Twins' staff updates: Maki to return as pitching coach (source)
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MINNEAPOLIS -- Pete Maki will return as the Twins’ pitching coach for 2026, a source told MLB.com on Tuesday. The club has not confirmed the decision, which was first reported by The Athletic.
Maki, 43, first joined the Twins' organization in 2017. He initially served as Minor League pitching coordinator, then joined the Major League staff as bullpen coach in '21. Following the departure of Wes Johnson during the '22 season, Maki was named pitching coach.
Maki is the second known name to join new manager Derek Shelton’s staff, joining new bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins, whose appointment has also not yet been officially confirmed. Both Shelton and members of the club’s front office have said that they expect significant turnover from the 2025 staff, and obviously some of that is already underway.
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Yankees hitting coach James Rowson, who was one of the leading candidates for the managing job that went to Shelton, could still join the team’s staff. The Minnesota Star-Tribune reported Tuesday that the club has interest in hiring Rowson as bench coach.
In other Twins coaching news, Tommy Watkins was announced as the Braves’ new third-base coach. Watkins had been on Minnesota’s Major League staff since 2018 and had spent his entire career in professional baseball with the Twins' organization. Former bullpen coach Colby Suggs has been linked to a job with the Rangers, while former bench coach Jayce Tingler will reportedly join the Giants' staff. Assistant bench coach Hank Conger has reportedly been told he will not be retained.
The status of hitting coach Matt Borgschulte and assistant hitting coaches Trevor Amicone and Rayden Sierra is not known at this time. However, Shelton has an extensive background as a hitting coach, and it would not be surprising if he chose to bring in his own names for that part of the staff.