Iowa Cubs hire Damon Minor as new hitting coach for 2026 |
Dustin Riese
· · 1 hour ago
Say what you will about the Iowa Cubs' recent success, or should we say lack of recent success, but their offense hasn't been the problem over the past three seasons.
The Iowa offense has ranked in the top five in AAA in virtually every category, as the Cubs have had plenty of their high-level prospects do most of the damage. While the talent pool itself contributed to the success, it was also the tutelage of former hitting coach Rachel Folden, who left the Cubs organization this offseason to pursue other roles in baseball. As tough a loss as it was for the Cubs, the entire organization will wish her luck, as she was one of the most knowledgeable and well-respected coaches in the game. In need of a hitting coach for the 2026 season, Iowa has found its man, as Damon Minor has been tabbed as the Iowa Hitting Coach for the upcoming season. Minor was an assistant hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants last year after spending several years as their Triple-A hitting coach, and will now test his skills in a Cubs organization that is expected to have plenty of offensive thunder rolling through AAA again this season. The 51-year-old Minor not only has coaching experience in the Giants organization, but also spent some time as a player for the Giants, seeing all his action in the early 2000s. Following his time with the Giants, Minor took his talents abroad, playing a few seasons in Mexico and Japan before finally calling it a career. Known as a baseball lifer, Minor may have seen his playing days come to an end, but he certainly wasn't ready to give up baseball altogether as he ventured into his college roots in Oklahoma to coach and run a baseball academy. After learning the ins and outs of coaching and developing younger players, Minor was given his first opportunity to coach in the professional ranks, where he was grabbed by the Giants and appointed their AAA hitting coach. Over the next 10 seasons, Minor proved he not only knew how to develop hitters but consistently built some of the best offensive teams in the Minors, which is why he was given a shot as the assistant hitting coach in the majors last season. Even if the Giants did show signs of life at times during the season, a new manager meant several coaching changes were coming, and Minor was one of those shown the door. Well, what may be a loss for the Giants organization could be a massive gain for the Cubs, as Iowa wasted no time talking with him before finally coming together on a deal for the 2026 season. For those unfamiliar with who Minor is and what he is about, take a look at these quotes from Tyler Fitzgerald, who has had some prior experience with Minor in the past. “This is not a knock on anyone, but Tiny is the best hitting coach I’ve ever had,” said Fitzgerald, referring to Minor with the ironic nickname that Barry Bonds gave the 6-foot-7 first baseman when they were Giants teammates. “He knows me so well. Every time I’d get sent down, it seemed like it’d be the smallest little fix that would always get me back on track. He has a way of getting you out of your own head while helping to fix the issue at the same time." When you look at this quote and dig deeper, it suggests that not only is Minor a great coach when it comes to player relationships, but he also knows his players well enough to help them make even the most minor changes. When it comes to getting the most out of his players, that is the classic case of him being as tough on them as possible while also pushing them to reach their full potential. The Cubs are hoping that translates to their organization, as they are expected to have plenty of firepower in their lineup next season, but some have yet to scratch the surface of their potential. A minor is someone who can bring out that potential in his players. He is an experienced hitting coach with a strong reputation from those who have crossed his path.
