Don Kelly signals more changes ahead for Pirates coaching staff

When Don Kelly casually dropped last week that “at least one, maybe two more” coach hires are coming, Pittsburgh Pirates fans heard more than a personnel update. They heard intent.

Because after his first three hires — Bill Murphy, Kristopher Negron, and Tony Beasley — one thing is already clear: Kelly isn’t assembling the usual “Pirates lifer” reunion tour. He’s not recycling comfort hires. He’s not running back the same organizational script that’s failed for decades. He’s going shopping outside the building, and that’s exactly what’s made this winter quietly fascinating.

Look at the early pattern. Murphy brings technical command and pitching development credibility. Negron has modern player-development instincts. Beasley is tied to structure and accountability from an organization that actually expects to win.

This isn’t nostalgia; it’s infrastructure.

Don Kelly's coaching staff hires represent reputational pivot in Pittsburgh

If Kelly adds “one or two more,” fans shouldn’t expect a coach who hasn't been relevant since 2013 or someone who treats analytics like a foreign language. They should expect a coach tied to a perennial playoff contender, someone with player development credibility and a communicator who connects with younger players.

If Kelly adds another coach, it won’t be just to “round out” the staff. Expect a specialist –– someone brought in for a very specific weakness this organization still has. As far as what that weakness could be? Well, it's not exactly a short list.

The Pirates haven't developed hitters consistently in years. If there’s a hire that screams “statement,” it’s someone from a club like the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians or Houston Astros — someone who knows how to turn raw bats into real production.

With Paul Skenes locked in place, now is not the time for a passive pitching coach. That's why Pittsburgh hired Murphy, but they could be looking to supplement him with someone who specializes in pitch design and arsenal optimization –– someone who understands modern pitch shapes, workload modeling and velocity development. It's nerdy stuff, but necessary stuff.

There's also the mental game of it all. This team needs emotional intelligence as much as data. Coaches who know how to keep players mentally aligned through a losing streak or a rebuild grind matter, so Kelly could be looking to add someone like that to his staff.

Here’s the part worth saying out loud: for once, the Pirates are trying to look modern. This isn’t the same franchise that once thought “experience” meant “old.” Kelly is hunting for people who have been somewhere functional and teachers who will challenge players instead of babysitting them. That matters, because culture change doesn’t start with slogans; it starts with who has the voice in the room.

Kelly doesn’t look like he’s building a staff to “survive the rebuild.” He’s building a staff that assumes something better is coming. Whether ownership backs it with payroll is still the biggest question — but at least now, for once, it feels like the coaching staff is being built with intention instead of inertia.