Royce Lewis hired a private hitting coach

After a down offensive season, Royce Lewis hired Houston-based hitting coach Jeremy Isenhower this offseason and has begun coordinating that work with the Twins' new hitting coach as spring training opened.

Royce Lewis has hired a private hitting coach as he enters Twins spring training. He made the decision after a season in which his offensive numbers declined and he felt isolated when trying to fix issues at the plate. Lewis worked this winter with Houston-based coach Jeremy Isenhower and made multiple trips to Houston while also spending time with former teammate Carlos Correa. He checked into Twins camp early and said the work has been focused on mechanical adjustments and approach. What we know: - Lewis batted .237/.283/.388 with 13 home runs in 403 plate appearances last season, a career-low offensive showing reported by the team. - He hired Houston-based coach Jeremy Isenhower this offseason after discussing the move with former teammate Jorge Polanco. - Isenhower works with other major-league hitters and has already been in contact with Twins hitting coach Keith Beauregard about what Lewis is working on. - Lewis made six trips to Houston during the offseason and stayed at Carlos Correa's home during those visits, according to his comments. - Twins manager Derek Shelton said Lewis has shown maturity and a willingness to seek external advice. - The team also added several bullpen veterans this week, including Andrew Chafin (minor-league deal with spring invite), Anthony Banda (acquired by trade), Liam Hendriks (signed), and Taylor Rogers (earlier signing), all noted as part of the camp roster moves. Summary: The hiring marks a shift toward a more structured, outside coaching approach for Lewis and greater coordination with the Twins' hitting staff. How the mechanical and approach changes translate into on-field results will become clearer during spring training and the early part of the season.