Twins hire Rocco Baldelli as manager

The Minnesota Twins have hired Rocco Baldelli as their next manager, the team announced Thursday.

Baldelli has spent the past four seasons as a coach for the Tampa Bay Rays and was a special assistant in the front office for four seasons before that. At 37, he will become the youngest manager in the majors and is the first born in the 1980s.

A news conference to introduce Baldelli is expected Thursday.

Baldelli played seven seasons in the majors from 2003 to 2010, including six with the Rays. He also spent one season with the Boston Red Sox. Baldelli debuted with the Rays at age 21 in 2003, finishing third in the American League Rookie of the Year Award voting after batting .289 with 51 extra-base hits and 27 stolen bases.

Injuries hounded him for most of his career, however, and a rare disorder that caused muscle fatigue ultimately forced him to retire after the 2010 season.

After three years as first-base coach, Baldelli's title in 2018 was major league field coordinator. He assisted Rays manager Kevin Cash and bench coach Charlie Montoyo during the game, worked with the outfielders and focused on the continued development of the team's young players.

Baldelli replaces Paul Molitor, who was 305-343 in four seasons as manager with one playoff appearance. Minnesota went 78-84 in 2018, finishing second in the American League Central but 13 games behind the Cleveland Indians.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.