The Minnesota Twins have four coaching roles open going into the off-season. They dismissed hitting coaches David Popkins, Derek Shomon, and Rudy Hernandez, as well as assistant bench coach Tony Diaz, following Minnesota’s 12-27 collapse that started in mid-August.
The vacancies, primarily with the hitting instructors, leave open possibilities for a change in Minnesota’s hitting approach. Since 2019, they have emphasized three true outcomes hitting that results in home runs, walks, or strikeouts. Underlying all of this, though, is a possibility that they could shake things up with the remaining coaching staff. As Twins Pioneer Press beat reporter Betsy Helfand reported, President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey said he won’t necessarily hire to fill those roles.
Minnesota may hire from the outside. However, if they move their remaining coaching staff into one of these open roles, would they consider someone from their minor league coaching staff to fill one?
If they bring a minor league coach up to the majors for the first time, Toby Gardenhire makes more sense than any other option.
Perhaps no one else has spent more of their lifetime with the Twins organization than Gardenhire. He was practically raised in the clubhouse because. His father, Ron, was Minnesota’s third base coach from 1991 to 2001 until they promoted him to manager following Tom Kelly’s retirement before the 2002 season.
The Twins drafted Gardenhire in 2005 out of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He played in Minnesota’s minor league system from age 22 until he retired from playing at age 28 in 2011.
After retiring, Gardenhire started coaching at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2012. However, the following year, he’d get one more stint of playing time with the German national team, which did not qualify for the World Baseball Classic in 2013.
The Twins brought Gardenhire back into the fold as a minor league coach in 2016, and he’s been managing at various minor league levels since 2018. Gardenhire has managed the Saints for their first four seasons as the Twins Triple-A squad. Now may be the best time to reward this organizational solider for his first opportunity to coach in the majors.
Minnesota would not be calling him up to manage because Rocco Baldelli will return to his role in 2025. So, if Gardenhire won’t manage, what coaching position makes the most sense for him?
Fortunately for him, minor league managers often have multiple roles on their teams. With fewer coaches on staff, minor league managers and bench coaches take on the roles of first- and third-base coaches.
Gardenhire has stood at the same position as his dad alongside third base for all four years he’s managed in St. Paul. If Minnesota’s front office calls Gardenhire up, having him replace Tommy Watkins at third base makes the most sense.
Fans have criticized Watkins for his decision to send base runners as the third base coach over the season. He could best be utilized in Diaz’s role as the assistant bench coach/infield coach. He is also a lifelong Twins organizational solider like Gardenhire, who has spent his entire career in pro ball with the team at every level of the majors and minors.
Watkins played infield in Minnesota’s system and still knows how to provide insight as an infield coach. Shuffling him into a role he is more than qualified for is the best option for utilizing Watkins’ strengths as a coach without punishing him for the criticism fans constantly throw at third-base coaches at any level of baseball.
The third base coach role will not come without criticism for Gardenhire. However, he has a solid record of holding and sending base runners in the right situations. For example, his eyes on outfielders were crucial for Emmanuel Rodriguez’s inside-the-park grand slam for his first-ever Triple-A home run.
By calling Gardenhire up to be the third base coach, the Twins would bring things full circle for the Gardenhire legacy in Minnesota. Twins fans can easily adjust to seeing another Gardenhire along the third base line, and his first season on the job will come with more benefit of the doubt.
If the Twins call up Gardenhire, they still have plenty of internal options to replace his role at Triple-A. Saints bench coach Tyler Smarslok would be the front-runner for his replacement. Smarslok has been alongside Gardy for the last four seasons. Smarslok manages the Salt River Rafters, Minnesota’s Arizona Fall League squad.
If not Smarslok, other options include Twins Double-A manager Ramon Borrego or Brian Dinkelman, Minnesota’s High-A manager and great friend to Gardenhire.
The Twins can search the open market for coaches to fill their coaching vacancies. However, if they hire internally, Gardenhire should be their guy.
