LaTroy Hawkins Could Be the Steady Hand Twins Bullpen Needs

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Lou Capozzola-Imagn Images

When LaTroy Hawkins talks about pitching, there’s wisdom that comes from experience. It's not just the kind that can be measured in spin rates or extension data, but the kind that comes from 21 years in the big leagues—from being on the mound when things go wrong, and from learning how to make them right again. If the Twins are looking to fill their bullpen coach position, Hawkins should be at the top of their list.

Since returning to the organization in 2017, Hawkins has become one of the most respected voices in the Twins’ player development system. He’s worked closely with pitchers in the upper minors and has a deep understanding of how the organization operates, both on the field and behind the scenes. When he coached the USA Baseball 18U national team in 2023, he got an even better sense of how today’s young pitchers think and train. He’s comfortable with modern analytics, but he’s also one of the few people who can still bridge the gap between data and humanity.

“Throwing 100 miles an hour, RPMs and vertical break—we’re so caught up in them,” Hawkins said. “We forget there’s a human element to it, the mental part of the game.”

That mindset is precisely what the Twins bullpen could use. The organization’s pitching infrastructure is strong, but even the best analytics department can’t account for what’s going on in a player’s head. Hawkins has lived that side of the game. He knows the pressure of a bases-loaded jam in Yankee Stadium, the grind of a long season, and the toll it takes on a player’s confidence. He believes that part of coaching is helping players navigate those challenges, just as much as refining their mechanics.

“My value wasn’t in teaching guys how to throw two-seam fastballs or sliders or a curveball or a changeup,” Hawkins said. “My value was in teaching the young guys from the neck up.”

From Struggling Starter to Bullpen Mainstay
Hawkins’s credibility comes not just from his longevity, but from his evolution. When he debuted with the Twins in 1995, he was expected to be a key part of the rotation. The results, however, didn’t match the expectations. Over five seasons as a starter, Hawkins posted an ERA north of 6.00 (79 ERA+) and struggled to find consistency. Many players in that situation fade out of the league entirely. Hawkins, instead, found reinvention.

The move to the bullpen in the early 2000s changed everything. Freed from the demands of starting every fifth day, Hawkins was able to focus on his strengths: a lively fastball, sharp command, and a calm presence in pressure moments. He went on to pitch for more than a decade after that transition, logging over 1,000 career appearances and earning the trust of managers across the league.

That transformation is precisely the kind of example the Twins could use right now. With several pitchers in the organization, including some who have struggled to stick as starters, a voice like Hawkins could help them embrace new roles without seeing it as a step backward. He understands how difficult that transition can be mentally, and how it can ultimately extend a career rather than shorten it.

A Perfect Fit for a New Era
The Twins have prided themselves on developing arms through technology, but the next step might be finding ways to connect that technology with the human side of the game. Hawkins embodies that balance. His influence has already helped young pitchers throughout the system feel more confident, more accountable, and more connected to what it means to be a professional.

He’s also made it clear that he wants to stay with the organization that drafted him back in 1991. “Twin for life” isn’t just a slogan for Hawkins. It’s a belief. And if the right opportunity opens up soon, he’s ready to take it.

For the Twins, that opportunity may have arrived. A bullpen coach with Hawkins’s blend of empathy, experience, and organizational familiarity could be the missing link between development and execution. After all, it’s not every day that a team has the chance to add a coach who’s both fluent in modern metrics and fluent in the human side of baseball.

Hawkins has spent years helping Twins pitchers find their way. Now, the Twins have a chance to let him do it from the dugout (or bullpen). 

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Should Hawkins take on a larger role with the Twins next season? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[tarheeltwinsfan]

I agree 100%. Thanks for this wonderful article.

[Doctor Gast]

"Throwing 100 miles an hour, RPMs and vertical break—we’re so caught up in them,” Hawkins said. “We forget there’s a human element to it, the mental part of the game.”

Bingo! We are so caught up in analytics that we totally miss the human element, Many analytical nerds are lost if they can't find what they want on a spreadsheet. Experience adds so much when players are struggling. LaTroy has been my choice for BP coach since the beginning.

