Tommy Watkins, right, congratulates Mitch Garver as he rounds third base after hitting a home run during a game against the Birmingham Barons in July 2016 at AT&T Field.Three familiar faces will guide the Chattanooga Lookouts during the 2018 season, which will be their fourth as Class AA affiliates of the Minnesota Twins.
Tommy Watkins, who served as Chattanooga's hitting coach in 2016, will manage the Lookouts for the first time. He will be joined by hitting coach Javier Valentin and pitching coach Ivan Arteaga, who return after serving in those roles last season for the Southern League co-champions.
The Lookouts led the league this year with 659 runs and also had a league-leading 3.09 ERA.
Watkins managed Single-A Cedar Rapids (Iowa) to a 75-65 record and a berth in the Midwest League semifinals this year. He was the Kernels' hitting coach from 2013 to '15.
"Chattanooga was very welcoming to me in 2016, and I am thrilled to be back," Watkins said Wednesday in a release. "Double-A is a wonderful opportunity, and I am excited to work with Javier and Ivan."
The Twins also announced Ryan Grose will return as strength and conditioning coach and Alan Rail will be the new trainer. Rail has spent the past four seasons as the trainer for the Fort Myers Miracle of the high Single-A Florida State League.
Chattanooga will open its 2018 season against Birmingham on April 5 at AT&T Field.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.