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.

Someone had to take the fall for a 92-loss season. Ownership already decided to halt the sale of the team and instead invite new limited partners to buy down their debt. Derek Falvey was recently promoted to one of the highest ranking front office roles across the sport. Fault wasn’t going to be felt there.

With Baldelli being ousted though, the powers at the top must now find a new name. There have been candidates discussed previously, but we’re now starting to see some floated by local sources.

Bobby Nightengale offers new names for MN Twins manager role

Earlier this summer Buster Olney highlighted some candidates that could be considered to take over a vacancy at manager for the Minnesota Twins. Easy ties are made to former hitting coach James Rowson, and former bench coach Derek Shelton. The Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale mentions both of them as well.

The more intriguing names are those that hadn’t been previously considered or stated publicly. Seven of those exist in Nightengale’s mind.

Of them, there are four former managers. Skip Schumacher seems to be in line for the Texas Rangers job after they parted ways with future Hall of Famer Bruce Bochy. Both Hyde and Ross were out of the dugout and clubhouse this season. Bell formerly managed the Cincinnati Reds, and his brother Mike was the Twins bench coach in 2020 prior to his death.

Albernaz is a name that ESPN has also brought up, along with Kai Correa, as potential matches from the Guardians franchise. Falvey’s connections there continue to run deep, and he could look to poach from the AL Central Division champions.

Lombard was a candidate for the White Sox managerial job last season. Speaking of the White Sox, former Twins catcher Drew Butera was released from their coaching staff on Monday, and could be a candidate as well. So too could current bench coach Jayce Tingler.

Of the names Nightengale mentions though, it’s Torii Hunter that continues to generate some real steam.

Torii Hunter as the Minnesota Twins manager?

Hunter played 19 years at the Major League level. He has yet to manage in any capacity, but has worked in a coaching capacity with both the Twins and the Angels. At 50 years old, he could be the next former player to immediately step into the role.

The Twins Hall of Famer, a five-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, has expressed interest in managing. Hunter, 50, was a popular player inside and outside the clubhouse, and he’s worked as a special assistant in the Los Angeles Angels front office for the last two years. Hunter, who works with Twins third baseman Royce Lewis during the offseason, interviewed to be the Angels manager in 2023.

Bobby Nightengale – Star Tribune

Rocco Baldelli was seen as a player’s manager and typically a firing then swings the pendulum the other way. I’d guess Hunter would fall more in line as a player’s manager as well, but shouting and yelling can fall on deaf ears.

The reality is that great managers can carry messages between the front office and roster while effectively communicating in a way both sides are receptive to hearing. Hunter has the experience working with both sides, and he has been an integral part of generating positive clubhouse cultures as well.

Although Hunter does not have previous managerial experience, his fit is one that continues to gain steam.

Torii Hunter or Justin Morneau are the only right answers. https://t.co/YGgtoJfRuT

— Coach Trev (@trevorplouffe) September 29, 2025

torii hunter pic.twitter.com/z8MBuJrHAa

— parker hageman (@HagemanParker) September 30, 2025

The last series against the Angels, Torii Hunter was in the dugout for Los Angeles and comments were made about getting him back involved at the highest level for the Twins.

I don't really care about previous managerial experience, and I'd prefer not to hire a retread.

If…

— Ted (@tlschwerz) September 30, 2025

Going with Hunter would be taking a risk. The Cleveland Guardians did so with a 39-year-old Stephen Vogt last season though, and he won 92 games while finishing first in the division. This season they repeated, and overcame a 12.5 game deficit to chase down the Detroit tigers.

Previous experience shouldn’t be the lone determining factor, and Hunter has been intrigued by different managerial jobs previously. He’s currently engrained in the Angels system, and makes sense as a successor to Ron Washington. Minnesota may be best served to poach him first.

Minnesota Twins keeping Jayce Tingler on coaching staff

The Twins first hired Jayce Tingler, a former San Diego Padres manager, and David Popkins in November 2021. Mike Bell, Baldelli’s previous bench coach, died tragically of cancer that March. When Rocco hired Tingler, he brought a wealth of knowledge with him from time in multiple organizations, and experience leading a clubhouse.

Source: #MNTwins will have continuity in the dugout with Jayce Tingler returning as Rocco Baldelli’s bench coach.

This will be his fourth season.

— Ted (@tlschwerz) October 2, 2024

As Padres manager, Jayce Tingler went 116-106 across parts of two seasons. He managed San Diego to the National League Division Series during the shortened 2020 season. It didn’t take long for him to find another job at the big league level, when his time with the Padres expired. Tingler also worked for GM Thad Levine, when they were both with the Texas Rangers.

Over the past handful of years, Tingler and Baldelli can often be seen working in tandem within the Minnesota dugout. Tingler is often on the phone communicating during replays and pitching decisions. At just 43 years old, he brings a personality that can not only gel with Baldelli, but him home for a roster of relative youth.

Related: Minnesota Twins Move On From Hitting Coach After Disastrous Finish

Since Tingler joined the staff, Baldelli has been ejected a total of ten times. In each of those instances it has been Tingler that has taken over. This will be his fourth season working for the Twins.

The status of the remaining Twins staff is yet to be seen. Hitting coach Rudy Hernandez, and assistant Derek Shomon could be turned over. Nothing has been announced for pitching coach Pete Maki either.