The Minnesota Twins formally announced Derek Shelton as their new manager on Thursday.
Shelton was the Twins’ bench coach in 2018 and 2019 before being hired to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates.
That stint in Pittsburgh ended this past May following a 12-26 start to the 2025 season. In five-plus seasons as Pittsburgh’s skipper, Shelton’s teams went 306-440 and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Record aside, Shelton’s experience and how he interacts with players caught the eye of Derek Falvey, Twins president of baseball and business operations.
“Derek brings a tremendous amount of experience from his many years coaching and managing at the major league level,” Falvey said. “He cares deeply about this community and our fans, and he’s genuinely driven to take on the challenge of bringing winning baseball back to Minnesota.
“We’ve seen first-hand the trust and respect he earns from players and how he helps them reach their best. His journey, through both the successes and the tough stretches, has given him real perspective as a leader. That balance and his connection to what this place means to people will serve our players and staff well as we work to build something lasting for our fans and for Minnesota.”
The Twins moved on from Rocco Baldelli this offseason after the Twins fell flat with a 70-92 record. Though Baldelli guided the club to its first playoff series victory in 21 years in 2023, Minnesota failed to make the postseason four times in his seven-year tenure and went 527-505 in all.
Shelton, 55, previously worked in coaching capacities for Cleveland (2005-09), Tampa Bay (2010-16) and Toronto (2017).
