Texas State baseball Head Coach Steven Trout announced the hiring of former Minnesota Twins run production coordinator Danny-David Linahan as the team’s new hitting coach, according to a press release from the Texas State Athletic Department.
“We are extremely grateful for Coach Trout and the coaching staff for the opportunity they’ve provided me and my family here in San Marcos,” Linahan said. “I’m looking forward to helping continue the legacy of Texas State baseball. I can’t wait to get with our team and work to develop our student-athletes to compete for championships, the professional ranks and life beyond baseball.”
With Texas State, Linahan will work with the catchers in addition to his hitting coach responsibilities.
Linahan was with the Twins for their last two seasons. His duties with Minnesota included overseeing game planning, helping hitters break down opposing pitchers and offering mechanical and mental strategies.
Linahan’s professional baseball coaching career started when he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as a minor league player development coach in 2020. He worked for the Dodgers for two seasons and joined the Cleveland Guardians as a minor league hitting coach in 2022 before joining Minnesota.
Success came early in Linahan’s tenure with the Twins, as he experienced their first postseason victory since 2004 in 2023. Emerging star third baseman Royce Lewis and all-star shortstop Carlos Correa are among the players Linahan worked with in Minnesota.
2024 was a different story for the Twins. At one point, the team had a 95% chance of making the playoffs but failed to do so. This led to the firing of hitting coaches Dave Popkins and Rudy Hernandez, which likely contributed to Linahan’s departure.
Trout said Linahan is one of the premier hitting coaches in the country.
“We are fortunate to grab a coach who goes from working with big leaguers to developing our hitters at a high level,” Trout said. “His knowledge of the swing is off the charts and he does a great job building relationships with his players.”
With the addition of Linahan and former Longhorn head coach David Pierce to the staff, the Bobcats hope to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament after a disappointing 2024 season.
