What Derek Shelton Learned in Pittsburgh Now Matters in Minnesota

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Derek Shelton arrived in Minnesota this winter with years of perspective from guiding one of baseball’s youngest rosters. But when reporters asked him what he truly learned in Pittsburgh about developing young hitters, he didn’t hesitate. The biggest takeaway was startling and straightforward. Triple-A no longer prepares players for the major leagues.

Shelton’s blunt assessment sets the tone for a Twins organization preparing to lean heavily on its next wave of position talent. And if Minnesota wants its top prospects to hit the ground running, it will need to understand the widening gulf in today’s game that Shelton witnessed firsthand.

Triple-A is No Longer a Finishing School
When asked what he learned during his Pirates tenure, Shelton offered a candid answer: “I learned that Triple-A does not prepare you for the big leagues. I think that's the biggest thing I learned.”

That gap has continued to grow. “It’s just the automated strike zone in Triple-A, the quality of pitching, the velocity is just not the same,” he said.

Shelton watched young players dominate Triple-A numbers only to struggle immediately in the majors. It was not just a Pittsburgh problem. It was baseball wide. “It’s why we’re seeing, as an industry, so many young players come to the big leagues and struggle. They just don't hit. The pitching is just too good here. And the pitching they're facing in Triple-A is not there.”

As the separation sharpens, the hitting lines in Triple-A have become increasingly misleading. “As an industry, we’re seeing more young players fail and go back to the minor leagues, and you guys are able to write articles this guy has 1.100 OPS in Triple-A, and he comes to the big leagues… it's throughout the industry that guys are struggling.”

A Growing Challenge Without Easy Solutions
Shelton acknowledged that he doesn’t have a magic fix. No one does. “I wish I had a really good answer for you, but it’s just the fact that the distance between the talent in Triple-A and the big leagues is probably the greatest it’s ever been.”

That widening distance forces clubs into difficult decisions when players hit their first wall. Reporters asked how sending players back to Triple-A helps when the competition level is part of the problem. Shelton said the benefits are not always physical. “Sometimes it just helps them mentally. I mean, obviously. You get your teeth kicked in enough times, sometimes you need a reset, you need a refresh.”

There are still real adjustments players can make, even in an imperfect environment. “There are mechanical adjustments you can make. And I think, depending on the organization and where they’re at, they have to make that decision of, you know, does this individual stay in the big leagues and try to figure it out or do you send him down, give him a little bit of confidence?”

Minnesota’s Next Wave Will Put Shelton’s Experience to the Test
Shelton’s perspective matters because the Twins are about to rely heavily on young hitters making this exact transition. By mid-2026, Minnesota could have one of the most prospect-driven lineups in the American League.

Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez finished last season in St. Paul, where both showed flashes of elite upside. Jenkins finished the year with a 135 wRC+ as a 20-year-old. Rodriguez used the offseason to become one of the best hitters in the Dominican Winter League, posting a 1.063 OPS in 18 games. They will enter spring training just one rung away from Target Field. Each has the power, plate discipline, and athleticism to become a foundational piece. Still, Shelton’s experience is a reminder that dominating Triple-A pitching no longer guarantees early major league success.

Kaelen Culpepper, the organization’s minor league player of the year, rocketed to Double-A with elite bat-to-ball skills and athleticism. In 113 games, he posted a 138 wRC+ and answered many of the questions that surrounded him on draft day. His development curve has already accelerated faster than expected, making him a likely Triple-A candidate by early 2026. That move puts him on the doorstep of an even bigger leap, one that will challenge how the Twins choose to prepare their hitters before promotion.

Gabriel Gonzalez turned in a breakout season of his own, hitting his way to Triple-A while showcasing improved swing decisions and run-producing ability (148 wRC+). Twins Daily named him the organization’s Minor League Hitter of the Year. His offensive skill set fits the modern Twins lineup, but like Jenkins and Rodriguez, his path runs straight through the talent gap Shelton described.

From now through late 2026, Shelton will play a central role in helping these young players navigate the steepest transition in professional baseball. He has already watched countless hitters sail through Triple-A only to get humbled in the big leagues. His challenge in Minnesota will be using that experience to soften the landing for a group expected to define the organization’s next era.

