Minnesota Twins 2018 minor league staff assignments
By Nate Palmer
The Minnesota Twins have completed hires and assignments for the 2018 minor league coaching staff. Here is a look at how the staff shapes up.
The Minnesota Twins have recently announced their full minor league staff for the 2018 season. There was certainly a lot of movement throughout the system as plenty of familiar coaches were moved around or are no longer in the Twins system altogether. Below is the rundown of how the coaching staff will line up.
Rochester Red Wings
Manager: Joel Skinner
Hitting Coach: Chad Allen
Pitching Coach: Stu Cliburn
Bullpen Coach: Mike McCarthy
As the Rochester Red Wings say goodbye to their manager of the past three years, Mike Quade, they welcome in their staff for the 2018 season. The Red Wings staff will be led by Joel Skinner who comes to Rochester with a variety of coaching and managing experience.
Skinner didn’t coach in 2017 but most recently served as manager of Single-A Winston-Salem and Triple-A Charlotte in the Chicago White Sox system. Skinner’s “peak” in his managing and coaching career was serving as the Cleveland Indians interim manager in 2002 after the firing of Charlie Manuel. While with the Indians major league staff Skinner had served as bench coach, third base coach, and catching instructor. He also was with the Oakland Athletics major league staff in 2011 as their bench coach.
Over Skinner’s 12 minor league seasons as a manager, his teams have gone 860-777. He was also named Minor League Manager of the Year by both Baseball America and The Sporting News in 2000. Skinner was awarded the same recognition by USA Today in 1998.
Skinner is being joined by another new Red Wings coach, bullpen coach Mike McCarthy. McCarthy was a pitcher himself, drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2011 out of California State-Bakersfield. Chad Allen is returning as hitting coach for the Red Wings where he has continued to perform well for the Twins organization as there was his name was brought up when the major league hitting coach position was open last offseason. Pitching coach Stu Cliburn will also be returning for his third season with Rochester and will likely see some of the very good 2017 Chattanooga pitching staff come his way and be tasked with polishing their approaches so they can contribute in the majors soon.