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Don's brother-in-law is Pirates' second baseman Neil Walker
Don married his sister, Carrie Walker, in January 2007
. Carrie is the all-time leading scorer in Wagner College women's basketball history.Kelly grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh
"Growing up, I was always a Pirates fan, so this opportunity is unbelievable," said Kelly, who counted former Pirates Andy Van Slyke, Bobby Bonilla, and Barry Bonds among his favorite players when he was following the team as a kid. "It's a great feeling to be here and part of all of this. It's something I'll never forget."
Kelly, a non-roster invitee for the Pirates for 2007 spring training, won a roster spot because of his versatility—he can play all four infield positions, though his best spot is shortstop—after hitting .264 with nine RBIs in 25 spring training games.
Kelly went to Point Park College in Pittsburgh (now called Point Park University). He gives a lot of credit to hitting coach Al Liberi and head coach Mark Jackson. In 2001, he was American Mid-East Conference player of the year as well as a first team All-American at shortstop.
"Liberi taught me everything I know about hitting and Jackson taught me about the mental side of baseball," Donnie said.
March 5, 2004: Sure, it was only an exhibition game, but it was a Major League exhibition game. In his first big league at-bat, Kelly homered against the Pirates—his hometown team. His solo homer on an 0-2 count in the sixth inning put the Tigers ahead by a run. "As I rounded second base, I thought, 'Holy cow,'" Kelly said.
On the same day Donnie hit the home run, his younger sister Ashlee scored 38 points and grabbed an NCAA season-high 28 rebounds to help Quinnipiac College beat Farleigh Dickinson 80-76—in double overtime—in the opening round of the Northeast Conference women's basketball tournament.
Donald doesn't make many mental mistakes. He is a sharp player on defense, the bases and at the plate. His heads-up style endeared Kelly to Pirates manager Jim Tracy in 2007 spring training.
"In every facet of his game, there is a sense of awareness," Tracy said. "Whether it's at the plate or in the field, he has shown you a great idea as to how to play the game.
"Every time a ball gets hit in any type of baseball situation, you look up and he's in the right place. He hasn't done one thing to hurt himself, let's put it that way." (Dawn Klemish-MLB.com-3/18/07)
Kelly had his best season in 2005, batting a combined .311-10-67. He started the year at Double-A Erie and hit .340 with a .402 on-base percentage while slugging .508. He earned a promotion to Triple-A Toledo, and in his second stint with the Med Hens he helped them win the International League championship, playing shortstop and hitting .300 with seven RBIs in the IL playoffs.
After the 2005 season, Kelly hit .294 in the Arizona Fall League.
In both 2004 and 2006, Baseball America rated Donald the 19th-best prospect in the Tiger organization. He was not ranked in 2005.
In December 2006, Kelly signed with the Pirates organization. Then, he made the 2007 Opening Day roster, a surprising move based on a combination of performance and versatility.
"I think as we look at the mix of the people on the bench ... Donny Kelly's had a fantastic camp," Pittsburgh GM Dave Littlefield said. "He hits left-handed, there's some versatility, and as you look at the mix of the people that we were getting closer to having on the bench, we felt that Kelly was the better fit."
"I don't think you could ask for anything more from him," manager Jim Tracy said. "He knows how to play the game both from an offensive and defensive standpoint. He has impressed everybody."
August 26, 2011: Don was with his wife, Carrie, when she gave birth to their second child, a boy.
October 2011: In the deciding game of the AL Division Series, Kelly hit a first-inning home run off the Yankees’ Ivan Nova to help Detroit advance to the next round. After the game, Tigers manager Jim Leyland reflected on the moment, and his eyes welled up with tears, and there was a tremble in his throat.
“Guys like Donnie Kelly and John Wehner and Cangelosi . . . they’re always the underdog,” Leyland said. “They want it so bad. They’re not great, but they’re good enough, and they’re always looking for jobs. I’ve always had a soft spot for guys like that."
Whatever the Tigers ask of Kelly, he’ll be ready with his engine running.
“He would probably mow my lawn if I asked him,’’ Leyland said.
Can he pitch? Sure. On June 29, Kelly made his Major League debut on the mound—retiring Mets outfielder Scott Hairston on a fly ball in the ninth inning of a 16-9 New York victory. Kelly pumped in two straight 86 mph fastballs before getting Hairston with a 71 mph curve.
During spring training, Leyland had told him to be ready for the role of emergency catcher behind Alex Avila and Victor Martinez. So Kelly, who had never caught in his life, went down to the bullpen, donned the chest protector and shin guards, and caught pitchers on the side in the Grapefruit League to acclimate himself to the role.
That grunt work paid off during a trip to San Francisco in early July. Martinez had taken a foul ball off the shoulder, the game was dragging on forever because of a rain delay, and Leyland didn’t want to use Avila because there was a matinee on tap the next day. So Kelly entered the game with the Tigers trailing by double figures and caught Ryan Perry, David Purcey, and Lester Oliveros for six innings in a 15-3 loss to the Giants. (Jerry Crasnick-ESPN.com/Baseball America-11/31/11)
By virtue of both genetics and his blue-collar roots, Kelly was born to be a ballplayer. He grew up in the Mt. Lebanon section of Pittsburgh and rooted for the great Pirates teams featuring Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla. Andy Van Slyke was Kelly’s favorite player, and he has vivid memories of a younger Jim Leyland running the show.
“I remember him coming out of the dugout and getting in an umpire’s face, and jumping Bonds one year in spring training,” Kelly said. “He still has the same fire now. He’s a lovable guy with a huge heart who just wants to win. That’s the bottom line with him."
Tigers coach Gene Lamont, who has been with Leyland since the old Pittsburgh days, considers Kelly a better player than John Cangelosi and John Wehner because of his arm, speed, power, and various other baseball skills. Kelly studies the pitchers, and he’s a more intelligent player.