Shelton did not come to Minnesota with easy answers, but he did bring clarity about one of the sport’s most pressing development issues. The jump from Triple-A to the majors has never been tougher, and the Twins will soon place some of their brightest stars on that tightrope. What Shelton learned in Pittsburgh may ultimately shape how ready Minnesota’s next wave truly is when their time arrives.

Can Shelton help the next group of stars transition to MLB? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

 

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[DJL44]

Which makes it important to get players up and exposed to MLB pitching early. I have no idea why they didn't take the opportunity in September to get Emmanuel Rodriguez some at-bats in MLB.

[Brett]

I’d rather see ERod or Jenkins take big league swings and struggle a bit than watch whatever the ‘26 version of Outman does.

[Woof Bronzer]

Bad news for those who think the young guns are going to come up and rake right away, helping magically turn a 57-win team into a playoff team.

[DJL44]

54 minutes ago, Woof Bronzer said:

Bad news for those who think the young guns are going to come up and rake right away, helping magically turn a 57-win team into a playoff team.

I just want them to be better at the end of the season than they are at the beginning. If they're a 70-win team in the spring I want them to be an 80-win team in the fall.

[old nurse]

2 hours ago, Woof Bronzer said:

Bad news for those who think the young guns are going to come up and rake right away, helping magically turn a 57-win team into a playoff team.

Yet every year there are rookies that rake

[DJL44]

I think there is a huge difference between the scouting and strategy in MLB and the focus on individual development in AAA. Pitchers in MLB are constantly attacking a player's well-scouted weaknesses but in AAA they're more likely working on improving secondary pitches or repeating their delivery. It's a more generic approach to pitching in the minors versus a customized plan to attack each batter in MLB.

[Woof Bronzer]

2 hours ago, DJL44 said:

I just want them to be better at the end of the season than they are at the beginning. If they're a 70-win team in the spring I want them to be an 80-win team in the fall.

For sure.  To be clear I want them to play the young guys and I expect many of them to struggle initially.  I just have no expectation that they compete and would rather the young guys go through growing pains in rebuilding years so by the time we have built the roster back up they are leaders.  

[weitz41]

1 hour ago, old nurse said:

Yet every year there are rookies that rake

Similar odds of a lottery ticket at this point.

We all be like...

Unfortunately, most the time we just have our hand cramp up...

[rv78]

Can Shelton help the next group of stars transition to MLB?

To answer your question..... If Shelton admits he doesn't have the magic-fix, then the answer is no.

[RpR]

3 hours ago, old nurse said:

Yet every year there are rookies that rake

Yep, there are too many who come up and shine bright for one year and then after the league adjusts to them  ,become, IF they are fortunate journey men players.

You do not build a winning team on here today-gone tomorrow talent wise rookies.   The twins have had far too many of those, or total flops, in the past decade.

2019 was the last year they had brought in and up a group of players who melded into   winning team, only to be broken up quickly.

The winning Twins of the 60s-70s and 80s-90 had a group of players who were here for many years, not traded like courtesans.

[old nurse]

2 hours ago, weitz41 said:

Similar odds of a lottery ticket at this point.

We all be like...

Unfortunately, most the time we just have our hand cramp up...

The odds increase to about 25% with one commonality that Rodriguez, Gonzales , Jenkins and Culpepper have. 

[old nurse]

21 minutes ago, RpR said:

Yep, there are too many who come up and shine bright for one year and then after the league adjusts to them  ,become, IF they are fortunate journey men players.

You do not build a winning team on here today-gone tomorrow talent wise rookies.   The twins have had far too many of those, or total flops, in the past decade.

2019 was the last year they had brought in and up a group of players who melded into   winning team, only to be broken up quickly.

The winning Twins of the 60s-70s and 80s-90 had a group of players who were here for many years, not traded like courtesans.

The good teams in the 60s and 70s had the reserve clause. Gagne, Gladden, Puckett and Hrbek were the only continuity in the championship teams 

[Parfigliano]

I'd rather ABs go to young players to see if they can/can't  play at MLB level then suffer through another year of watching the Margot-Gallo has beens and their veteran presence.

