{"id":112450,"date":"2026-01-18T21:16:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T02:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=112450"},"modified":"2026-01-20T19:12:37","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T00:12:37","slug":"twins-double-down-on-experience-michael-a-taylor-ryan-pressly-join-coaching-staff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/01\/18\/twins-double-down-on-experience-michael-a-taylor-ryan-pressly-join-coaching-staff\/","title":{"rendered":"Twins Double Down on Experience: Michael A. Taylor, Ryan Pressly Join Coaching Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Twins<\/a> are embracing a growing trend in Major League Baseball\u2014one that prioritizes firsthand experience, recent clubhouse credibility, and player-to-player instruction. In a span of weeks, the Twins added two freshly retired MLB veterans, hiring Michael A. Taylor<\/a> as an outfield instructor and Ryan Pressly<\/a> as part of their pitching and player development staff.<\/p>\n

Under new manager Derek Shelton<\/a>, the Twins are clearly signaling a shift toward experience-driven coaching, bringing former players directly from the field into leadership roles.<\/p>\n

Michael A. Taylor Begins Next Chapter in Minnesota<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"
Oct 11, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Michael A. Taylor (2) catches a fly ball in the third inning against the Houston Astros during game four of the ALDS for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Michael A. Taylor officially announced his retirement following the Chicago White Sox<\/a>\u2019s final game of the 2025 season, closing the book on a 12-year MLB career. The 34-year-old announced at Nationals Park, where his career began with the Washington Nationals<\/a>\u2014adding a sentimental layer to his farewell.<\/p>\n

Taylor cited a desire to prioritize family, particularly time with his children, after more than a decade of baseball\u2019s demanding schedule.<\/p>\n

Known league-wide as an elite defensive outfielder, Taylor built his career on range, instincts, and consistency. He won a Gold Glove in 2021 and was a key contributor on the 2019 Washington Nationals World Series championship team. Over his career, he suited up for the Nationals, Royals<\/a>, Twins, Pirates<\/a>, and White Sox, earning a reputation as one of baseball\u2019s most reliable gloves.<\/p>\n

Now back in Minnesota, Taylor steps into a role that feels like a natural extension of his playing career. As an Outfield Instructor, he will work closely with Twins outfielders on positioning, reads, footwork, and preparation\u2014areas where he excelled throughout his career.<\/p>\n

Just as important, Taylor brings instant credibility. Few instructors can say they played meaningful postseason innings, won a Gold Glove, and navigated the modern game as recently as last season.<\/p>\n

Ryan Pressly Returns as a Pitching Mentor<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"
Sep 12, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Ryan Pressly (55) reacts after Oakland Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker (25) hits a home run to left field during the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Twins didn\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n

In January 2026, former All-Star reliever Ryan Pressly announced his retirement after a 13-year MLB career<\/a>, then quickly joined the Twins\u2019 coaching and player development staff. Pressly will assist pitchers at both the major and minor league levels, with a particular focus on late-game preparation and mental approach.<\/p>\n

Pressly\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9 speaks for itself. A former Twins pitcher who later became one of baseball\u2019s most dependable closers with the Houston Astros<\/a>, he brings extensive experience in high-leverage situations. His calm, business-like demeanor made him a postseason staple and a natural mentor. Pressly will also be a fixture at spring training, working hands-on with pitchers across the organization.<\/p>\n

A Growing MLB Trend: Players to Coaches<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Twins\u2019 moves reflect a league-wide trend gaining momentum: former players moving directly into coaching and development roles immediately after retirement.<\/p>\n

The Texas Rangers<\/a> have continued the growing MLB trend of hiring recent retirees by bringing in former outfielder Travis Jankowski<\/a> as a First Base Coach. Known for his speed, defensive versatility, and high-energy style of play, Jankowski transitions directly from the field to an on-field coaching role focused on baserunning and in-game decision-making. His quick move into coaching highlights how teams increasingly value recent playing experience and clubhouse credibility<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Mets
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 21: Travis Jankowski #16 of the New York Mets bats against the San Francisco Giants during their game at Citi Field on April 21, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Across MLB, teams are increasingly valuing recent playing experience. Organizations like the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a>, Cleveland Guardians<\/a>, St. Louis Cardinals<\/a>, and Atlanta Braves<\/a> have added former players as hitting coaches, pitching instructors, and defensive coordinators in recent seasons.<\/p>\n

The reasoning is simple. Today\u2019s players often respond better to coaches who understand modern analytics, clubhouse culture, travel demands, and the mental grind\u2014because they lived it recently.<\/p>\n

A Clear Vision Under Derek Shelton<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For Minnesota, these hires align perfectly with Shelton\u2019s leadership style. After managing the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2020 to 2025, Shelton arrives with a reputation for collaboration and player development. Surrounding himself with voices like Taylor and Pressly reinforces a philosophy built on trust, relatability, and accountability.<\/p>\n

The Twins aren\u2019t just filling coaching positions\u2014they\u2019re building bridges between generations. And in today\u2019s game, that connection may be one of the most valuable tools a team can have.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Twins are embracing a growing trend in Major League Baseball\u2014one that prioritizes firsthand experience, recent clubhouse credibility, and player-to-player instruction. In a span of weeks, the Twins added two freshly retired MLB veterans, hiring Michael A. Taylor as an outfield instructor and Ryan Pressly as part of their pitching and player development staff. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5710,"featured_media":92043,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"764","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,13,1071],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-twins","category-mlb"],"modified_by":"Eddie Lennon, Staff Writer","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5710"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112450"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112450\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112453,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112450\/revisions\/112453"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92043"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}