The Minnesota Twins have brought in a new hitting coach, Matt Borgschulte, from the Baltimore Orioles to revitalize their offensive strategy. Borgschulte, a familiar figure to the Twins, was previously the batting coach for their Triple-A affiliate, the St. Paul Saints, during the 2021 season. His return to the Twins comes after a successful three-year stint as the co-hitting coach for the Orioles, where he helped develop key players like Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and highly-touted prospect Jackson Holliday.
Source:
The #MNTwins are bringing Matt Borgschulte back as a big-league hitting coach.
He spent 2022-24 on the big-league staff with the Orioles, and had been with the Twins in minor-league hitting coach roles between 2018-21.
— Brandon Warne (@brandon_warne) October 14, 2024
Borgschulte’s experience with younger talent makes him a valuable addition to the Twins, especially as the team looks to improve in multiple offensive areas. The Twins’ overall team batting average struggled last season, with key players like Royce Lewis (.223) and Ryan Jeffers (.226) posting below-average numbers. Borgschulte’s work with the Orioles, where players like Henderson (.281), Ryan Mountcastle (.271), and Ramón UrÃas (.254) consistently performed at a higher level, suggests that his guidance could help the Twins’ lineup become more productive at the plate.
One of the key areas where Borgschulte’s influence will be critical is improving the Twins’ power numbers. While stars like Byron Buxton (18 home runs, .524 slugging percentage) and Carlos Correa (14 home runs, .517 slugging percentage) showed some pop in the lineup, other players, including Max Kepler and José Miranda, fell short with only eight home runs each. In contrast, under Borgschulte’s coaching, the Orioles saw significant power production from players like Henderson (37 home runs, .529 slugging percentage), Anthony Santander (44 home runs), and Colton Cowser (24 home runs). The Twins’ total bases lagged behind the Orioles, indicating a need for a more balanced and powerful approach to their offensive strategy.
Reducing strikeouts will also be a priority for Borgschulte as the Twins had several players with high strikeout numbers. Willi Castro led the team with 150 strikeouts, and Edouard Julien had 102 strikeouts in just 90 games, which hindered the team’s offensive rhythm. Although the Orioles weren’t perfect in this regard, their lineup was more effective overall. Borgschulte will need to emphasize better pitch selection and situational hitting to reduce strikeouts and increase the consistency of the Twins’ offense.
Overall, Borgschulte’s arrival is seen as a significant step toward revitalizing the Twins’ lineup. His experience working with young talent and creating a balanced offensive approach with the Orioles will be key in helping Minnesota improve its hitting consistency, power production, and ability to limit strikeouts. With a new perspective, the Twins aim to turn their offensive struggles around and become a more competitive force in the 2024 season.