[RpR]

22 hours ago, old nurse said:

The good teams in the 60s and 70s had the reserve clause. Gagne, Gladden, Puckett and Hrbek were the only continuity in the championship teams 

These were on both World Series teams:  Randy Bush, Greg Gagne, Dan Gladden, Kent Hrbek, Gene Larkin, Al Newman, & Kirby Puckett,

Griffin kept players he knew were good enough to win.Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Rich Rollins, Zoilo Versalles, Earl Battey, and Bob Allison,were on both the 1965 and 1969 teams

[Riverbrian]

A. Some are going to struggle... Bet on it. 

B. Some are going to succeed... Bet on it. 

What he can't tell you is which ones will be which and I really hope he isn't so focused on A that he struggles understanding B. 

And... I would say this to his face. I'd be nice about it but I would say this. Umm Derek... You didn't really play rookies in Pittsburgh. I'm sure Hoy Park tried his best. The Pirates have always been exactly what I yell at the Twins about. This cheap vet collection pit but more of them.

Derek... You gave vets the playing time. Consistently!!! The Rookies you played... out played them. You were there... it happened right in front of you and what you learned is that there's a gap between AAA and the Majors. This is the scariest article I've ever read on TD. 

And if you go back and look at what the Pirates were sending to the plate.  

In 2021... The Pirates starting lineup was: 

Stallings - 5th best hitter - OPS .704 - 31 Years old - Experience before season 5 Years. 

Moran - 4th best hitter - OPS .724 - 28 Years old - Experience before season 5 years. Moran would be DFA'd after the season Despite being one of 4 hitters to reach at least average. 

Frazier - 2nd best hitter - OPS .836 - 29 years old - Experience before season 5 years

Newman - 8th best hitter - OPS .574 - 27 year old - Experience before season 3 years

Hayes - 6th best hitter - OPS .689 - 24 years old - 1 year (95 AB's in 2020) experience - Basically a Rookie

Gamel - 3rd best hitter - OPS .750 - 29 years old - Experience before season 5 years

Reynolds - His top hitter - OPS .912 - 26 years old - Experience before season 2 years

Polanco - 7th best hitter - OPS .647 - 29 year old - Experience before season 7 years

Moving on to 2022 for those still interested. 

Stallings is replaced by Delay at C who is a rookie. He led a parade of catchers with 167 PA's and he produced a .536 OPS which is really Kevin Newman 2021. In comparison Newman got 554 PA's in 2021 because he produced a more veteran like sub .600 OPS. while Delay was dealing with that AAA - MLB Gap I guess. 

Moran's .724 OPS and 5 years of experience... now 6 years was replaced by Chavis with 3 years experience. Producing a .664 OPS.  

Speaking of Kevin Newman... is reward for that sub .600 OPS over 554 PA's in 2021 at SS was a move to primary 2B in 2022. With years of experience he elevated that sub .600 OPS to .687. Newman was moved to 2B to make room for the arrival of Rookie O'Neil Cruz. Cruz finished 3rd in OPS in 2022 with a .744 behind Reynolds and DH Vogelbach. 

That's 2 years and Hayes and Cruz are the only rookie hitters that he has sent to the plate consistently. 

In 2023... we got an influx of rookies. This must be the year that he learned what he's saying. Jack Suwinski was their best hitter that year as a rookie. Bae, Marcano and Davis show up and land in the .600 OPS production so we got success and failure and failure and failure. We also meet a new rookie by the name of Triolo who threw .785 OPS at everyone over 209 PA's. 

In 2024... Here come the Vets to take over. Grandal, Tellez, Michael A. Taylor and a returning McCutchen. 

2025... More Vets as IKF and Pham join the party. 

So... What Year do we think was his best year in Pittsburg?

2023... the year of the rookies was his best season by record during the Shelton tenure. It still wasn't a good year at 76-86 but it was his best. Is that what he means by what the article says he is saying.

OK... 2023 was tied with 2024 actually but I don't want my point muddied. 

My point... OK... There is a jump from AAA to the Majors... I'll buy that even though some rookies were your top performers.  Ok... I'll buy that... it makes sense...  But then... How do you explain the crappy hitting of your vets. You had a lot more of them! What adjustment gap were they going through. This isn't a youth thing... you don't need to play into that stereo type like you are sleep walking through an interview. You had an entire struggling team thing led mostly by vets... that isn't worth mentioning.  

