MINNEAPOLIS — Derek Shelton, who coached for the Minnesota Twins under both Paul Molitor and Rocco Baldelli, will succeed Baldelli as the team’s manager.

The hiring was confirmed Wednesday by a source with knowledge of the move.

Shelton was manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates for six seasons, starting in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, before he was dismissed this year when Pittsburgh started 12-26.

He was 306-440 with the Pirates and never finished above fourth place in the National League Central.

Shelton will be the 15th manager in team history. His hiring is expected to be announced on Thursday, the off day between Games 5 and 6 of the World Series, as Major League Baseball frowns upon teams making news during the series.

An introductory news conference is likely next week.

The Twins reached out to several candidates in their search to replace Baldelli. The known ones: Shelton, New York Yankees hitting coach James Rowson, former Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais, Chicago Cubs bench coach Ryan Flaherty, Kansas City Royals third base coach Vance Wilson, San Diego Padres coach Nick Punto and Boston Red Sox bench coach Ramón Vázquez.

Shelton and Rowson, who both have institutional knowledge of the organization, emerged as the top candidates after impressive interviews, with Shelton emerging as the Twins’ pick.

He will face quite a rebuilding challenge in Minnesota.

The Twins unloaded 10 major leaguers at the trade deadline and finished with the second-worst record (70-92) in the American League.

Shelton, 55, was the Twins bench coach from 2018 to 2019 — the last year of Molitor’s tenure and the first under Baldelli — before being hired by Pittsburgh following the Twins’ Bomba Squad season, when they set a major league home run record and won 101 games.

He was a longtime hitting coach for Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays before coming to Minnesota.

Derek Shelton’s resume

— 2020-25: Pirates manager

— 2018-19: Twins bench coach

— 2017: Toronto Blue Jays quality control coach

— 2010-16: Rays hitting coach

— 2005-09: Guardians hitting coach

— 2003-05: Guardians minor league coach

— 2002: Staten Island (Class A) manager

— 2000-01: Yankees Gulf Coast League manager

— 1997-99: Yankees minor league coach

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