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Oct. 25, 2018 / 1:17 PM

Twins name Rocco Baldelli new manager

Former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli spent last season as a field coordinator for the American League franchise. File photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

Former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Rocco Baldelli spent last season as a field coordinator for the American League franchise. File photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Rocco Baldelli has been named as the newest manager of the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota announced the hire on Thursday. Baldelli, 37, will be officially introduced as the Twins' skipper at 3 p.m. CT on Thursday at Target Field in Minneapolis.

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He replaces Paul Molitor, who was fired Oct. 2. The Twins posted a 78-84 record in 2018, good for second place in the American League Central division. Molitor, 62, posted a 305-343 record in four seasons as the Twins' manager. He was the 2017 American League Manger of the Year after leading the Twins to an 85-77 finish last season, before Minnesota lost in the American League Wild Card Game.

Baldelli spent the 2018 season as the Tampa Bay Rays' field coordinator. He previously worked in the Rays' front office as a special assistant and served as a first base coach. Baldelli made his Major League Baseball debut in 2003 with the Rays.

He was the No, 6 overall pick in the 2000 MLB June Amateur Draft.

The former outfielder played his final season in 2010. He also played for the Boston Red Sox in 2009. Baldelli hit .278 and had 60 home runs during his MLB career.

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He has no managerial experience.

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