Twins appoint Hank Conger as team’s first-base, catching coach

The Minnesota Twins have hired Hank Conger as the team’s first-base and catching coach for the 2022 season.

The team made the announcement Friday, stating Tommy Watkins will become the club’s third-base coach and Tony Diaz will be an assistant bench coach.

Conger, 33, spent the past two seasons as catching coach for the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Previously, he played in seven Major League Baseball seasons with the Los Angeles Angels (2010-14), Houston Astros (2015) and Tampa Bay Rays (2016.)

He was named the most valuable player of the 2010 All-Star Futures Game.

Additionally, the Twins announced Luis Ramirez will join the major league staff as assistant pitching coach, marking his first career major league assignment.

Ramirez, 48, played 15 seasons of professional baseball in the United States, Venezuela, Colombia and Taiwan.

He has spent the past 16 years in the Twins organization, serving as pitching coach/coordinator at various levels, most recently as a Class AA Wichita pitching coach this year.