Derek Shelton
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 17
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1970-07-30) July 30, 1970 (age 53)
Carbondale, Illinois, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Career statistics
(through October 1, 2023)
Managerial record218–328
Winning %.399
Teams
As coach

As manager

Derek Lee Shelton (born July 30, 1970) is an American professional baseball coach and former catcher. He is the current manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). After his playing career in the New York Yankees organization ended in 1993, he coached and managed within the Yankees minor league system between 1997 and 2002. He then served as a minor league hitting coordinator for the Cleveland Indians starting in 2003.

Shelton was the hitting coach for the Cleveland Indians from 2005 until 2009, and the Tampa Bay Rays from 2010 until 2016. Shelton then worked as the quality control coach for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. He was the bench coach for the Minnesota Twins from 2018 through 2019.

Amateur and collegiate career

Shelton's father Ron coached baseball and freshman basketball while serving as an associate principal at Warren Township High School after his own professional playing career within the Baltimore Orioles organization ended.[1][2][3] Derek Shelton received his first set of catcher's equipment at the age of three,[1] and later graduated from Warren, where he played for his father's baseball teams.[2] Shelton's mother Kathy was also a teacher.[4][5] His brother is Craig.[1]

After graduating from high school, Shelton attended Southern Illinois University where he played college baseball for the Salukis. In his sophomore year (1990), the Salukis won 49 games and the Missouri Valley Conference championship, and played in the NCAA Tournament. Shelton led the Missouri Valley Conference in 1991, his junior year, by throwing out 43% of opposing baserunners attempting to steal.[6][7] While at SIU, Shelton earned a degree in criminal justice and minored in political science.[5]

Minor leagues

Playing career

Shelton was a minor league catcher in the New York Yankees organization in 1992 and 1993,[3][8] advancing from the Short-Season A Oneonta Yankees to the Single-A Greensboro Hornets before an elbow surgery ended his playing career.[1][9][10] Shelton played 46 games in his minor league career, and finished with a .341 batting average, one home run, and 19 runs batted in.[11]

Coaching career

Shelton became a minor league coach in 1997,[1][12] and managed Yankee minor league teams for three seasons, from 2000 through 2002. His teams achieved a .624 winning percentage,[12][13] and he won the New York–Penn League championship in 2002 with the Staten Island Yankees.[14][15][16]

Major league coaching career

Shelton was the minor league hitting coordinator for the Cleveland Indians organization from 2003,[17][18] until he replaced major league hitting coach Eddie Murray on an interim basis in the midst of the 2005 season.[19] Shelton became the Tampa Bay Rays' hitting coach after the 2009 season.[20][21] The Rays fired him in September 2016.[22][23] On December 12, 2016, the Toronto Blue Jays hired him as a quality control coach for the 2017 season.[13][24][25] On November 6, 2017, the Minnesota Twins hired Shelton as bench coach for the 2018 season.[12][26][27]

On November 27, 2019, Shelton was named the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.[28][29][30] Shelton became the 41st manager in club history. On April 22, 2023, the Pirates announced that Shelton's contract had been extended.[31][32]

Managerial record

As of games played through 2023
Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
PIT 2020 60 19 41 .317 5th in NL Central – – – –
PIT 2021 162 61 101 .377 5th in NL Central – – – –
PIT 2022 162 62 100 .383 4th in NL Central – – – –
PIT 2023 162 76 86 .469 4th in NL Central – – – –
Total 546 218 328 .399 – – –

Personal life

Shelton and his wife, Alison, have three children: Jackson, Kristina, and Gianna. They live in Treasure Island, Florida.[33]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Nesbitt, Stephen J. (July 21, 2020). "Anchorman, Crash Davis, a golden bat and Derek Shelton's dream come true". The Athletic. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Castle, George (August 25, 2020). "Warren grad Derek Shelton recalls father's coaching as he navigates challenging first season as Pirates manager: 'My dad's one of the best communicators around.'". Lake County News-Sun. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "When Ron Shelton met Ron Shelton". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. August 14, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  4. ^ DiPaola, Jerry (December 5, 2019). "Pirates manager Derek Shelton's path guided by 'hard-nosed' competitiveness". Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Mackey, Jason (February 3, 2020). "The personal side of Pirates manager Derek Shelton". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  6. ^ "SHELTON NAMED RAYS' HITTING COACH".
  7. ^ "DEREK SHELTON NAMED MANAGER OF PITTSBURGH PIRATES".
  8. ^ Berry, Adam (August 4, 2020). "Shelton 'kind of expected' Baldelli's BP prank". MLB.com. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  9. ^ "The Pirates' hiring process tested the Shelton family's resolve. They passed". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. December 5, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  10. ^ Berry, Adam (July 24, 2020). "Patience clearly among Shelton's assets". MLB.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  11. ^ "Derek Shelton Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c Bollinger, Rhett (November 6, 2017). "Twins name Shelton new bench coach". MLB.com. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Blue Jays hire Derek Shelton as quality control coach". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 16, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  14. ^ Hollander, Sophia (September 11, 2002). "BASEBALL; In Class A, Yankees Are Still Winners". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  15. ^ Martin, Dan (September 12, 2002). "Baby Yanks need one more". New York Post. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  16. ^ Martin, Dan (September 13, 2002). "S. I. Yanks wrap it up". New York Post. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  17. ^ "Those who knew Derek Shelton as a young coach believed he would manage someday". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. December 6, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  18. ^ Mackey, Jason (April 14, 2023). "Derek Shelton should — and will — get the opportunity to finish what he started with Pirates". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  19. ^ "Anemic Cleveland fires hitting coach Murray after defeat". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. June 5, 2005. Retrieved April 22, 2023. Republished as: "Murray Is Fired by Indians". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 5, 2005. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  20. ^ "Rays hire Derek Shelton as hitting coach". Fox Sports. October 21, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  21. ^ "Shelton joins Rays staff". ESPN.com. Associated Press. October 21, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  22. ^ "Rays fire hitting coach Derek Shelton". Daily Commercial. Associated Press. September 6, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  23. ^ "Rays fire hitting coach Derek Shelton, promote Chad Mottola". ESPN.com. September 6, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  24. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays name Derek Shelton quality control coach for 2017 season". CTV News. The Canadian Press. December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  25. ^ Lott, John (December 13, 2016). "Blue Jays hire Derek Shelton as first quality control coach". The Athletic. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  26. ^ "Twins Name Derek Shelton Bench Coach". MLB.com. November 6, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  27. ^ Miller, Phil (November 7, 2017). "Twins name Derek Shelton bench coach". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  28. ^ "Pirates hire Twins bench coach Derek Shelton as manager". ESPN.com. November 23, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  29. ^ Topkin, Marc (November 27, 2019). "Former Rays hitting coach Derek Shelton named Pirates manager". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  30. ^ John Perrotto (November 27, 2019). "Pirates name Derek Shelton new manager". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  31. ^ delos Santos, Justice (April 22, 2023). "Pirates extend manager Shelton: 'He's the right guy to lead us'". MLB.com. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  32. ^ "Pirates manager Derek Shelton receives contract extension". ESPN.com. April 22, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  33. ^ "'He's ready for this': Inside the rare makeup of Derek Shelton". Pittsburgh Post Gazette. July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2020.

External links

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