Former Pirates Catcher Named Derek Shelton Replacement Candidate
PITTSBURGH -- As the Pittsburgh Pirates finish off yet another disappointing campaign, manager Derek Shelton has found himself on the hot seat after five seasons at the helm. Should Pittsburgh decide to move on from its skipper, it could turn to a former member of the organization as his replacement.
Noah Wright of FanSided's Rum Bunter named former Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli as a candidate who could supersede Shelton and draw some interest from the team in the coming months. Cervelli spent parts of 13 seasons in the big leagues, during which he won the 2009 World Series as a member of the New York Yankees.
Cervelli arrived in Pittsburgh ahead of the 2015 season via trade from the Yankees in exchange for left-handed reliever Justin Wilson. He immediately slotted in as the club's starting catcher following the departure of Russell Martin, hitting .295/.370/.401 with seven home runs and 43 RBIs over 130 games that year as he helped the Pirates reach the playoffs for a third-consecutive season.
Cervelli remained in Pittsburgh until his release in August of 2019. He finished his Pirates career with a slash line of .264/.362/.374 to go with 26 home runs over parts of five seasons, 450 games and 1,734 plate appearances. He finished 2019 with the Atlanta Braves and spent 2020 with the Miami Marlins before ultimately retiring at the age of 34 due to concussions.
Since hanging up his cleats, Cervelli spent the 2022 season as a catching instructor for the San Diego Padres while also serving as an assistant to catching for Team Europe in this year's Global Baseball Games. That experience, combined with his leadership and coaching aspirations, made him a logical candidate in Wright's eyes should the Pirates have a managerial opening.
"Given Cervelli’s recent experience in a role with leadership, his ability to work with players when he was a catcher, and his potential desire to take up a coaching role, the Pirates should consider Cervelli as a potential manager option if they are on the lookout for one this upcoming offseason," Wright wrote.
Wright also mentioned Rod Barajas and Clint Barmes, both of whom also played for the Pirates, as an option for the club. Barajas spent the final year of his 14-year career with Pittsburgh in 2012 and is currently the Field Coordinator for the Marlins. He also served as the Padres' interim manager following the firing of Andy Green in 2019, going 1-7 in eight games.
Barmes joined the Pirates alongside Barajas in 2012 and stuck around through the end of the 2014 season, playing a total of 300 games in the black and gold. He retired after the 2015 campaign and has found a home coaching at the high school level since 2018.
JACK MARKOWSKI