Skinner, Borrego, Gardenhire, Dinkelman among Twins' minor league managers

The Twins announced their line-up of minor-league managers and coaches Monday; Gardenhire moved up to the Twins' 'high Class A' team in Fort Myers from 'low A' Cedar Rapids.

January 14, 2019 at 5:36PM
Toby Gardenhire
Toby Gardenhire (Howard Sinker/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Twins completed their minor league managing and coaching staffs, and made the announcements Monday.

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

At Class AAA Rochester, Joel Skinner (pictured) is back for his second season as manager. Pitching coach Stu Cliburn (fourth season), hitting coach Javier Valentin (fifth season), and Mike McCarthy (second) also return to the Red Wings.

The team's new Class AA affilitate, the Pensacola (Fla.) Blue Wahoos, will be managed by Ramon Borrego, who led the team's Fort Myers Class A team in 2018. Cibney Bello and Justin Willard are co-pitching coaches and Steve Singleton is the hitting coach. The Twins' Class AA team last year was in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Toby Gardenhire will manage Class A Fort Myers after being the skipper at Cedar Rapids last season. Fort Myers is considered "high A" while Cedar Rapids is "low A." Matt Borgschulte is the Fort Myers hitting coach, a promotion from the Gulf Coast League Twins, and Luis Ramirez also moves up from rookie league Elizabethton to be pitching coach. Frank Jagoda is also on the Fort Myers coaching staff.

Brian Dinkelman will manage at Cedar Rapids after spending last season as the Kernels' hitting coach. Ryan Smith steps in as hitting coach, coming from the College of Central Florida, and Virgil Vasquez will be pitching coach. Luis Rodriguez is also on the coaching staff.

The rookie team at Elizabethton will be managed by Ray Smith for the 26th season. Jeff Reed will be in his 18th season as hitting coach and Richard Salazar takes over as pitching coach.

The rookie level Gulf Coast League Twins, based in Fort Myers, will be managed by Robbie Robinson. Carlos Hernandez and Zach Bove are the pitching coaches; Nate Rasmussen, Caleb Abney and Micheal Robinson are the hitting coaches.

In the Dominican Summer League, Seth Feldman will manage the Twins' entry. Coaches are Kevin Robrigue and Dan Urbina (pitching); Leury Bonilla and Jairo Rodriguez (hitting); and Jimmy Alvarez (bench coach).

Edgar Varela returns as minor league field coordinator, Pete Maki as pitching coordinator, Tanner Swanson as catching coordinator and J.P. Martinez as assistant pitching coordinator. Mike Quade, former Rochester manager, is minor league outfield coordinator. New to the staff are Billy Boyer (infield and baserunning coordinator) and Peter Fatse (hitting coordinator)

Sam Perlozzo and Bob McClure are senior advisors to player development.

(Joel Skinner photo courtesy Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

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La Velle E. Neal III

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La Velle E. Neal III is a sports columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune who previously covered the Twins for more than 20 years.

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