5 hitting coach candidates Minnesota Twins could target to replace David Popkins
The Twins need to find a new hitting coach, and there are a few intriguing options to consider.
After flaming out over the last month of the season, the Minnesota Twins wasted little time making some big changes.
The Twins parted ways with more coaches than the team ever has in an offseason that doesn't also include a managerial change. Hitting coach David Popkins was the most notable coach who Minnesota decided to move on from, and his job will be an important one for the team to fill.
Minnesota's offense wasn't bad, but it wasn't nearly as good as it needed to be. Inconsistencies plagued the team during Popkins' tenure; the Twins ended up in the Top 10 for in runs scored, but hit .228/.292/.354 and scored 3.6 runs per game over the course of their month-long collapse.
Popkins was under pressure going back to last summer and the offensive slump the team fell in, and now comes the important step of finding the right coach to replace him.
Potential Minnesota Twins hitting coach candidates to replace David Popkins
Eric Chavez, Co-Hitting Coach, New York Mets
A former slugger in his playing days, Eric Chavez has started to build a nice coaching career by bouncing around a bunch of different gigs with the New York Mets. One of those is his most recent, and arguably most successful, as he's served as co-hitting coach for a Mets team that has displayed some nice offensive surges.
We all saw what they did against the Atlanta Braves to clinch an NL Wild Card berth, and that offense has powered New York to the NLDS. Chavez helped New York finish with the ninth-best OPS in the league, as the Mets mashed 207 home runs this past season.
While he's alerady in a nice spot with a top team in the National League, Minnesota could offer him a promotion to the top hitting coach job. He's already worked with high profile hitters like Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo, which is something that could rub off nicely on guys like Royce Lewis, Jose Miranda, and Brooks Lee.
Hensley Meulens, Hitting Coach, Colorado Rockies
There's a scene in The Departed where Mark Wahlberg's character berates another member of the police crew by exclaiming "I'm the guy who does his job, you must be the other guy".
That seems to be Hensely Meulens, who is a well-respected hitting coach for a team that might not deserve his talents. Nothing about the Colorado Rockies screams "successful", but Meulens has managed to help a bad team take some strides.
Perhaps coming to Minnesota, where there is far more upside as far as talent and exposure, would be mutually benfecial. Meulens has been talked about as a potential managerial candidate and even interviewed for the Twins job back in 2019 after Paul Molitor was fired, so there's somewhat of an existing relationship. If he wants to get back on the managerial map, making a lateral move to Minnesota and helping turn the offense around could be a good way to do it.
Andy Haines, Hitting Coach, Pittsburgh Pirates
Usually when a coach is fired, he's not someone who jumps to the top of many lists. That shouldn't be the case with Andy Haines, who was let go by the Pittsburgh Pirates despite doing some really great things at a granular level that could pay off in the future.
Specifically, Haines worked with Oneil Cruz to tap into some of his potential and help him improve against left-handed pitching. To Twins fans, that could sound like a potential one-to-one comparison for what Haines might be able to do for Edouard Julien.
Pirates let hitting coach Andy Haines go despite their player with the most unrealized upside, Oneil Cruz, making real gains vs LHP, and in-season overall, on a roster need with a real need for offensive talent. Also, Joey Bart, remarkably, posted a 121 wRC+ this year. Pirates…
— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) October 2, 2024
Reviving Joey Bart, who looked cooked after the Giants DFA'd him, is also a feather in Haines' cap that seems to suggest he could tap deeper into some of Minnesota's hitters. Imagine what Jose Miranda was able to do, but scaled across the entire Twins' lineup.
That's asking a lot of Haines, but he showed the right potential with some of what he did in Pittsburgh.
Nelson Cruz, former Minnesota Twins designated hitter
One way to help Twins hitters find success against modern pitching is to have them coached by a guy who recently faced it. Nelson Cruz is beloved in Minnesota, and was one of the most well-respected members of the clubhouse during his time with the team.
Returning to help fix the offense would be a reunion that at the very least gets everyone excited about what the future might hold. Given the general negativity around the team, that can't be an overlooked aspect of potentially hiring Cruz.
He has zero coaching experience, which might be a mark against him, but he knows how to hit and the Twins offense was better when he was around. This would be an evolution of that, as he'd be able to connect with players while also using his recent experience in a way that even a former player like Eric Chavez might not be able to.
It's a risky hire, and certainly outside-the-box, but perhaps that's what Minnesota needs to properly shake things up.
Justin Morneau, former Minnesota Twins first baseman
If we're thinking outside-the-box, then Justin Morneau's name should be thrown in the ring.
He's remained close with the team after his retirement, and serves as the color commentator for a majority of Bally Sports North broadcasts. The Twins have always liked to keep things in the family, whether that's hiring former players to various positions within the organization, to hiring Toby Gardenhire to manage the St. Paul Saints. Minnesota likes giving opportunities to those who have given time to the team, and Morneau fits this bill in more than one way.
Like Cruz, he has zero coaching experience but he's kept a very close eye on the modern game through his work covering the team, and is often providing amazing feedback during broadcasts. He's essentially already looking at the game through the lens of a coach, so why not bring him in and have a former MVP and two-time Silver Slugger help fix the offense.
One thing that could hold him back is whether a role with the team would interfere with his family life, but if there's a bridge to getting him into the clubhouse the Twins should explore it. Morneau would be good for the vibes, good for fans, and potentially what the offense needs.
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