Breaking: Minnesota Twins Part Ways with Hitting Coaches David Popkins, Derek Shomon, Rudy Hernandez, and Assistant Bench Coach Tony Diaz

[Matthew Taylor]

The Minnesota Twins have officially parted ways with hitting coaches David Popkins, Derek Shomon and Rudy Hernandez and assistant bench coach Tony Diaz. Following a sharp offensive decline in the final month and a half of the 2024 season, the organization believes a shift in approach is necessary.

Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In a move that signals the beginning of an anticipated shakeup, the Twins moved on from two big-league hitting coaches in a single day, per Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Popkins, who was hired after the 2021 season to replace reassigned hitting coach Edgar Varela, had previously been with the Los Angeles Dodgers' minor league system, where he served as the Triple-A hitting coach.

During his three-year tenure with the Twins, Popkins had a mixed track record. The team finished 11th, 7th, and 11th in OPS in the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons, respectively. While those numbers suggest a competent offense, the underlying issues with the Twins' approach at the plate eventually became too glaring to ignore.

One of the defining aspects of Popkins's time in Minnesota was the strikeout rate. In 2023, the Twins set an all-time record for strikeouts in a season, with a staggering 1,654 strikeouts. 

In 2024, there was a decline in strikeout rate, finishing 22nd in baseball, but the offense as a whole struggled mightily down the stretch. From August to the season's end, the Twins' offense ranked 22nd in baseball with a .684 OPS, a crucial stretch that contributed heavily to their collapse. Cold spells at the plate became frequent, and the offensive game plan against certain pitchers left fans with plenty to be desired.

There were bright spots under Popkins’s guidance. Notably, in the second half of last season, the Twins were the second-best hitting team in the American League, posting an impressive .801 OPS from August to the end of the year. But it wasn’t enough to overcome the significant regression seen in 2024, especially when the team needed consistent production down the stretch.

Shomon, for his part, was promoted from within the organization to the big-league staff for the 2023 season. He worked with Popkins as part of a large corps of coaches for Twins hitters over the last two seasons--one that helped some rookie hitters make huge impacts at times, but never showed quite the consistency for which the team hoped.

Hernández leaving is a massive shakeup for the Twins, as he has been in the Minnesota Twins organization since 1996. Hernández began his tenure in the Twins' organization as an instructor for Minnesota's Venezuelan Academy and worked in various levels of the Minor Leagues before being brought onto the Twins' staff by Paul Molitor in 2015.

Diaz was hired by the Twins following the 2018 season and has served as the assistant bench coach since 2022.

The decision to move on from Popkins, Shomon, Hernández and Diaz marks the first of what could be several changes for the Twins this offseason. After missing the playoffs following a massive late-season collapse, many more moves are expected to come, but it sounds like these are the extend of the coaching staff changes. We, of course, already know that Rocco Baldelli will return as manager, and Derek Falvey is still set to lead as President of Baseball Operations.

What do you think about the decision to part ways with these coaches? Do you think it will lead to the changes the Twins need? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the conversation.

View full article

[dberthia]

He had to go, but so should have a number of people above his pay grade.

[Jocko87]

It's the move we've been wondering about for a couple years.  I've alway had the feeling that he was probably very good with the technical parts of a swing but struggled with the feel of the game and reacting to major league pitchers adjusting to you.

At the All Star break they had ten lineup regulars with above league average wRc+.  The last six weeks they were a bottom three lineup in the league.  Too much talent for that to be possible.  

When we look at guys like Julien being completely lost I can't help but think with bad information you are a half second behind at the plate and dead.  

I will be very curious to see who they bring in.  This could be a top 5 lineup if someone can unlock it.  The makeup of the team requires it.

[Seth Stohs]

Looks like the Hayes article has been updated to note that Derek Shoman won't return to the MLB staff. I assume he'll be reassigned to the minor leagues somewhere. 

[Linus]

Unless the FO changes their hitting philosophies changes like this don’t matter much. They will find another guy to try and deliver the same message in a different way. 

[KirbyDome89]

Scapegoats. 

Recently it was the training staff. This year it's the hitting coach....

[jkcarew]

And…there it is. The current organization is nothing, if not predictable.

If there’s an unserious, half-hearted, empty, action that can be identified…whether it be with the staff, the roster, or the fans…these guys will take it.

[Blyleven2011]

Rest in peace Pete rose , please watch over our hitters ....

It's a start  , assistant coach Rudy  hernandez  should be Gone to , all new voices needed there ...

Let's just clean house , 2 pukey season in the last 3 seasons is enough reason for changes  ....

already posted by a member , I agree with his displeasure that  the higher Pay grade wasn't going with him ...

Today I was thinking to myself , WHO WAS A WORSE OWNER ????

CALVIN OR TODAYS POHLADS , not Carl or Eloise  .... 

[TheLeviathan]

All moves like this tend to be scapegoats, but given how putrid the offense was down the stretch....I guess it's reasonable to target them.

Again though...organizational philosophies need to change.

[Badgolfer34]

Now starts the big exciting moves by the FO. He might of deserved to go, but there  certaily are bigger fish to fry. 

[LewFordLives]

Maybe having too many coaches is part of the problem. Why do they need assistant hitting coaches? Too many voices can sometimes cause confusion and contradicting advice.

[CRF]

Sure...he needed to go, but there's a few other people that need to be on the bus outta town with him. 

[Patzky]

22 minutes ago, jkcarew said:

And…there it is. The current organization is nothing, if not predictable.

If there’s an unserious, half-hearted, empty, action that can be identified…whether it be with the staff, the roster, or the fans…these guys will take it.

They're the Trevor Richardses of the coaching staff, you say?

