The Twins made their first big addition of the offseason on Wednesday, announcing the hiring of Brian Reith to fill their vacant pitching coach position.

Reith, 48, has spent the previous five seasons working as the pitching coach for the Durham Bulls, the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. Before that, he held a number of different roles in the Rays’ organization, working as a pitching development fellow and also as a pitching coach in the lower levels of the minors.

Reith also had a brief major league playing career, pitching in parts of three seasons for the Cincinnati Reds, mostly in relief. He also pitched for a number of different organizations during a decade in the minor leagues. Added to bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins, Reith gives the Twins two pitching coaches with major league experience.

The Twins decided to move on from pitching coach Pete Maki and assistant pitching coach Luis Ramirez at the conclusion of a season in which they posted a cumulative earned-run average of 4.56 — 25th of 30 major league teams. Maki had served in his role since the middle of the 2022 season and Ramirez had been in his position for the previous five seasons.

In the days following the Twins’ season, both general manager Jeremy Zoll and manager Derek Shelton cited the need for fresh voices within the pitching coach group.

The Twins also named Ben Myers as an assistant athletic trainer, replacing Jason Kirkman. Myers has been in the organization for eight seasons, most recently serving as the trainer for the Triple-A Saints.

Briefly

Brooks Lee was announced as a Gold Glove Award finalist at third base on Wednesday. The Twins moved Lee from shortstop to third base in May and he excelled after the position switch. Lee finished with 8 Defensives Runs Saved, per Fielding Bible, at his new position, which was fourth in the American League.