Less than a week ago, the San Francisco Giants made history by signing Tennessee manager Tony Vitello to a three-year contract. Just a few days later, the Baltimore Orioles brought Cleveland Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz on board to be their new skipper.
Wednesday, the Minnesota Twins reportedly made their managerial choice for 2026, becoming the fifth team to already do so this offseason. They’re going with former Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton, according to multiple reports.
Before operating in Pittsburgh’s dugout, Shelton was Minnesota’s bench coach. His familiarity with the Twin Cities could make him a vital asset for a team that underperformed in 2025, leading to a massive fire sale at the most recent trade deadline.
Here’s everything to know about the Twins’ newest manager.
Derek Shelton’s managerial record
Shelton became manager of the Pirates in 2019 after a team-wide reset. He did manage to increase the team’s win percentage each of his first four seasons with the club, culminating in a 76-86 record in 2023.
Unfortunately, the Pirates mirrored that record in 2024 and then got off to an atrocious start in 2025, going just 12-26 (.316) with Shelton at the helm before he was let go. The Pirates finished the season with a 71-91 (.438) record.
Derek Shelton before Pittsburgh
Shelton started his professional coaching career as the minor league hitting coordinator in Cleveland in 2003. He moved to the Rays following the 2009 season as the hitting coach. He was fired following the 2016 season but was hired soon after to be a quality control coach for Toronto. In 2017, he joined the Twins as their bench coach.
What other teams still need a manager?
Although several teams have already named a new manager, the San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, and Washington Nationals are all still looking for new managers.