My next question would be: If a player is struggling. Who do you want working through it? The one who will be back next year or the vet guy you are going to replace with the same type vet guy. 

Uff Da  

[IndianaTwin]

2 hours ago, RpR said:

These were on both World Series teams:  Randy Bush, Greg Gagne, Dan Gladden, Kent Hrbek, Gene Larkin, Al Newman, & Kirby Puckett,

Technically true, though the three you added averaged less than 300 plate appearances per season and totaled 0.9 bWAR among their six seasons. On average, each started 61 games per season those two years, with none of them starting more than 90 games in either year.

The three of them frankly contributed more to the seasons between the two World Series than they did to the championship teams. In signing Pags and Davis and calling up Knoblauch in '91, the team knew they couldn't be successful with Bush, Larkin and Newman as regulars.

[IndianaTwin]

1 hour ago, Riverbrian said:

...My point... OK... There is a jump from AAA to the Majors... I'll buy that even though some rookies were your top performers.  Ok... I'll buy that... it makes sense...  But then... How do you explain the crappy hitting of your vets. You had a lot more of them! What adjustment gap were they going through. This isn't a youth thing... you don't need to play into that stereo type like you are sleep walking through an interview. You had an entire struggling team thing led mostly by vets... that isn't worth mentioning.  

My next question would be: If a player is struggling. Who do you want working through it? The one who will be back next year or the vet guy you are going to replace with the same type vet guy. 

Uff Da  

In his announcement press conference, he made a big deal about the amount of learning/reflection he did in his time off.

The two quotes from the press conference that most stuck out to me were:

• Falvey's, "The thing I came away with I was most impressed by was when he talked about how he spent the last four months really diving into what could he have done differently, what could he have done better. How could he have done it in a way that would have led to more success?”
• Shelton's (in response to a question about what he would do differently and after his own comments on the reflection period), "You have to have conversations and then you have to have follow-up conversations, because what is heard and what is said and then how it is retained sometimes loses it's place and because of that you don't always get the best out of the situation and out of the player." 

It will be interesting to see if these comments and the one in the OP point to a greater willingness to go with the young guys and consider your B statement. 

[Doctor Wu]

10 hours ago, RpR said:

traded like courtesans.

I like that phrase!

[old nurse]

8 hours ago, RpR said:

These were on both World Series teams:  Randy Bush, Greg Gagne, Dan Gladden, Kent Hrbek, Gene Larkin, Al Newman, & Kirby Puckett,

Griffin kept players he knew were good enough to win.Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Rich Rollins, Zoilo Versalles, Earl Battey, and Bob Allison,were on both the 1965 and 1970 teams

The reserve clause made it so a team could stay together.. The player had 2 choices. Play for the team that owned their rights or retire. Play for what they pay you, or retire.  Battey retired after the 67 season, Zoilo was picked by the padres from the Dodgers in the expansion draft  Rollins was selected by the  Seattle Pilots in the expansion draft  

[Nashvilletwin]

What a complete joke Shelton is as a hire. Why?

1. He is already making excuses as to why he won’t succeed.  Hey, if the young players don’t work out, it’s not his fault.  It’s just the way things are.

2, He is already giving Falvey cover for his “no reason to trade our diminishing return assets because we can win with a few more retreads” strategy that has been proven to be an abject failure, especially for smallish revenue franchises in general and our franchise in particular.

3. He’s laying the groundwork for not committing to younger players. Nope, we won’t invest in getting those players the committed ABs.  If they come up at all and don’t rake immediately, they are going back down. Keaschall better watch out. Don’t expect to see much of Jenkins, ERod, Gonzalez or Culpepper at all this season.

TDers get ready. This season is going to be a disaster on three fronts: 1) we are not going to compete; 2) we are going to lose most of the value on not trading Lopez, Ryan, Buxton, and Jeffers; and 3) our young players are not going to get the investment they need so that this franchise can compete in ‘28. All of this so Falvey and Shelton can attempt to save their jobs.

Honestly, if the Nephew can’t see through this baloney, he is more of an idiot than most of us already think.

