Glynn, Hernandez named to Twins' coaching staff

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins added two coaches to new manager Paul Molitor's staff on Wednesday, as Gene Glynn was promoted to serve as third-base coach and infield instructor and Rudy Hernandez was named assistant hitting coach.

Both coaches are signed through the 2015 season and are in-house hires, as Glynn served as manager at Triple-A Rochester for the last three years, while Hernandez just finished his 14th season in the Twins organization. They join Tom Brunansky, who was retained as hitting coach last Thursday, on the current coaching staff. Minnesota still needs to hire four more coaches, including a pitching coach and a bench coach.

Glynn, 58, is highly regarded by the organization for his work at Rochester, where he went 228-208 (.523) with an International League playoff appearance in 2013. The Red Wings had the worst record in Triple-A for two straight years before Glynn took over as manager.

Glynn also has plenty of Major League coaching experience, spending 13 years as a coach with the Rockies, Expos, Cubs and Giants, including 10 years as a third-base coach. He also served as a scout for the Rays for five years before becoming Rochester's manager.

Glynn, like Molitor, is a Minnesota native, as he grew up in Waseca and attended Minnesota State University, Mankato. After being signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Expos in '79, he played seven seasons in the Minors as a utility infielder and outfielder. Glynn's last season as a player was '85, and he went right into managing the Jamestown Expos of the New York-Penn League in '86.

Glynn is known for his ability to relate with players, and he is very familiar with the club's current roster because of his work as Rochester's manager. He also served as an extra coach for the Twins in September each of the last three years.

Glynn replaces Joe Vavra as third-base coach. Vavra had to move off that role in July because of a torn labrum in his hip. Molitor served as third-base coach the rest of the season, with Vavra helping coach from the bench. Minnesota still hasn't announced whether any other coaches from last year's staff, such as Vavra, will return. Rick Anderson has publicly stated he will not be back as pitching coach.

The move up to the Major League coaching staff also creates a vacancy for a manager at Triple-A Rochester. The Twins are expected to shuffle their Minor League managers, as Doug Mientkiewicz could be promoted from Class A Advanced Fort Myers to take over that role. Both Glynn and Mientkiewicz were finalists for Minnesota's manager position. Mientkiewicz is also a candidate to manage at Double-A Chattanooga.

Hernandez, meanwhile, should be able to communicate effectively with the club's young Spanish-speaking players such as Oswaldo Arcia, Eduardo Escobar, Danny Santana and top prospect Miguel Sano. Hernandez, a Venezuela native, is currently serving as the bench coach for the Aragua Tigres in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Hernandez, 46, just finished his second year in his third stint as a coach with the Gulf Coast League Twins. He has coached in the organization at various levels, including Double-A, Class A and Rookie. Hernandez also served as manager for three seasons in the Minors with Rookie Elizabethton (2001) and the GCL Twins (2002-03), compiling a record of 139-102 (.577). He played five seasons in the Minor Leagues as an infielder/outfielder in the Mets' farm system from 1987-91.