6 Candidates to Be the Next Manager of the Minnesota Twins

[Matthew Taylor]

Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins made waves on Monday by dismissing Rocco Baldelli, closing the book on a seven-year managerial tenure that brought both high highs and low lows. Now comes the critical question: who’s next?

It’s early in the process, and right now, there’s no reporting to suggest who the frontrunners might be. But it’s never too soon to start considering potential candidates. Below is a first-draft watch list—names that Twins fans can begin to think about as the team begins its search. Some are familiar faces within the organization, others bring outside experience, and a few are more outside-the-box ideas that would shake things up.

Internal Options
In what could be a challenging environment for attracting outside candidates, the Twins may look inward. New or veteran managers from other organizations might hesitate to join a franchise viewed as struggling, making internal continuity an appealing path. An internal hire could serve as a bridge, steadying the ship in the short term while keeping familiarity and trust in place during a transition period.

Hank Conger
Conger has been with the Twins since 2022, first serving as the first base and catching coach before being promoted to assistant bench coach this past offseason. A former catcher (often dubbed the “on-field manager”), Conger has earned admiration from players and coaches for his presence and leadership. His reputation as a communicator and his steady rise through the staff make him a natural candidate for consideration.

Toby Gardenhire
The son of Twins Hall of Fame skipper Ron Gardenhire, Toby has managed within the system since 2018, moving from Cedar Rapids to Fort Myers to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints, where he currently leads. He recently notched his 500th managerial win in the organization. While minor-league records only tell part of the story, his reputation among players is strong, and his deep familiarity with both the system and roster gives him a legitimate shot.

Veteran Managers
The Twins may decide that the best move is to look outside the organization for a seasoned manager who can bring fresh philosophies and shake up the status quo.

Brad Mills
Mills brings decades of coaching experience, including a stint managing the Houston Astros from 2010–2012 and years as Terry Francona’s trusted bench coach in Cleveland. This season, he has been serving as bench coach for the playoff-bound Cincinnati Reds. Mills’s prior connection to Derek Falvey from their Cleveland days could make him a natural fit if the Twins want experience and continuity of leadership.

Skip Schumaker
Schumaker transitioned seamlessly from his playing career into managing, leading the Marlins to the postseason in 2023 and winning National League Manager of the Year honors. After a rocky 2024, he stepped away from managing but resurfaced as an advisor with the Rangers. At 45, Schumaker remains a rising managerial name who is sure to draw interest around the league. If the Twins want a proven yet still ascending candidate, Schumaker could be a strong option.

Outside-the-Box Options
In today’s MLB, the role of a manager often revolves less around calling every tactical shot and more around leadership, culture, and serving as a bridge between the front office and the clubhouse. With that in mind, the Twins could consider recent players with deep connections to the organization and game.

Torii Hunter
A Twins legend, Hunter checks a lot of boxes: charisma, good with the media, organizational ties to the Twins, and respect from major-league players. He understands the grind of a long season, and could keep players motivated while embodying the type of leadership fans crave. A Hunter hire would immediately energize the fan base.

Nelson Cruz
Cruz, like Hunter, would instantly win over fans and players alike. Even during his Twins playing days, he often functioned as a player-manager—a mentor and clubhouse leader who commanded universal respect. His bilingual skills and deep connection to Latino players would add a dimension the Twins have lacked. Cruz also brings a forward-thinking approach and passion for analytics, making him an interesting candidate.

It’s far too early to know which way the Twins will go, but the list of potential candidates ranges from trusted internal options to experienced veterans to bold, unconventional hires. What the front office values most—continuity, experience, or clubhouse leadership—will determine the direction of this search.

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What do you think? Who would you like to see as the next manager of the Minnesota Twins? Leave a comment below and start the conversation.

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[terrydactyls]

Are there any relatives of Falvey or the Pohlads who would like to be a manager?  Nepotism is the most current trend in real life, so why not in baseball? 😃

[farmerguychris]

Whoever will accept the smallest contract would be my guess.

I would like Gardenhire, but thats the old school in me.

[DJL44]

The biggest problem they need the new manager to fix is their poor defensive fundamentals. A team with Byron Buxton in CF shouldn't end up with the worst rated defense in the league.

[chaderic20]

You forgot the most obvious candidate, a Twins Daily reader! There are numerous people every day on here who obviously feel they could do a better job than Rocco. 😄

More seriously, is there a reason you didn't include Tingler? A former manager and the current bench coach, who filled in as manager whenever Rocco was unavailable? Not asking as a complaint, but out of curiosity, as in, is there something I'm unaware of the would preclude him from consideration?