Shelton’s #1 job requirement - and how his performance should be primarily judged - is to develop our young talent over the next several years.  And he’s already making excuses as to why he won’t succeed.  He sounds just like another Falvey stooge.  What a complete joke.

 

[Nashvilletwin]

19 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Which makes it important to get players up and exposed to MLB pitching early. I have no idea why they didn't take the opportunity in September to get Emmanuel Rodriguez some at-bats in MLB.

Because Falvey and Rocco were trying to save their jobs and subscribe to the same retread vet bullcrap strategy that Shelton has utilized and is setting the groundwork to employ with us.  

[Riverbrian]

9 hours ago, IndianaTwin said:

In his announcement press conference, he made a big deal about the amount of learning/reflection he did in his time off.

The two quotes from the press conference that most stuck out to me were:

• Falvey's, "The thing I came away with I was most impressed by was when he talked about how he spent the last four months really diving into what could he have done differently, what could he have done better. How could he have done it in a way that would have led to more success?”
• Shelton's (in response to a question about what he would do differently and after his own comments on the reflection period), "You have to have conversations and then you have to have follow-up conversations, because what is heard and what is said and then how it is retained sometimes loses it's place and because of that you don't always get the best out of the situation and out of the player." 

It will be interesting to see if these comments and the one in the OP point to a greater willingness to go with the young guys and consider your B statement. 

I appreciate your optimism. I seemed to have misplaced mine momentarily. Every interview I've ever conducted... the person being interviewed speaks of communication... it sounds good to the ear because communication is probably listed as the #1 problem in every office across all industries. Everybody talks about better communication... very few achieve it.  

It will be interesting to see what actually happens. Actions always speak louder than words and with my right hand raised... I swear that I really try to ignore the words being spoken for public consumption while waiting for actual action. This response was too loud to ignore.

He is literally standing on the precipice of Keaschall, Lee, Martin, Roden, Erod, GG, Jenkins, Culpepper and the very first sentence after being asked what he learned in Pittsburgh is: AAA does not prepare you for the big leagues. 

On 12/10/2025 at 8:02 AM, Cody Christie said:

When asked what he learned during his Pirates tenure, Shelton offered a candid answer: “I learned that Triple-A does not prepare you for the big leagues. I think that's the biggest thing I learned.”

I'm sure it's an accurate statement because you know what prepares you for the big leagues... that would be the big leagues. However... you are standing on the precipice of what is to come and... I don't know... What was this... a softening of the ground for the crash he is predicting? He stands on the precipice of a youth influx and is already explaining to the public that "they just don't hit". Softening the ground for your upcoming failure. Laying the ground work for one year deals for Hoskins and IFK. 

 

On 12/10/2025 at 8:02 AM, Cody Christie said:

It’s why we’re seeing, as an industry, so many young players come to the big leagues and struggle. They just don't hit. The pitching is just too good here. And the pitching they're facing in Triple-A is not there.”

His solution in Pittsburgh was to not play them. His and/or Ben Cherington's solution was to give the playing time to Chavis types instead... who also "just don't hit".

I think the Twins have not been good in regards to offensive development and I've said so multiple times. The Twins have been amazing at it in comparison to Pittsburgh. Derek should probably say hi to Luke Keaschall and tell him about that gap between AAA and the majors. 

If you were to write a book on how to stay out of the playoffs and stay out of contention for a long period of time. You would just chronicle what the Pirates have done with Derek Shelton as the manager. 

The Pirates are perhaps "the worst organization" in regards to the development of offensive talent as we stand on this precipice of not only needing but actively selling the #2 farm system in baseball. Yep... I heard Falvey stick his chest out on MLB radio about the #2  ranked farm system. We've been highly ranked before. Haven't seen them close this Shelton gap.

During his Pirate tenure... Ke'Bryan Hayes was traded to the Reds. O'Neil Cruz had a .676 OPS last year and is no longer a SS. Henry Davis... Endy Rodriquez... it couldn't have gone worse and what did he learn from that. Rookies just don't hit? The pitching is too good... the gap is too big. 

