The biggest departure may be 27-year organizational veteran Tommy Watkins, who started with the Twins as a minor league player in the 1990s. He now joins the Atlanta Braves, leaving a base coach opening back in Minnesota.

Grady Sizemore hired as MN Twins first base, outfield and baserunning coach

In response, the Twins are promoting first base coach Ramon Borrego across the diamond to third base coach. Rather than replacing him with someone already in the organization, Falvey is hiring former Twins killer, Grady Sizemore.

On top of his first base coaching duties, Sizemore will serve as Minnesota’s outfield and baserunning coach, as first reported by Bobby Nightengale Jr (Star Tribune).

Grady Sizemore, who once tormented Twins pitchers when he starred for Cleveland, will work on boosting the Twins offense next year. Sizemore…is joining manager Derek Shelton’s coaching staff as an outfield and baserunning coach, a person familiar with the hire told the Minnesota Star Tribune. He will also serve as the first base coach.

Star Tribune

Can confirm the #MNTwins are hiring Grady Sizemore as their outfield/baserunning coach as @nightengalejr first reported.

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) November 12, 2025

Sizemore was a five-tool talent with the Cleveland Guardians (then Indians), whose playing career was cut short by injuries. The three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glover played 1002 big league games across 12 seasons.

He finished his career with a .265 batting average, .806 OPS, 150 home runs and 143 stolen bases, before he found his way into coaching, joining the White Sox staff in 2024, where later in the season he was named interim manager, posting a 13-32 record leading one of the worst teams in baseball history.

Lots of shuffling on Twins coaching staff

LaTroy Hawkins was a new addition to the Twins coaching staff, while both Borrego and pitching coach Pete Maki will be back. Sizemore has familiarity with Shelton in that the new manager was his hitting coach as a professional.

It was reported that James Rowson was a candidate to join Shelton’s staff as the bench coach, but that may not work out. The organization still has to replace Jayce Tingler after he landed with the San Francisco Giants.

It also remains to be seen what happens with the hitting coach situation. Matt Borgschulte was hired last season after David Popkins and Derek Shomon were fired. The former took the Blue Jays to the World Series, and the latter was just hired by the White Sox after a solid season as an assistant with the Miami Marlins.