By all accounts, Kelly is humble, earnest and blessed with a love for the game that runs deep. He’s married to the former Carrie Walker, sister of Pirates second baseman Neil Walker. And they have two little boys. The oldest, Brett, is just 2, but is already cultivating a picture-perfect swing.
“Every morning when he wakes up, he wants to play ‘hits,’ ” Kelly said. (Jerry Crasnick-Baseball America-10/31/11)
2014 season: Don is the only active player to have played every position on the field in the major leagues, including pitcher.
Name a spot on the field, and Kelly has covered it. He has played all around the diamond, appearing in the big leagues at all nine positions.
Such versatility ultimately paid off for Kelly, who was informed on March 31, 2015, that he has made the Marlins as a utility player. Manager Mike Redmond will not hesitate using the left-handed hitter in a number of roles.
"Pinch-running, infield, outfield, pitcher, catcher, you never know where I'll end up," Kelly said.
The fact Kelly can be an emergency catcher, plus can play the outfield, factored into the final decision. Kelly is a National League-style player who played since 2009 in the American League with the Detroit Tigers.
When he had the opportunity to hook up with the Marlins as a non-roster invitee, he embraced the opportunity.
"That was kind of the draw to the Marlins," he said. "It was great getting to play for [Jim] Leyland, he was an NL manager. He was in the AL but he still managed like an NL guy, a lot of moves.
"I was in the AL but you get to understand the game, understanding the way he was going to manage, the moves he was going to make, potential pinch-hits, defensive replacements. It's interesting now to be in the NL." (Frisaro - mlb.com - 3/31/15)
Jan 30, 2019: It took Don Kelly less than two years out of a Major League uniform to come to the realization he wanted to be back on the field. Enter Astros manager AJ Hinch, who was seeking to piece together his coaching staff after three members of his 2018 staff left for promotions with other teams. Kelly, who was in the D-backs' system when Hinch was director of player development for Arizona, was hired by Hinch in November as the Astros' first-base coach and is eager for his latest opportunity.
"For me to join a team like Houston and get back on the field, it's awesome and I'm really looking forward to it," he said.
Kelly, 38, spent the previous two seasons as a pro scout for the Tigers following a nine-year Major League career during which he played all nine positions, including a blowout game against the Mets in 2011 in which he made an appearance on the mound. He needed five pitches to get Scott Hairston to fly out.
Kelly reached folk-hero status as a super-utility player during this time in Detroit, becoming a postseason hero during the club's run of four consecutive AL Central titles (2011-14), where he was a teammate of Astros pitcher Justin Verlander. Kelly said he was designated for assignment nine times in his career, which gives him a greater sense of how difficult it can be to stick in the big leagues.
"He's extremely relatable to today's players, and his energy and his passion and really his expertise -- he played every position in the big leagues -- he's as relatable as they come as far as first-year coaches," Hinch said.
Kelly, one of three new coaches this year on Hinch's staff, will handle baserunning, as well as provide some infield and outfield assistance.
"As a player and playing all over the place and playing all positions and grinding it out, I was able to relate to the players," Kelly said. "Having the career I had and to be able to help a player any way I could, it was very appealing."
One area where Kelly won't provide much input is pitching, despite his career 0.00 ERA. He said the Astros' rotation is in good hands with Verlander.
"He's a tremendous competitor," Kelly said. "Every time he takes the ball, he goes out there to win. He wins a lot. That's just a guy when you get in those big games -- and you got to see it a couple of years ago in Houston -- he steps up and he's awesome, man. He goes out there and takes the ball. He's intense and he brings that every single day to the field. When you're on the other side, you don't want to see him standing 60 feet away." (B McTattart - MLB.com - Jan 30, 2019)
June 15, 2025: For about the first four years after his eldest son, Brett, was born, Don Kelly didn’t have to worry about baseball talk when he got home. Brett was just happy Dad was home.
It was around four years old that Brett started to pay attention to the games “I think everybody puts so much pressure to produce, come through, be the guy, and it helps to keep things in perspective,” Kelly said Today, the tables are turned Kelly and his wife, Carrie, are the parents of three boys: Brett (16), Luke (13) and Brooks (10), all of whom are ballplayers “It’s awesome,” Kelly said After six years as bench coach, Kelly assumed managerial duties on May 8 after Derek Shelton was dismissed TRANSACTIONS
Being able to catch those games and come back home was a major selling point for Kelly when he returned to Pittsburgh in 2019. The Pirates were revamping their coaching staff, and Kelly was brought in as bench coach.
He had spent a year as the Astros’ first-base coach the season prior and had a nine-year career as a player on his resume, so he drew interest around the league, but Kelly had lived in the Pittsburgh area his whole life. It was just too good of an opportunity to pass on, or leave in subsequent winters when other opportunities arose.“Coming off of a World Series with Houston, I didn’t really even think about staying in Houston,” Kelly said. “I just wanted to get home.”
June 2001: The Tigers chose him in the 8th round, out of Point Park College in Pittsburgh.
December 14, 2006: Kelly signed with the Pirates organization.
November 2007: Don signed with the D'Backs organization.
January 2009: Kelly signed with the Tigers organization.
January 17, 2012: Don and the Tigers avoided arbitration, agreeing on a one-year, $900,000 contract.
December 2, 2013: Kelly avoided arbitration with the Tigers when both agred to a one-year, $1 million contract for 2014.
January 20, 2015: Two months after the Tigers released Don, he signed with the Marlins organization.
February 3, 2016: The Marlins signed free agent Kelly.
March 29, 2016: The Marlins released Don March 31, 2016: The Marlins resigned Kelly