 

 

 

[Whitey333]

Bottom line appears to be the Twins will be bottom feeders in 2026 and they hired the perfect manager to guide the team in 2026.  He has plenty of experience managing a team like the Pirates into the ground.  Im expecting the same with the Twins.  

[Nashvilletwin]

14 hours ago, rv78 said:

Can Shelton help the next group of stars transition to MLB?

To answer your question..... If Shelton admits he doesn't have the magic-fix, then the answer is no.

The clown is already admitting that he can’t and won’t.  Why even hire him?

Can’t this organization see that the ONLY way they can even attempt to compete is to be better at developing their cheap, in house, controllable young talent.  It’s not rocket science - the Twins do not have the resources to buy the established quality players on the open market. Duh.

What a horrible article to wake up to this morning. The new head coach is already making excuses why he won’t succeed at his most important role and giving cover to Falvey on his run it back with vet retreads strategy.  

[rv78]

4 minutes ago, Nashvilletwin said:

The clown is already admitting that he can’t and won’t.  Why even hire him?

Can’t this organization see that the ONLY way they can even attempt to compete is to be better at developing their cheap, in house, controllable young talent.  It’s not rocket science - the Twins do not have the resources to buy the established quality players on the open market. Duh.

What a horrible article to wake up to this morning. The new head coach is already making excuses why he won’t succeed at his most important role and giving cover to Falvey on his run it back with vet retreads strategy.  

Yeah, just goes to show how inept Falvey is. Why hire a guy, who has no clue on how to make the players that are the most important to the team, better. Shelton will just be Rocco 2.0 and Falvey will continue to add fringe veterans that make no difference. The Owners won't commit to spending enough money to keep this team competitive, evidenced by their payroll cuts after the 2023 season and deadline sell-off in 2025. Now we are to believe they will spend enough to make a difference in 2026? There's no doubt that Falvey WANTS the team to be competitive in 2026 but it's all BS to try to get fans to buy tickets. Pay attention to what he does, not what he says.

[MinnInPa]

i'd luv to see Jenkins, ARod and Gonzales up in the Spring... Put Wallner on notice ..no more Outman please....he will never help...Lewis, Lee, Keashall, 1b?, Jeffers, Buxton..and the young guys

[Old Twins Hat]

1 hour ago, Nashvilletwin said:

What a complete joke Shelton is as a hire. Why?

1. He is already making excuses as to why he won’t succeed.  Hey, if the young players don’t work out, it’s not his fault.  It’s just the way things are.

2, He is already giving Falvey cover for his “no reason to trade our diminishing return assets because we can win with a few more retreads” strategy that has been proven to be an abject failure, especially for smallish revenue franchises in general and our franchise in particular.

3. He’s laying the groundwork for not committing to younger players. Nope, we won’t invest in getting those players the committed ABs.  If they come up at all and don’t rake immediately, they are going back down. Keaschall better watch out. Don’t expect to see much of Jenkins, ERod, Gonzalez or Culpepper at all this season.

 

 

 

Shelton seems more cerebral, more synthetic in his thinking than Rocco.  Rocco was always very relational, and didn't really generalize, always protecting his players and softening his critiques so completely that it became gobblety gook.

I like Shelton's insights here, more like a teacher, someone who sees the big picture and where baseball is headed.   He comes across as wise and above the fray.

I like that and I hope the players do as well, though, with some of these guys, who knows?

 

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Nashvilletwin said:

Because Falvey and Rocco were trying to save their jobs and subscribe to the same retread vet bullcrap strategy that Shelton has utilized and is setting the groundwork to employ with us.  

It is a weird strategy to try to win with the players who hit worse in AAA even though they were older instead of the younger, more talented players who hit and fielded better.

[saviking]

17 hours ago, DJL44 said:

I think there is a huge difference between the scouting and strategy in MLB and the focus on individual development in AAA. Pitchers in MLB are constantly attacking a player's well-scouted weaknesses but in AAA they're more likely working on improving secondary pitches or repeating their delivery. It's a more generic approach to pitching in the minors versus a customized plan to attack each batter in MLB.

Maybe leave your best talent in AA a bit longer and then bring them straight to the majors. AAA seems like where players who can't make it in the majors go to die. I'm referring to both your best pitchers and best hitters ..