The Detroit Tigers announced Tuesday they have named Rob Metzler the new vice president and assistant general manager.
Metzler has spent the past 15 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, including the last seven years as the team's senior director of amateur scouting, where he oversaw day-to-day scouting activities in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
"I hope all Tigers fans will join me in welcoming Rob and his family to our organization," Tigers President Scott Harris said in a statement. "I am thrilled to add an executive of Rob’s caliber to lead our Amateur and International Scouting departments. Rob’s track record of success with the Rays speaks for itself, and his innovative approach to talent acquisition will help us achieve one of our main goals: to acquire, develop and retain young talent in Detroit.”
The team said Metzler is responsible for drafting 2022 All-Star Game starter Shane McClanahan, as well as several other major leaguers.
"This is a tremendous opportunity and I’m excited to work with Scott and the rest of our baseball operations staff," Metzler said in a statement. "We're going to hit the ground running to ensure our processes of amateur scouting at both the domestic and international levels are the best they can possibly be, and search for the most comprehensive information possible to help inform our decision making. I'd also like to thank the Tampa Bay Rays organization for an incredible 15 seasons, and I couldn't be prouder of what we accomplished. The reason I’m here in Detroit is to bring that same energy, passion and innovative spirit, culminating with winning baseball on the field at Comerica Park for years to come."
