Blue Jays hire Popkins as hitting coach
Published
The Toronto Blue Jays have hired David Popkins as their hitting coach, it was announced Monday.
The 34-year-old spent the past three seasons as the hitting coach of the Minnesota Twins under manager Rocco Baldelli. The team moved on from him after missing the playoffs this season.
“David’s ability to game plan and connect with players in different ways is a really exciting addition to our coaching staff,” said manager John Schneider in a news release. “He's a true expert in all types of hitting information and will help our offensive strategy for each game. We’re looking forward to the instant impact of his relentless work ethic.”
This will be his fourth season on a big league coaching staff. Prior to his coaching career, Popkins played three seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals minor league system.
The Blue Jays parted ways with hitting coach Guillermo Martinez after six seasons, earlier in the off-season. Toronto finished 23rd in the league in runs scored and 17th in team OPS.