[mike8791]

No way should a former Twins player or current coach be named.  And forget a Gardenhire.  Toby has underperformed at AAA with developing players and winning teams, with the added obstacle of the acorn not dropping far from the tree adage(look at Ron's record in playoffs).

This team needs a strong, independent voice, one who Falvey/Pohlad could not control and one who brings fan enthusiasm back.  Who better than TK?  An outside proven manager(Schumacher, Hinch, Vogt) would be possible, except for their availability and the cost to bring them in.  Assuming he's still up for the job at 75, Kelly checks all the boxes needed in a new manager.  Yes, this would be a longshot but who else could bring the leadership, insistence on fundamentals and independence to quash poor advice from Falvey, et. al.?

[jorgenswest]

I have these general wonders.

Would they be better off with a manager with major league experience or someone new to managing?

Would they be better off with someone in house or someone from the outside?

Someone connected to Falvey or no connection?

 

[bunsen82]

I am surprised Derek Shelton wasn't brought up.  Ties to Falvey.  Was in a more dysfunctional organization than the Twins.  Likely would have a better overall roster than he did with the Pirates.  Is currently available.  I really don't think the quality is going to be great to choose from.  He does have MLB managerial experience.  Not a great performance record,  but wasn't given quality rosters either.  

2nd option  would be Gardenhire.  

[Peter]

This will be really really really exciting to see who our next manager will be!!!!

[The Great Hambino]

Bob Melvin's track record of success in an environment like Oakland where he had to deal with similar constraints to what the Twins are likely headed toward, at least in the short-term, is intriguing to me.

Then again, maybe his experience in Oakland is something he'd like to avoid experiencing in the future.

But please forget about internal candidates.  This position needs fresh ideas and an outside perspective in the worst way.  I mean, what are the odds that Toby Gardenhire and his sub-500 AAA winning percentage is the best man for the job out on the market?  Low.  Very very low.

ETA: if they thought an internal candidate was worth exploring, they should've been made interim manager at the trade deadline

[rdehring]

Trevor Plouffe apparently made two suggestions yesterday, Hunter and Justin Morneau.  

Expect it will be likely that the manager chosen is none of the above.  Also likely many, or most, of us here will be disappointed by their choice.  As for the suggestion above that it be TK, I for one would love to see whomever it is brings back the principals with which he managed.

[USAFChief]

19 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The biggest problem they need the new manager to fix is their poor defensive fundamentals. A team with Byron Buxton in CF shouldn't end up with the worst rated defense in the league.

Not just defense, but poor fundamentals all around. The overall identity of Baldelli's teams.

Fix it all. Be better at playing the game than other teams, rather than worse..

And BTW this is completely separate from talent. The Twins need talent upgrades sure. But they also need, as an organization, a return to valuing and emphasizing playing the game correctly. That concept has been scoffed at for the entirety of Baldelli's tenure, right from day 1.

[dberthia]

I'd be shocked if they went outside the organization. If they do what they should and fire Falvey, the new guy won't be around long anyway. Whoever they bring in is going to be in a thankless situation, so I doubt many talented people outside the organization would want to associate themselves with this dumpster fire. Whoever they pick, I hope they can motivate the young guys and actually display some human emotions.

[USAFChief]

As to the new guy, I vote for someone NOT new to managing.

[jorgenswest]

An addition to each of the categories

Internal Option: Brian Dinkleman

Poach a bench manager: Craig Albernaz

Veteran Manager most like Baldelli: Gabe Kapler

Veteran Manager least like Baldelli: Clint Hurdle

Way Outside-The-Box: Hirokaza Ibata

 

 

[Rod Carews Birthday]

One of the main problems with any of the candidates who are a part of the current system is that the biggest complaints involve development and training parts of the job.  We need better fundamentals!  So hire a guy who is already there and didn’t do it from that seat (or in AAA like Toby G)?  Our players can’t make the transition to the majors! So hire people who have already failed in that endeavor?  Hunter or Cruz!  Does straightening out this mess seem like an entry level job to you?  If offered the job, they would be wise to turn it down. 

For nostalgic and loyalty reasons it is easy to get excited about people already or formerly here.  However, if forward progress is going to be made, we need someone with experience from the outside — and yes, it might cost some money.  I would also hope that conversations would be had with the Twins’ four or so most established good players — Buxton, Lopez, Ryan, and Jeffers — to get some player level input.  I don’t know the right name, but experience is critical if we hope to compete any time soon.  

