Dodgers hire Ibanez as VP in front-office role (source)

The Dodgers have hired former MLB All-Star Raul Ibanez as their vice president of baseball development and special projects, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on Friday. The club has not confirmed the move.

Ibanez, 51, had been serving as senior vice president of on-field operations for MLB since February 2021, a position in which he worked on issues related to rules, equipment and on-field technology, as well as contributed to MLB’s initiatives in scouting and amateur baseball. Prior to that, Ibanez served as a special assistant with the Dodgers from 2016-21.

Over a 19-year Major League playing career, Ibanez posted an .801 OPS with 305 home runs. He played for the Mariners, Royals, Phillies, Yankees and Angels. His finest season came in 2009, when he helped Philadelphia reach the World Series for the second consecutive year by launching a career-high 34 home runs while hitting .272/.347/.552.

Ibanez also played in 44 postseason games and hit six playoff home runs. His most memorable October moment came in 2012, when he belted a ninth-inning home run for the Yankees to tie Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Orioles, and then smashed a walk-off homer in the 12th.