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David Popkins

David Popkins is an American baseball coach and former outfielder.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

David Popkins is an American baseball coach and former outfielder. He played college baseball for the UC Davis Aggies, reached Double-A in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, and later became a hitting coach in Major League Baseball. He has coached for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays.

Early life and college career

Popkins was born in San Diego, California, and attended St. Augustine High School before playing for UC Davis. At UC Davis, he was a two-time All-Big West First Team selection and led the team in batting average in 2010 and 2011.

Professional playing career

After going undrafted, Popkins signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 and spent three seasons in their minor league system, reaching Double-A by 2014. He later played in independent baseball before retiring from professional play after the 2017 season.

Coaching career

Popkins transitioned into coaching after his playing career, including work in the Dodgers organization. He became the Minnesota Twins' hitting coach in 2022 and later joined the Toronto Blue Jays in the same role.

Toronto Blue Jays tenure

The Blue Jays hired Popkins in October 2024 to lead their hitting program. In 2025, Toronto's offence produced strong results, and Popkins was recognised by Baseball America as its MLB Coach of the Year.

Key facts

  • Popkins played college baseball for UC Davis from 2009 to 2012 and tied the program record for most hits in a single game with six.
  • He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in June 2012 and reached Double-A in their minor league system.
  • After his playing career, he worked in the Los Angeles Dodgers system before joining the Minnesota Twins as hitting coach in 2022.
  • He was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays as hitting coach in October 2024.
  • In 2025, he was named MLB Coach of the Year by Baseball America.
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Canadian context

He is relevant to Canadian readers because he serves as the Toronto Blue Jays' hitting coach.

Frequently asked questions

Who is David Popkins?
David Popkins is an American former baseball player and current baseball coach, best known as a Major League hitting coach for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays.
What position did David Popkins play?
He played as an outfielder.
Where did David Popkins go to college?
He played college baseball at the University of California, Davis.
Did David Popkins play in Major League Baseball?
He did not appear as a Major League player. He reached Double-A in the minor leagues and later became a coach.
When did David Popkins join the Toronto Blue Jays?
He was hired as the Blue Jays' hitting coach in October 2024.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Popkins
    Supports: College career, Cardinals signing, minor league progression, retirement after 2017 season
  2. Baseball Reference Bullpen — https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/David_Popkins
    Supports: Birth details, playing position, minor league record, coaching roles with Twins and Blue Jays
  3. UC Davis Aggies — https://ucdavisaggies.com/news/2025/10/23/baseball-former-aggie-david-popkins-heads-to-world-series-as-blue-jays-hitting-coach.aspx
    Supports: UC Davis statistics, honors, single-game hits record, Blue Jays hitting coach role
  4. MLB.com — https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/news/david-popkins-blue-jays-hitting-coach
    Supports: Blue Jays hiring, previous Twins role, Dodgers system coaching background
  5. The Athletic — https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5861655/2024/10/21/blue-jays-david-popkins-hitting-coach/
    Supports: Blue Jays appointment and prior coaching background