[DJL44]

30 minutes ago, mike8791 said:

No way should a former Twins player or current coach be named.  And forget a Gardenhire.  Toby has underperformed at AAA with developing players and winning teams, with the added obstacle of the acorn not dropping far from the tree adage(look at Ron's record in playoffs).

This team needs a strong, independent voice, one who Falvey/Pohlad could not control and one who brings fan enthusiasm back.  Who better than TK?  An outside proven manager(Schumacher, Hinch, Vogt) would be possible, except for their availability and the cost to bring them in.  Assuming he's still up for the job at 75, Kelly checks all the boxes needed in a new manager.  Yes, this would be a longshot but who else could bring the leadership, insistence on fundamentals and independence to quash poor advice from Falvey, et. al.?

TK as the manager might be even worse than Tony La Russa's last gig with the White Sox.

[rdehring]

13 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Not just defense, but poor fundamentals all around. The overall identity of Baldelli's teams.

Fix it all. Be better at playing the game than other teams, rather than worse..

And BTW this is completely separate from talent. The Twins need talent upgrades sure. But they also need, as an organization, a return to valuing and emphasizing playing the game correctly. That concept has been scoffed at for the entirety of Baldelli's tenure, right from day 1.

I wish there was something stronger than saying I "love" your comment.  Couldn't agree more.

[nicksaviking]

9 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

As to the new guy, I vote for someone NOT new to managing.

I'd prefer someone who's managed, but I don't know that I'm looking for MLB managing experience. Salty old veteran MLB managers likely aren't going to be a fit for a young rebuilding team. Minor league or maybe even a college manager who likes to work with and teach kids is probably a better fit.

[nicksaviking]

6 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

One of the main problems with any of the candidates who are a part of the current system is that the biggest complaints involve development and training parts of the job.  We need better fundamentals!  So hire a guy who is already there and didn’t do it from that seat (or in AAA like Toby G)?  Our players can’t make the transition to the majors! So hire people who have already failed in that endeavor?  Hunter or Cruz!  Does straightening out this mess seem like an entry level job to you?  If offered the job, they would be wise to turn it down. 

For nostalgic and loyalty reasons it is easy to get excited about people already or formerly here.  However, if forward progress is going to be made, we need someone with experience from the outside — and yes, it might cost some money.  I would also hope that conversations would be had with the Twins’ four or so most established good players — Buxton, Lopez, Ryan, and Jeffers — to get some player level input.  I don’t know the right name, but experience is critical if we hope to compete any time soon.  

I'm not looking to promote from within, but blaming the minor league managers for not transitioning the prospects to the majors doesn't track. The prospects played well under them, the MLB coaches were the ones who clearly didn't help the players adjust at the MLB level.

[DJL44]

16 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Not just defense, but poor fundamentals all around. The overall identity of Baldelli's teams.

Fix it all. Be better at playing the game than other teams, rather than worse..

I would settle for "as good as" everyone else. League average would add 7 wins.

[Reptevia]

It’s irrelevant if the FO isn’t cleared out first. Falvey will never give a manager complete control, and that is the only way anything changes. I suspect they will just bring in Rocco 2.0. 

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Just now, nicksaviking said:

I'm not looking to promote from within, but blaming the minor league managers for not transitioning the prospects to the majors doesn't track. The prospects played well under them, the MLB coaches were the ones who clearly didn't help the players adjust at the MLB level.

I would argue that setting players up to make the transition from one level to the next is crucial to their success in the majors, and that IS ultimately the AAA manager’s job.  No one actually cares about wins and losses in AAA.  It’s all about development of skills and preparing them to be ready for the majors.  It’s also where those missing fundamentals should be addressed, not from the major league manager’s bench.  

[DJL44]

4 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

I'm not looking to promote from within, but blaming the minor league managers for not transitioning the prospects to the majors doesn't track. The prospects played well under them, the MLB coaches were the ones who clearly didn't help the players adjust at the MLB level.

I think some people here are still unaware that MLB is a lot harder than AAA.

[chpettit19]

This will be a fascinating process to follow, assuming names of interviewees come out. I fully agree with the idea that the Twins need somebody who will push back on Falvey and the FO, but what would make us think Falvey is going to hire somebody who is going to do things differently than he believes they should be done when his neck is the one on the chopping block now? Do a lot of other people have bosses that tend to hire people that constantly tell them they're wrong and they're going to do it a different way? That must be an interesting workplace. 

