Twins hiring former Rays coach Rocco Baldelli as manager
The Minnesota Twins' youth movement officially extends to their manager.
Rocco Baldelli, 37, will be introduced as the Twins' next manager during a press conference Thursday.
FOX Sports North will televise Baldelli's introductory press conference at 3 p.m.
A former outfielder, Baldelli retired in 2011 while battling a rare muscular disorder, and has spent the past four seasons as a coach with the Tampa Bay Rays.
A popular candidate to fill one of the league's various managerial vacancies this fall, the Tampa Bay Times reports that Baldelli also interviewed with the Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds.
Baldelli spent the last four years on the staff of Rays manager Kevin Cash. He was a special assistant in the front office for four seasons prior to that. Baldelli's title in 2018 was major league field coordinator. He assisted Cash and bench coach Charlie Montoyo during the game, worked with the outfielders and focused on continued development of the team's young players.
Baldelli replaces Paul Molitor, who went 305-343 in four seasons managing the Twins, guiding Minnesota to the American League wild-card game in 2017.
The Twins struggled to replicate that success last season, going 78-84 and finishing 13 games behind the division-winning Cleveland Indians.
