The Twins have found their new hitting coach.

James Rowson, 40, has been chosen to replace Tom Brunansky, fired on Nov. 8 after four seasons along with first-base coach Butch Davis.

Rowson, minor league hitting coordinator for the New York Yankees the past three seasons, also spent parts of two seasons (2012-13) as big-league hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs.

“James is someone who possesses all of the attributes of an impact coach and he’s held in high regard by those who’ve had the chance to work alongside him,” Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said after the move was announced Friday.

Falvey said it was clear to him, Twins general manager Thad Levine and manager Paul Molitor that Rowson is “the perfect fit for our organization moving forward.”

His tutelage with the Yankees helped such prospects as Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird and Aaron Judge reach the majors. He served in the same capacity with the Yankees from 2006-11 as well.

With the Cubs Rowson worked with star first baseman Anthony Rizzo early in his career. Alfonso Soriano, Starlin Castro, Luis Valbuena, Darwin Barney and Wellington Castillo were on those teams as well.

Rowson, a former outfielder and ninth-round draft pick out of high school in Mount Vernon, N.Y., played five seasons in the minors (1994-98) with the Seattle Mariners and Yankees organizations. He also spent four seasons (2002-05) coaching in the Los Angeles Angels system.

As of Thursday evening, the Twins were closing in on hiring a new first-base coach as well.

SMITH TO LEAVE

One day after former GM Terry Ryan took a job as a special assistant with the Philadelphia Phillies, club employees learned longtime Twins official Bill Smith would be leaving at the end of January.

Smith, who replaced Ryan as GM for four seasons (2008-11), has been with the organization in a variety of roles for the past three decades. Since being replaced as GM following the 2011 season, Smith has worked as assistant to the president and GM.

In particular, Smith oversaw the nearly $50 million renovation of the Twins’ spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla., and a $20 million project in the Dominican Republic, where the Twins recently opened a baseball academy they share with the Phillies in Boca Chica.

As GM, Smith oversaw the blockbuster trade that sent star pitcher Johan Santana to the New York Mets in 2008 and helped guide the Twins to American League Central titles in 2009 and 2010.

BRIEFLY

There was “still some uncertainty,” according to a person with direct knowledge, over whether the Twins would tender contracts to all five of their remaining arbitration-eligible players by Friday’s deadline. The toughest call appeared to be utility infielder Eduardo Escobar, who carried a $2.9 million projection for 2017 after failing to hold the starting shortstop job. Others on the arbitration list: starting pitchers Hector Santiago ($8.6 million) and Kyle Gibson ($3.5 million) and relievers Brandon Kintzler ($2.2 million) and Ryan Pressly ($1.1 million).,