Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. today announced changes to various Baseball Operations functions of the Commissioner’s Office:

• Hall of Famer Joe Torre, who served as MLB’s head of baseball operations since February 2011 (most recently as Chief Baseball Officer), has been named Special Assistant to the Commissioner. 

Commissioner Manfred said: “I have always appreciated Joe’s great respect for Baseball and his lifetime of contributions to the National Pastime. I am pleased that Joe will remain a valuable resource to us, as he has been for the last decade.”

• Morgan Sword has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Baseball Economics & Operations. Sword will continue to report to Deputy Commissioner, Baseball Administration & Chief Legal Officer Dan Halem and lead the Baseball Economics & Operations Department. Sword, who joined MLB’s Labor Relations Department in 2008, played an integral role in the negotiation of two Basic Agreements with the MLBPA. He oversees MLB’s economic and competitive system, including all player acquisition, compensation, transactions and policies. The University of Virginia and Columbia Business School graduate is the primary point of contact for Clubs on Baseball Operations.

• Chris Young, who had served as Vice President, On-Field Operations, Initiatives & Strategy, has been promoted to Senior Vice President. Young will oversee the On-Field Operations and Umpiring Departments and will continue to report to Halem. The Princeton graduate joined the Commissioner’s Office in May 2018. Young manages issues that affect play on the field, including oversight of umpiring, playing rules and regulations, on-field standards and discipline, pace of play and other special projects. The 13-year Major League pitcher was a 2007 National League All-Star with the San Diego Padres and a member of the 2015 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals. 

• MLB has hired longtime Major League players Gregor Blanco and Nick Hundley as Senior Directors, Baseball Operations. Both Blanco and Hundley will report to Young, with each serving as an MLB liaison to Major League Clubs, players and umpires. Under Young’s guidance, Blanco and Hundley will aid in the administration of on-field discipline and will provide insights regarding on-field rules, initiatives, technology, instant replay and other topics. Blanco and Hundley will participate in MLB’s youth baseball development initiatives in the United States and Latin America, will speak to amateur players at MLB events and will assist in the evaluation of prospective umpires. 

Blanco, 36, played in 10 Major League seasons, and the Venezuela native was a part of the San Francisco Giants’ World Championship clubs of 2012 and 2014. Hundley, 36, was a 12-year catcher with the Padres (2008-2014), the Baltimore Orioles (2014), the Colorado Rockies (2015-2016), the Giants (2017-2018) and the Oakland Athletics (2019).