[Jocko87]

Flabbergasted how many people think Falvine would be more responsible than the actual coaches. 

Organizational hitting philosophy is a bunch of garbage hot takery.  There are other threads for that.

In his own words.

[USAFChief]

53 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

Looks like the Hayes article has been updated to note that Derek Shoman won't return to the MLB staff. I assume he'll be reassigned to the minor leagues somewhere. 

?

If the organization has determined Shoman isn't doing a good job, why would they retain him and send him to the minors? Wouldn't that have an even worse impact? 

[Brandon27]

I think everyone from tommy watkins to the bullpen coach need to be shown the door also 

[CRF]

13 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

?

If the organization has determined Shoman isn't doing a good job, why would they retain him and send him to the minors? Wouldn't that have an even worse impact? 

Once a Twin...always a Twin. It's like the mafia...there's only one way out of the "family".

[rv78]

Without the powers that be, being shown the door as well, I just feel like this is another attempt, by those powers that be, to appease the fans and hold someone else accountable for their own mistakes. Could it be that the players on this team, that are directly attributed to being here by this current FO, really aren't that good and no matter who the coaches are, they aren't going to become the goose that lays the golden eggs. One of my best friends sayings was, "you can't make a silk purse out of a pigs ear". Eventually you have to take the hype they are feeding you and flush it down the toilet, especially when you see year after year that the hype never materializes. 

[BsuNemo]

44 minutes ago, Jocko87 said:

Flabbergasted how many people think Falvine would be more responsible than the actual coaches. 

Organizational hitting philosophy is a bunch of garbage hot takery.  There are other threads for that.

In his own words.

"trade for players or find players across baseball that help us..." like Richards? Really!? Come on man. This starts from top down..... 🤷‍♂️

[Parfigliano]

49 minutes ago, CRF said:

Once a Twin...always a Twin. It's like the mafia...there's only one way out of the "family".

Two ways.  Dead or witness protection.

[JensenGregory]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

Unless the FO changes their hitting philosophies changes like this don’t matter much. They will find another guy to try and deliver the same message in a different way. 

Which is totally fine if they can find the guy who can do it effectively. The Twins didn't have a dramatically worse OPS or OPS+ compared to a team like the Yankees, which employs former Twins hitting coach James Rowson, and the batting average between the two teams was nearly identical this year. The biggest problem from my view was that the Twins lineup over the past couple of years would be the hottest team in baseball for a few weeks then fall off a cliff the next few weeks. Hopefully, they can find someone who can help level that out a little bit more (how that's done, I have no idea).

[MinnesotaTwins26]

I hope Pete Maki stays. I don't think he garners enough credit.

 

[Dennesey55347]

Twins hitters don't play full seasons, are (comprehensively) deathly allergic to plating RISP, steal bases only on the 3rd Wed of each month, have no killer mentality, and never reach their potential or vastly outperform expectations. Warning to incoming hitting coach: you are working with nothing, sir/ma'am. And don't think your draft stockpile will save you. These players sparkle every once in a while but eventually leave the team for better player development.

[LastOnePicked]

Wishing these folks the best, but hoping we can get some fresh perspective on the coaching staff. Can't shake the feeling that it won't matter much until a new captain boards the ship.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

2 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Rest in peace Pete rose , please watch over our hitters ....

It's a start  , assistant coach Rudy  hernandez  should be Gone to , all new voices needed there ...

Let's just clean house , 2 pukey season in the last 3 seasons is enough reason for changes  ....

already posted by a member , I agree with his displeasure that  the higher Pay grade wasn't going with him ...

Today I was thinking to myself , WHO WAS A WORSE OWNER ????

CALVIN OR TODAYS POHLADS , not Carl or Eloise  .... 

Carl voted in favor of contraction. Terrible owner too

[Aerodeliria]

Both Detroit and KC just showed us how to win without hitting the ball 450 feet. They ran the bases well and KC stole their way to the W.  And, lest I forget, they played clean baseball in the field. Those are lessons to the Twins coaches in the future.....

[Whitey333]

The first of a few coaches to go.  Scapegoats.  But I understand.  The first of several lip service or cover you a.. movement by the Twins.

[Seth Stohs]

3 hours ago, USAFChief said:

?

If the organization has determined Shoman isn't doing a good job, why would they retain him and send him to the minors? Wouldn't that have an even worse impact? 

I don't think that's necessarily true. And him being dropped isn't necessarily an indication of his ability to coach. The reality is that he was the #3 hitting coach. Who knows if they'll even keep 3 hitting coaches. It's also possible that because he's young and inexperienced, they may think he needs more time, or that currently he isn't reaching some of the veterans.  That doesn't mean he can't coach or isn't capable of reaching younger players. I don't know Shomon, and I don't know if he's a good coach or not. I know he came to the Twins out of the indy leagues and didnt' spend much time coaching in the minors before being named the #3. 

[terrydactyls]

I was listening to the Tigers game this afternoon and heard the announcers commenting on how the Tigers put up a couple runs in one inning.  "Three hits up the middle and one to the opposite field.  They are putting the ball in play and not trying to pull everything."

Too bad the Twins don't try that philosophy.

[Blyleven2011]

3 hours ago, rv78 said:

Without the powers that be, being shown the door as well, I just feel like this is another attempt, by those powers that be, to appease the fans and hold someone else accountable for their own mistakes. Could it be that the players on this team, that are directly attributed to being here by this current FO, really aren't that good and no matter who the coaches are, they aren't going to become the goose that lays the golden eggs. One of my best friends sayings was, "you can't make a silk purse out of a pigs ear". Eventually you have to take the hype they are feeding you and flush it down the toilet, especially when you see year after year that the hype never materializes. 

AMEN  ....