[Cory Engelhardt]

He would be a homerun addition to the staff. 

[rdehring]

Great article, Cody.  And would be a fantastic choice by the new Twins manager.  Only negative is some of us would miss him on the tv broadcasts.

[Doctor Gast]

28 minutes ago, rdehring said:

Great article, Cody.  And would be a fantastic choice by the new Twins manager.  Only negative is some of us would miss him on the tv broadcasts.

If he does get the position, I hope he does a lot of cameos on tv & interviews.

[Otaknam]

Analytics has its place, but it seems to be the only thing that drove Rocco’s every decision, especially with pitching. I would be onboard with a coach who understands how to show confidence in a pitcher to go deeper into games, and not be so tied to the idea that he can’t pitch to the lineup a third time. I know Sonny Gray wasn’t happy with that philosophy, so he left and was never replaced. 

[Elliot]

There is also the “manager in waiting” aspect to consider. I think Shelton is a fine choice, but whoever got the job was probably aware that they are being set up to fail. Two years from now, when the next “core” is settling in, the Twins will be ready for a new manager following a couple of tough years. 
I don’t know if Hawkins has managerial aspirations, but getting a couple of years dugout experience would be good for him, and the future decision makers. 

[dogman]

I liked Him as a TV commentator.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

2 hours ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

He would be a homerun addition to the staff. 

Bad choice of words. . . . go with "perfect game!"

[Jeff K]

36 minutes ago, Rod Carews Birthday said:

Bad choice of words. . . . go with "perfect game!"

I was wondering if it was a double entendre!

[Road trip]

Coach LaTroy?  Heck, as thin as the bullpen was at the end of the year maybe he can still pitch!?!  He should be well rested!

[ashbury]

7 hours ago, Otaknam said:

I know Sonny Gray wasn’t happy with that philosophy, so he left

Surprised this narrative keeps popping up because it's wrong, and it was documented.  Gray not only was open to returning, he even pushed for it a little.

Sonny Gray told the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale that the Twins didn’t make much of a push to re-sign him when the veteran righty entered free agency last winter.  “They were very transparent from the get-go, saying, ’Listen, we do not have the resources to give you a contract, as much as we would like to.’  So, I kind of knew that,” Gray said.  “Even though we did come back a couple of times and try to work on some things, I kind of knew early on that it wasn’t [happening].”

 

[Cris E]

This is crazy.  Who is questioning the group that put the last outstanding bullpen on the field? That group is mostly still here and they should be promoting from within to maintain continuity with a very successful program. The coaches that brought you youngsters like Varland and Funderburke (and Jax and Duran in previous years) as well as injury reclamations like Stewart and Coulombe are still here. They already were handling the vibes and moods and personal angles quite well and they deserve the chance to continue that work.  Latroy is doing very well in the booth and there's no need to stir things up by questioning the part of the pitching pipeline that was working. 

[Cris E]

3 hours ago, Otaknam said:

Analytics has its place, but it seems to be the only thing that drove Rocco’s every decision, especially with pitching. I would be onboard with a coach who understands how to show confidence in a pitcher to go deeper into games, and not be so tied to the idea that he can’t pitch to the lineup a third time. I know Sonny Gray wasn’t happy with that philosophy, so he left and was never replaced. 

That was one season where Sonny was coming off a lot of injuries. The next year he earned longer outings and got them, improving from 119 innings in 24 starts (just under 5 IP/start) to 184 innings in 32 starts (5.75 innings/start) and finished second in CY voting.  The idea that Rocco held him back was not a real thing. 

[Sjoski]

3 hours ago, Elliot said:

but whoever got the job was probably aware that they are being set up to fail. 

Unless the Twins re-define what "failure" is.

NOT losing 100 games in 2026 = Success 

You'd think a clear thinking baseball man would ask in an interview...

"What are your expectations for 2026?"

Who knows what one Derek said to the other!!!

[IndianaTwin]

45 minutes ago, Cris E said:

That was one season where Sonny was coming off a lot of injuries. The next year he earned longer outings and got them, improving from 119 innings in 24 starts (just under 5 IP/start) to 184 innings in 32 starts (5.75 innings/start) and finished second in CY voting.  The idea that Rocco held him back was not a real thing. 

