Newest On Rangers’ Entrance Workplace Plans

Rangers President of Baseball Operations Chris Younger was just lately promoted to that title after signing an extension with the membership again in September. That place had been vacant since Younger took over baseball operations halfway via the 2022 season after the firing of then-president Jon Daniels. Now, it’s the GM position that stands vacant, and Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning Information reported this night that the Rangers could also be on the verge of a entrance workplace shakeup that might result in that emptiness being stuffed.

In line with Grant, the membership is “zeroed in on” hiring Rays director of baseball operations Cole Figueroa for an assistant GM position. That deal will not be but accomplished, with Grant saying the rent stays depending on typical background checks being accomplished, but when that deal comes collectively than Grant means that the addition may subsequently result in the Rangers selling internally to fill the vacant GM position.

Figueroa, 37, was an infielder who briefly performed within the majors from 2014 to 2016, gathering 84 plate appearances with the Rays, Yankees, and Pirates throughout that point. Since his retirement following the 2016 season, Figueroa started working within the Rays group in baseball operations. He was promoted to assistant director of hitting growth in 2018 earlier than taking up his present position with the Rays following the 2021 season. In some methods, Figueroa’s ascent as much as entrance workplace work is just like that of Younger, who spent 13 years pitching within the majors earlier than shifting first to the commissioner’s workplace after which to the Rangers’ entrance workplace as GM.

With Figueroa possible approaching board as an assistant GM, that might make manner for a present assistant GM to maneuver up the ladder and turn out to be Younger’s #2 within the entrance workplace. Particularly, Grant means that assistant GM and VP of participant growth and scouting Ross Fenstermaker could possibly be the individual tapped for the position. Fenstermaker joined the Rangers as a baseball operations intern in 2010 and made his manner up the ladder via the scouting division, serving as a scout and crosschecker for almost a decade earlier than being promoted to director of professional scouting in 2018 after which promoted as soon as once more to senior director of professional and worldwide scouting two years later.

After all, whether or not that truly happens or not stays to be seen, even when the Figueroa rent is accomplished. Grant notes that the Rangers have left the door open to discovering a brand new GM to present Younger a right-hand man however have by no means dedicated to doing so, whilst entrance places of work round baseball have more and more started to make the most of the GM position as a second-in-command behind the president of baseball operations. Texas isn’t the one membership seemingly considering the addition of a GM to their entrance workplace this winter; the Crimson Sox may look to advertise internally for the position as nicely, whereas the Giants just lately did the identical in hiring Zack Minasian to serve below new president of baseball operations Buster Posey.