Athletics Hire Taylor Smith as President of Baseball Operations

Taylor Smith Takes Charge as Athletics President of Baseball Operations

Taylor Smith is stepping in as the new president of baseball operations for the Athletics, taking over a front office tasked with rebuilding the franchise ahead of its planned 2028 relocation to Las Vegas. At 31 years old, Smith becomes the youngest head of baseball operations in Major League Baseball, surpassing 36-year-old Paul Toboni of the Washington Nationals.

From Boston and Tampa Bay to the Athletics Front Office

Smith arrives in the Athletics organization after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant general manager with the Boston Red Sox, where he oversaw the organization’s research department and worked on player acquisition and development. Before his tenure in Boston, Smith spent seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays starting in 2018, rising through the analytical ranks from a research and development analyst to the director of predictive modeling.

The hiring follows a search conducted after the organization announced in August that David Forst would not return next season. Forst had served as the team’s top baseball executive since November 2022 and had been with the organization since 2000. Following Forst’s departure, assistant general manager Dan Feinstein stepped in as acting general manager, guiding the club through the remainder of a 64-98 campaign.

Roster Outlook and Transition Timeline

The Athletics finished fourth in the American League West this past season, playing their home games at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California. The team’s pitching staff ranked 29th with a 5.53 ERA. Despite the on-field difficulties, the franchise features a youthful core including Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker, Shea Langeliers, Lawrence Butler, Tyler Soderstrom, Jacob Wilson, and Henry Bolte.

Owner John Fisher pointed to that young core and the talent in the farm system as foundational pieces for the future.

“We have a strong core of returning players… as well as a lot of great talent in our farm system,” Fisher said in a statement. “With Taylor’s leadership and the talent already in our organization, we believe we have all the pieces in place to build a consistently competitive and winning team.”

The franchise still has a vacancy at general manager following Forst’s departure. The team will play at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento again in 2027 before completing its move to Las Vegas for the 2028 season, giving Smith several years to shape the roster before the club opens its permanent new home.