Fired Twins Coach Wins Top Honors from Baseball America

[Cody Christie]

David Popkins’ 2024 season in Minnesota ended with a thud, but his work in 2025 has now earned him one of baseball’s most notable coaching honors. Baseball America named Popkins its MLB Coach of the Year, highlighting a philosophy that has resonated across one of the league’s most improved offenses. For a coach who was dismissed after Minnesota’s late-season collapse, the honor marks a dramatic reversal in how his skill set is viewed across the sport.

Baseball America emphasized that Popkins’ entire approach revolves around problem-solving. He believes that every hitter presents a unique puzzle. By identifying the underlying issue and drawing on a wide range of systems and instructors, he can craft individualized solutions. The publication credited this method with laying the foundation for Toronto’s offensive revival, noting that many players described his teaching style as both modern and deeply adaptable.

The Twins did not get to see that evolution firsthand. Popkins was one of four coaches dismissed following Minnesota’s disappointing finish in 2024. This group also included assistant hitting coaches Derek Shomon and Rudy Hernandez, as well as assistant bench and infield coach Tony Diaz. General manager Thad Levine was also let go in the same sweep. According to reporting from The Athletic, Popkins even held early-season discussions about a contract extension, but the talks never progressed. When the offense unraveled down the stretch of an injury-riddled season, he was left as one of the clearest scapegoats.

What happened next showed how highly the rest of the league regarded him. Popkins received calls from three teams within hours of his dismissal, and the Toronto Blue Jays moved quickly to bring him aboard. The fit proved immediate and impactful. His communication style meshed well with a clubhouse seeking a new direction after its own disappointing offensive year. Under his guidance, veterans and young players alike found renewed confidence.

George Springer became the most prominent example. At 35 and coming off a decline in production, Springer looked rejuvenated with Popkins’ help, finishing the year with a 161 OPS+. Toronto finished the regular season third in baseball in OPS, fourth in runs scored, and fifth in xwOBA. The turnaround pushed the Blue Jays all the way to the brink of their first World Series title since 1993. Players and team officials repeatedly pointed to Popkins’ influence as a key reason for their sustained improvement.

For the Twins, the award serves as a reminder of what might have been. For Popkins, it is proof that his approach works when given trust and time. His journey from early-season extension talks to post-collapse dismissal to industry-wide acclaim in just over a year is one of the more remarkable coaching arcs in recent memory.

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[Blyleven2011]

Goes to show everyone how flawed our FO and manager were with their plan and coaches ...

Why does our fired coaches and even some players flourish with other teams , probably because they  are doing their jobs the way they see fit and want to and not the way the FO and manager want to ...

Our past manager was not a major league leader in the dugout and our top FO leader is a incompetent leader...

Falvey is not and I say it again IS NOT the smartest person in the room  ...

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Hmmmmm. Makes one wonder. 

[Elliot]

I love this after seeing the expert opinions from so many on this site during his time with the Twins

[FlyingFinn]

The scary thing - maybe Popkins actually MAXED OUT our talent when he was here!!

[jmlease1]

I don't exactly recall a huge outcry over firing Popkins around here.

Good for him. Toronto had an excellent season and it's nice he's getting some recognition for his part in it. If Springer falls apart, Varsho keeps declining, etc he might lose his job up there too. I mean, was Popkins responsible for Bo Bichette's return to form or was it just that Bichette was much healthier?

He seems like a good coach. He looks like a much better coach with healthy players, a big payroll, etc...

[bunsen82]

Toronto has much better hitters than we do.  Their hit tool has been significantly better.  Ty France played slightly better for Toronto.  A little better BA, same OBP slightly better slug.   Coaching can only do so much with the Clay they have.  I personally think Larnach, Lewis, and currently Lee are all subpar hitters.  Which is weird because all 3 had good hit tools.  I still have some slight hope Lee can turn into a high OBP .800 OPS player.  We will see if that comes to fruition.  

[old nurse]

Maybe the problem was, and another coach. Later with the same fate, the player’s ears 

[Doctor Wu]

17 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

I don't exactly recall a huge outcry over firing Popkins around here.

Your memory is correct. I don't believe anyone was shedding tears that Popkins was leaving the Twins. Just goes to show how unpredictable this coaching stuff can be. Did Popkins change his methods? Highly unlikely. The most obvious explanation is that he just had a better bunch of hitters to work with. Or even more concerning, did the Twins brass or Rocco somehow hinder his ability to get more out of the Twins hitters? I have no idea, but it does make you wonder what went wrong with his tenure with us. 

[tony&rodney]

IIRC there was a vague statement about not following club policy in all instances. In other words, someone up in an office didn't feel that the dictated directives were being taught as directed.