Falvey is the problem. I have no reason to believe anything will change in any meaningful way until he's gone. Maybe the names of who he's interviewing will start to give me reason to believe. But Falvey didn't sit in his suite and watch Rocco manage for 7 years while thinking "this guy is an idiot and he's running this team totally wrong" without firing him. The strategies deployed, the development plans used, and the rosters built all come down to Falvey. I don't care who they hire (none of us know anything about any of these guys anyways) until Falvey is gone or I'm shown actual actions that suggest a legitimate change in strategy from the very top.

[Brandon27]

If you want fans back in the seats only name would that is Joe mauer 

[shimrod]

3 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Falvey is the problem. I have no reason to believe anything will change in any meaningful way until he's gone. Maybe the names of who he's interviewing will start to give me reason to believe. But Falvey didn't sit in his suite and watch Rocco manage for 7 years while thinking "this guy is an idiot and he's running this team totally wrong" without firing him. The strategies deployed, the development plans used, and the rosters built all come down to Falvey. I don't care who they hire (none of us know anything about any of these guys anyways) until Falvey is gone or I'm shown actual actions that suggest a legitimate change in strategy from the very top.

I agree, but I'm going to play devils advocate. 

We saw Rocco completely change his approach to running after the deadline. Appeared he saw his previous risk averse philosophy was actually adding risk. Thrown out or left standing (or doubled off)....there are downsides to passivity on the bases, esp. with our contact challenged hitters. 

Bottom line, people can change and even the most stubborn may eventually figure it out. 

Maybe, just maybe, Falvey realizes his micro management of the on field product has not succeeded and the way forward is to hire a strong manager and let him manage. 

I don't think this is likely but it is not impossible. 

[jmlease1]

I think we'll find out a little about whether the Twins have any real commitment to change with the managerial hire. If they pick someone from inside the organization (especially the MLB staff) then it's a sign that they're not all that interested in change and fired Rocco primarily as a sop to the fanbase. (it's not a guarantee that the next manager won't change things up, but it won't be a good sign for any substantive fundamental change for how they operate)

They almost certainly will interview some internal candidates, and they should; if there's literally no one in the organization worthy of an interview, then they should be firing a lot more people really fast in the minor league ranks too and cleaning house on all the MLB coaches. (this would please some around here I'm sure, but would likely be a foolish overreaction that would throw out the good with the bad and offend some of the players to boot) But that's not where I would hope they'd have their focus.

They need some fresh voices and new ideas, so I'd look for rising people from other organizations.

Grabbing an ex-Twin with no managerial experience seems like a desperation play to win casual fans over, without necessarily improving the product. And why would you want it if you're someone like Morneau? He's got a very nice gig right now and a large family. 

I can't believe anyone is suggesting TK. This ain't Bud Grant coming back to stabilize things after being retired for literally 1 season; TK hasn't managed in decades, he's 75, and his health isn't the greatest. Crazy idea, just crazy.

[chpettit19]

9 minutes ago, shimrod said:

I agree, but I'm going to play devils advocate. 

We saw Rocco completely change his approach to running after the deadline. Appeared he saw his previous risk averse philosophy was actually adding risk. Thrown out or left standing (or doubled off)....there are downsides to passivity on the bases, esp. with our contact challenged hitters. 

Bottom line, people can change and even the most stubborn may eventually figure it out. 

Maybe, just maybe, Falvey realizes his micro management of the on field product has not succeeded and the way forward is to hire a strong manager and let him manage. 

I don't think this is likely but it is not impossible. 

It's absolutely not impossible, I'm just going to have to see it to believe it. Falvey has made changes to some team building strategies over the years. He can absolutely make adjustments. Not very quickly, but he makes adjustments. And he very well might make an adjustment in the manager department. I'm just not going to celebrate any of this until I actually see things in action. 

This whole firing doesn't read to me like Falvey actually thinking Rocco needs to be fired. If he thought Rocco was the problem I'd think he would've fired him during the season before things got so out of hand they had to trade 40% of the roster. Falvey is a smart dude (despite what some people think). He knows that things going this horribly heats up his seat next. If you truly think your job is going to start being on the line if you don't start figuring things out and you think the guy under you is truly a problem, don't you fire them before things go completely upside down? Don't you give the team a chance to right the ship in May or June or July by replacing Rocco if you truly think what he's doing is the problem?

Maybe he hires someone very different or gives them way more control. I'm absolutely not ruling out the possibility. I just need to actually see proof of it before I'm going to think any real changes are coming and we're not just getting Rocco 2.0.

[matt]

Surprised Brandon Hyde, Derek Shelton, and Craig Albernaz didn't make this list.