Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As President Of Baseball Operations

The Athletics hired Taylor Smith as president of baseball operations on October 19, 2026. The 31-year-old former Red Sox assistant general manager takes charge of the franchise’s strategy as it prepares for its scheduled 2028 relocation to Las Vegas following a 64-98 season.

The Athletics officially named former Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Taylor Smith as their new president of baseball operations on Monday morning. Smith, at 31 years old, becomes the youngest lead executive in Major League Baseball, stepping into a front office vacancy created when long-serving general manager David Forst was fired in August.

Forst had been with the organization since 2000 and succeeded Billy Beane as general manager in 2015. His firing took place in early August when the A’s were playing a series against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, after which assistant GM Dan Feinstein finished out the season in place of Forst. Feinstein was not among the candidates considered for the full-time position, and it remains to be seen if he, Billy Owens, or Rob Naberhaus will stay with the team in their current roles or take on different titles. The A’s finished the 2026 campaign with a 64-98 record—representing 12 fewer wins than the previous year—for their fifth consecutive losing season and their fourth campaign with at least 90 losses over that span.

The hire comes as the organization finishes the second of three planned seasons in West Sacramento before moving to Las Vegas in 2028. The franchise is coming off a difficult 64-98 campaign under interim general manager Dan Feinstein, marking the club’s fifth consecutive losing season.

Analytics Track Record and Front Office Exodus in Boston

Smith spent the last two seasons running the research and development department under Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. During his time in Tampa Bay, he began as an analyst focusing on the amateur draft and player valuation before becoming lead analyst in 2021 and director of predictive modeling in 2022, overseeing player valuation models and leading the research and development staff. In his role with Boston, he oversaw baseball research and development efforts—including analytics, sciences, systems, and technology—while collaborating directly with player acquisitions, development, and baseball operations groups.

His departure marks the second consecutive offseason that a top Boston executive has left for a president of baseball operations role. Last autumn, the Washington Nationals hired former Red Sox assistant general manager Paul Toboni to run their front office. Following Toboni’s hiring, the two clubs linked up on a trade that sent pitching prospect Luis Perales to Washington in exchange for starter Jake Bennett. Boston’s remaining assistant general managers include Eddie Romero, Raquel Ferreira, and Michael Groopman, the latter of whom also interviewed for the Athletics’ opening alongside assistant GM Dan Feinstein.

The Athletics changed the way baseball thinks about building a team, and their pioneering work during the Moneyball era opened the door to my own career in the game. It’s an honor to build on that legacy as we work to create the next great A’s team, build on our foundation for sustained success, and prepare for our new home in Las Vegas.

Taylor Smith, President of Baseball Operations, via Boston Herald

Roster Assets and Immediate Roster Decisions in Sacramento

Several key contributors missed significant time due to injuries during the 2026 season, which contributed to the team’s 98-loss finish.

Every move between now and 2028 must answer whether a player helps win in Las Vegas, given the fixed opening date of the new ballpark on the Strip.

A’s owner John Fisher noted that the organization conducted a thorough search before selecting Smith for his expertise in measuring player performance and development. Athletics senior adviser Billy Beane echoed that confidence, calling him a smart, creative baseball mind with the leadership skills to build a cutting-edge, winning organization that fans can support. Fisher expressed total excitement about Smith and the future of the franchise, emphasizing the strong core of returning players and farm system talent already established.

Executive Search Finalists and Unresolved Staffing Questions

The Athletics considered several other candidates during their search, including Chicago Cubs assistant general manager Jared Banner—who was named general manager of the Baltimore Orioles on the same morning—alongside Philadelphia Phillies executive Sam Fuld, St. Louis Cardinals assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio, and internal candidate Mike Groopman. The club was additionally connected to former Houston Astros general manager James Click and former Washington Nationals president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo.

It remains unclear whether the Athletics intend to hire a general manager to work underneath Smith, or whether incumbent manager Mark Kotsay—who is signed through 2028—along with assistant GMs like Dan Feinstein will retain their roles as the front office transitions into the offseason.

Sam Fuld turned down the opportunity, while Rob Cerfolio withdrew from consideration before the franchise ultimately landed on Smith following a late-week surge as the favorite.

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