Joe Madden has thoughts on this modern concept, which is starkly ironic because there are people who identified Madden as the first new age manager.

[Jeff K]

23 hours ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Goes to show everyone how flawed our FO and manager were with their plan and coaches ...

Why does our fired coaches and even some players flourish with other teams , probably because they  are doing their jobs the way they see fit and want to and not the way the FO and manager want to ...

Our past manager was not a major league leader in the dugout and our top FO leader is a incompetent leader...

Falvey is not and I say it again IS NOT the smartest person in the room  ...

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, did you enjoy the play?  I pretty much agree with you.

[rv78]

Every direction you look, this points to another Falvey mistake. Or possibly many Falvey mistakes. Obviously Popkins wasn't a bad Coach or he wouldn't have won this award. Firing a good Coach is a mistake. If he wasn't able to get the players to perform up to a certain standard, the players that Falvey gives him to work with, then maybe it is the players. Who decides which players to keep, or draft, or trade for, or sign as Free Agents? Falvey. If this is the best the players are ..., it's a Falvey mistake. If the "Plan" on how to develop these players is failing, it points to a Falvey mistake. If it's the way they play and that is also the "Plan" then it is another Falvey mistake. When Falvey came to the Twins he claimed he was the smartest man in the room. Then why are the Twins having to fire the Coaches he hired, or trade away the players he brought in, or dump Correa's salary, or change to a more aggressive style of play that we witnessed at the end of the 2025 season. Everything he'd done before must have been mistakes. The biggest mistake he continues to make, is to think he can run a major league team and throw everyone else under the bus, when he himself, is the mistake.

[JADBP]

On 12/12/2025 at 7:03 AM, Jeff K said:

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, did you enjoy the play?  I pretty much agree with you.

Love the comment.  
 

I am not surprised by Popkins, though I wanted him out too.  I regret my earlier comments.  
 

As a retired businessman and executive, I can say this; A leaders fundamental job is to:

1) set goals, expectations, and directions for the enterprise

2) Communicate/teach/coach and support those who will implement #1 above.   

3) Get the hell out of the way. 

some might add strategic analysis but that is usually done at lower levels.  Upper management finalizes by choosing direction (#1).

The Twins are a tough case as a mid-market franchise with limited income, massive (unsustainable) debt, and disinterested or distracted ownership.  So the owners decide to cash out…until they realize that the franchise is worth less than they thought (again, massive debt).  So, the franchise leadership tries a bunch of stuff.  Better players?  Sure, let’s get some (but they are expensive).  That didn’t work.  Dang, then let’s tear it down and start over.  Again, the fans exploded! Oops  Let’s try something else, Let’s Swap coaches!  Still no love, Target Field is gonna be empty! Hey—just kidding—no rebuild.  We have a strong base of good players.  

Maybe Twins OWNERSHIP and MANAGEMENT needs to be replaced!  They can’t get out of their own way!  
 

I get the feeling that  Falvey commands everyone how they should do their jobs.  I hate that.  If true, it has been a horrible failure   

 

[Jeff K]

16 hours ago, JADBP said:

Love the comment.  
 

I am not surprised by Popkins, though I wanted him out too.  I regret my earlier comments.  
 

As a retired businessman and executive, I can say this; A leaders fundamental job is to:

1) set goals, expectations, and directions for the enterprise

2) Communicate/teach/coach and support those who will implement #1 above.   

3) Get the hell out of the way. 

some might add strategic analysis but that is usually done at lower levels.  Upper management finalizes by choosing direction (#1).

The Twins are a tough case as a mid-market franchise with limited income, massive (unsustainable) debt, and disinterested or distracted ownership.  So the owners decide to cash out…until they realize that the franchise is worth less than they thought (again, massive debt).  So, the franchise leadership tries a bunch of stuff.  Better players?  Sure, let’s get some (but they are expensive).  That didn’t work.  Dang, then let’s tear it down and start over.  Again, the fans exploded! Oops  Let’s try something else, Let’s Swap coaches!  Still no love, Target Field is gonna be empty! Hey—just kidding—no rebuild.  We have a strong base of good players.  

Maybe Twins OWNERSHIP and MANAGEMENT needs to be replaced!  They can’t get out of their own way!  
 

I get the feeling that  Falvey commands everyone how they should do their jobs.  I hate that.  If true, it has been a horrible failure   

 

And at the managers level; a great manager helps his/her team to perform beyond normal expectations.  Popkins was likely held back by Falvey, but he clearly did not get his players to perform to expectations.  That said, he was a scapegoat for Ownership and Falvey's failures.