Chris Young, the former MLB pitcher who most recently worked in the commissioner’s office, has been named the new general manager of the Texas Rangers, the team announced Friday.
Young, 41, is from Dallas and made his MLB debut for these same Rangers back in 2004. Now 16 years later he finds himself leading their front office. In an era where MLB executives are more likely to come from Ivy League institutions and have zero experience playing pro baseball, Young is something of an anomaly. He’s now one of only two GMs who played in MLB. Jerry Dipoto of the Seattle Mariners is the other. However, Young also attended Princeton, so he checks the Ivy League box too.
Jon Daniels, the Rangers’ longtime GM and president of baseball operations, will now just serve as president, with Young essentially becoming his right-hand man.
OFFICIAL: Chris Young has been hired as Executive Vice President & General Manager.
Young, a Dallas native and @MLB‘s SVP of On-Field Operation, will work under Jon Daniels, President of Baseball Operations, in all areas of the department.
Welcome home, Chris! pic.twitter.com/wkkZDb9WHm
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) December 4, 2020
After retiring from pitching in 2018, Young became an MLB executive, serving as the league’s vice president of on-field operations, initiatives and strategy. In February of this year, he was promoted to Joe Torre’s old job as MLB senior vice president. In that role, he handed out punishments for on-field altercations and oversaw the umpiring department.
When COVID-19 hit, Young also played a big part in coming up with MLB’s protocols for health and safety when the season restarted.
MLB issued a statement singing the praises of Young when the news broke:
“All of us at Major League Baseball congratulate Chris Young on this great opportunity to once again join his hometown team, this time as General Manager. Since 2018, Chris has brought a valued perspective to a number of important issues, and he has been an outstanding friend and colleague to countless people at the Commissioner’s Office. The Rangers know they are getting an exceptional person. I wish Chris and his family all the best and look forward to his continued impact on our great game.”
Young had been mentioned for other front office positions recently, including with the New York Mets as their GM. Young pulled his name out of the running recently, saying he wanted to stay closer to Dallas and his young children.
A job with the Rangers now allows him to do both.
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