of the 2003 season, his last of nine years as a Twins relief pitcher.

NEWS: LaTroy Hawkins will be the Twins bullpen coach next season. Great get for Derek Shelton’s first staff in Minnesota, landing the 21-year MLB veteran.

— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) November 7, 2025

Hawkins is the first new name to join Derek Shelton’s coaching staff, but he isn’t the first change. Shelton has yet to name a bench coach, but will have a new face there.

Assistant bench coach Hank Conger has also been notified that he will not be back with the team, according to Dan Hayes (The Athletic), who’s also reporting that Colby Suggs — Minnesota’s bullpen coach since 2022 — could be on his way to Texas.

Welcome back, LaTroy Hawkins!

Now 52 years old, LaTroy Hawkins isn’t new to the Twins clubhouse or Target Field. In recent seasons, he’s worked in an advisor role for Minnesota during Spring Training. He’s als been a special assistant to general manager, Jeremy Zoll.

Beyond his duties with the team, Hawkins also worked as a rotating color analyst on the Twins.TV broadcast team. It was reported recently that the 21-year MLB veteran was looking to get back on the field, and thankfully, that’ll be with the Twins.

LaTroy Hawkins was selected by the Minnesota Twins straight out of high school, in the 7th round of the 1991 MLB Draft. In his nine seasons as a Twin, LaTroy compiled a 5.05 ERA in 818 innings.

The Gary, Indiana native made 98 starts for Minnesota, before he was converted to a reliever — a role he flourished in for the rest of his career, which finally came to a conclusion in 2015 with a big league career 4.31 ERA in 1,467 1/3 innings pitched.

Shelton will now have Hawkins working with arguably the most important position to improve on the roster. The bullpen was gutted at the trade deadline, and a man with 944 relief appearances will be the last face arms see before entering mid-game.

Multiple changes for MN Twins coaching staff

Tingler will be working with new San Francisco Giants manager, and former Missouri teammate, Tony Vitello. Conger moved into the dugout this season and has been a name on the rise. Although he won’t be back for Minnesota, it won’t be a shock if he finds something quickly.

It remains to be seen how Shelton will fill out the rest of his staff. Tommy Watkins, who’s been the Twins’ third base coach for the past couple seasons, is the longest tenured member of the organization. He was taken in the 38th round of the 1998 draft, debuted in 2007, and has never left the franchise since.