And it seems like the perception on Gray, by all accounts a competitive dude, was based on a couple of outings where he was frustrated because he wanted to stay in the game.

I WANT a player who is confident enough in his abilities to think he can get the next batter out. Let’s indeed get rid of this perception that he wanted out. 

[Craig Arko]

I am not opposed to this idea.

[Craig Arko]

1 hour ago, ashbury said:

Someone keeps repeating this narrative, it's wrong, and it was documented.  Gray not only was open to returning, he even pushed a little.

Sonny Gray told the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale that the Twins didn’t make much of a push to re-sign him when the veteran righty entered free agency last winter.  “They were very transparent from the get-go, saying, ’Listen, we do not have the resources to give you a contract, as much as we would like to.’  So, I kind of knew that,” Gray said.  “Even though we did come back a couple of times and try to work on some things, I kind of knew early on that it wasn’t [happening].”

 

Yes, generally when somebody claims to ‘know’ they don’t. 

[rv78]

19 minutes ago, Craig Arko said:

Yes, generally when somebody claims to ‘know’ they don’t. 

You mean like when, Falvey says he "know"s how to run a baseball team, and he doesn't?

[Parfigliano]

36 minutes ago, rv78 said:

You mean like when, Falvey says he "know"s how to run a baseball team, and he doesn't?

Yes.

[jmlease1]

1 hour ago, Cris E said:

That was one season where Sonny was coming off a lot of injuries. The next year he earned longer outings and got them, improving from 119 innings in 24 starts (just under 5 IP/start) to 184 innings in 32 starts (5.75 innings/start) and finished second in CY voting.  The idea that Rocco held him back was not a real thing. 

And yet people keep pushing the narrative. There's plenty of reasons to have moved on from Rocco (and to move one from Falvey) that people shouldn't need to invent them, but some of this about trying to invalidate any successes they've had on the field. (possibly to get installed a style and principles some people find more pleasing or are convinced will be "better".)

Notably, Gray hasn't been better since going to StL, nor has he pitched deeper into games. And Gray's name is now coming up in trade rumors, though it might be difficult with him being owed $35M next season with a buyout for $5M more for 2027 if they don't pick up his $30M option. Anyone looking to pay Sonny Gray $40M next season or $65M for the next 2? Seems like the Twins made the right call in getting the comp pick and moving on...

Back to LaTroy: he seems like he could be a good fit for the Twins staff. Sounds like he's interested in doing it and realizes the additional time commitment that will come with coaching. Twins have frequently utilized pitchers who have needed to re-invent themselves in the bullpen, so Hawk's experience there might be a real bonus.

[Doctor Gast]

I just listened to Shelton press conference. I was impressed with Shelton. He stressed details. fundamentals & communication, I believe him. He also showed the importance of the involvement of former players. So maybe Hawkins could get a shot

[the_brute_squad]

Focusing on the human aspect instead of analytics makes me want to hug him. 

[Doctor Wu]

I have a lot of respect for Hawkins. He has the intelligence and experience to have a positive impact on young players. If he is interested in a job with the Twins beyond the announcer's booth, I think the Twins should give him a chance. 

[Western SD Fan]

I remember watching a young LaTroy Hawkins starting games for the Twins and being frustrated that he couldn't get through the third trip of the lineup.  Little did I know that this philosophy would eventually become the industry standard and all teams start getting nervous once a pitcher starts going through the third time through the lineup.  As others have highlighted, LaTroy brings a unique perspective with the fact that he had to reinvent himself as an effective reliever and that he didn't ever have elite stuff and still managed a 20-year career.  

I hope that they do consider Hawkins as a coach.  I have enjoyed his commentary during games.  He also brings the perspective of being just a guy throughout his career and knowledge on how to grind out a career.  This perspective is probably something a few of these players need to hear and need to start adjusting to so they do not wash out and become a bust or fall to the pressure, be it real or perceived.

[Riverbrian]

I have no idea if he will be a decent coach or not. 

However... I will say this. 

Met him briefly in Fort Myers. He was extremely pleasant to me so I wish him nothing but the best.