The Detroit Tigers have named Scott Harris, former general manager of the San Francisco Giants, the team’s next president of baseball operations.
The appointment follows the firing of Al Avila, former vice president and general manager of the Detroit Tigers, on Aug. 10 of this year.
“Throughout this extensive search process, we were determined to find the best person to run our baseball operations,” says Christopher Ilitch, chairman and CEO of the Detroit Tigers. “Scott’s vision for how to construct a baseball organization to compete and win in the modern game is impressive.
“His leadership ability is polished from both his experience as an executive at multiple levels and mentorship from some of the game’s most talented baseball operations leaders. Scott is a difference maker, innovator and fiercely competitive, always looking for an edge. We’re excited to welcome Scott and his fiancé, Elle, to the Tigers family, and look forward to the bright future of our organization.”
The 36-year-old Harris joins the Tigers after serving as general manager of the San Francisco Giants, playing a key role in constructing the Giants roster over the last three seasons. That stretch included the 2021 team that won the National League West division and finished the season with a 107-55 record, the best regular season record in franchise history.
During Harris’ three seasons in San Francisco, the Giants posted a 205-163 (.557) record, the fourth-best winning percentage among National League teams, and the eighth-best mark in the Major Leagues over that span.
“This is an exciting day for me and my family, and I’m humbled by the opportunity to lead baseball operations for the Detroit Tigers,” Harris says. “The Tigers have a rich history and tradition as a charter member of the American League, and I can’t wait to get to work on the next chapter of Tigers baseball.
“I’d like to thank Chris Ilitch for believing in my vision for this organization and being so accommodating throughout the interview process. I’d also like to thank Greg Johnson, Rob Dean, Farhan Zaidi, Larry Baer, and the entire Giants organization for their support over the last three years.’
Prior to joining the Giants, Harris spent seven years working in the Chicago Cubs’ baseball operations department, most recently as the assistant general manager under Cubs president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer. He assisted in all potential player acquisitions, contract and trade negotiations, and player evaluations while overseeing several departments including research and development.
“I’m really excited to have Scott Harris join us as president of baseball operations. In getting to know him over the last few weeks, what he wants for the future of our team and organization is really inspiring and is something I know our fans will embrace as much as I do,” says A.J. Hinch, manager of the Tigers. “His vision and expectation of winning makes it easy to want to work tirelessly for him. We have a lot of work to do and today is a great step in the right direction on that path.”
Harris started with the Cubs in 2012 as director of baseball operations after spending two years at Major League Baseball as the league’s coordinator of major league operations. While at the league office, he provided transaction support and analysis to all 30 clubs and worked on the First-Year Player Draft, the Rule 5 Draft, the World Baseball Classic, and various industry studies within the league office.
A native of Redwood City, Calif., Harris attended Columbia Business School while working at Major League Baseball and later transferred to Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management to complete his MBA in 2015. He also graduated from UCLA in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and studied at the London School of Economics in 2007.
