Brian Dinkelman returns to manage Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2022

(from left) Kernels manager Brian Dinkelman speaks to Trevor Casanova at third base during a Midwest League game against the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

CEDAR RAPIDS - Though Brian Dinkelman and his wife and daughter moved to the St. Louis suburbs in the offseason to be closer to family, Cedar Rapids always will be part of his life.

And his future life.

The Minnesota Twins announced 2022 coaching staffs for their minor league affiliates Wednesday, and Dinkelman will return to manage the Cedar Rapids Kernels, their high-Class A club. It’ll be the third straight season leading the Kernels for Dinkelman, 38, who was C.R.’s hitting coach prior to becoming a manager.

Dinkelman led the Kernels to the High-A Central League championship series last season, with Quad Cities beating them in a winner-take-all Game 5. The Kernels also were a playoff qualifier in the Midwest League in 2020.

In fact, Cedar Rapids has been a postseason participant every season since it partnered with the Twins in 2013.

“I’m looking forward to another exciting season of baseball in Cedar Rapids,” Dinkelman said. “I’m excited to be back as manager of the Kernels and the opportunity to play in front of the home crowd. It should be another great season at the ballpark.”

The rest of the Kernels 2022 staff also is familiar. Jairo Rodriguez returns as a hitting coach for the club, as do pitching coaches Mark Moriarty and Richard Salazar.

The only new coach is Shawn Schlechter, who will join Rodriguez as a hitting coach. Schlechter spent last season with the Twins’ Rookie-level team in Florida.

Bryce Berg, the Carroll native who was a hitting coach last season for the Kernels, has been promoted to minor league hitting coordinator for the Twins.

The strength and conditioning staff for the Kernels this coming season will consist of Jake Needham, Matt Smith and Randy Yang. The team’s season opener is April 8 against Beloit at Veterans Memorial Stadium (6:35 first pitch).

Single-game tickets for all 2022 games will go on sale March 14. The minor league season will go on as scheduled, with the labor fight between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association not affecting it.

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