Minnesota Twins introduce Derek Shelton as manager

Minnesota Twins introduce Derek Shelton as manager [FULL]

The Minnesota Twins introduced Derek Shelton as the 15th manager in franchise history on Tuesday at a news conference at Target Field. Joining him were Twins President Derek Falvey, and General Manager Jeremy Zoll.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Twins on Tuesday introduced Derek Shelton as the 15th manager in franchise history.

Shelton replaces Rocco Baldelli, who led the Twins to three division titles in seven seasons. But it was time for a change after the Twins went 70-92 in 2025, and missed the American League Playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons.

Shelton was available and looking for work. He was fired after nearly six seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates in May after a 12-26 start.

"I’m very humbled and honored to be the 15th manager of the Minnesota Twins. This organization means a ton to me," Shelton said. "I don’t take this for granted, there are only 30 of these positions. This is special to me, there’s better things ahead and we’re going to have a lot of fun."

Twins, Derek Shelton shared vision

What we know:

Twins President Derek Falvey said three core tenets involved Shelton being hired – Experience and adaptation, aligning with the team’s core values and caring about the organization’s vision. Shelton had familiarity with the Twins, being the bench coach for Paul Molitor in 2018 and Baldelli in 2019.

"Derek showed through this process that this place mattered to him, it mattered to him to take this job, to lead this group of players and navigate any challenges ahead," Falvey said. "That showed up through the interview process. I couldn’t be more proud to have him sitting here."

Twins’ General Manager Derek Zoll said Shelton’s ability to bring people together stood out.

"Today is about where we’re headed, the standards we set and the principles that guide us. What stood out wasn’t just his experience, it was his deep care for everyone around him," Zoll said. "He brings people together, what you see is what you get."

Shelton’s main focus will be getting the Twins back to fundamentals, and preparation. Before earning the managerial job in Pittsburgh, he worked under Eric Wedge, Joe Maddon, Kevin Cash, John Gibbons, Molitor and Baldelli, and gained valuable experience with each of them. He spoke multiple times about working for Molitor.

"It was my greatest fear that he was going to ask me something I wasn’t prepared for. Preparation is a big one. The last thing I wanted to do was let him down," Shelton said.

Twins legends show support

Why you should care:

In addition to his family, Shelton had plenty of support at Tuesday’s introduction. 

Twins’ legends Tom Kelly, Kent Hrbek, Corey Koskie, Justin Morneau, Glen Perkins and LaTroy Hawkins were all in attendance. Shelton got a text from Joe Mauer.

Shelton also said he’s close friends with Baldelli, the two were in communication throughout this past season.

What's next:

The Twins are now in offseason mode, with Spring Training ahead in mid-February.