MLBTR's list of general manager candidates introduced 20 people who were identified by their peers as potential Major League GMs. We’re bringing you closer to the candidates with a series of pieces. Today the series continues with Nationals assistant GM Bryan Minniti.
Though Bryan Minniti of the Nationals is one of the younger candidates on our list, the 31-year-old has been working in baseball for over a decade and has already served under four GMs.
Minniti started under former Pirates GM Cam Bonifay in Pittsburgh, where he worked full-time hours for part-time pay. By the time the Pirates had replaced Bonifay with Dave Littlefield and Littlefield with current GM Neal Huntington, Minniti had graduated from intern to director of baseball operations.
Then, after nine seasons with the Pirates, the University of Pittsburgh graduate (Mathematics & Statistics) headed to D.C. in 2009. Washington GM Mike Rizzo made Minniti assistant GM, a role that includes contract negotiations, arbitration preparation, budget work and roster decisions. His role does include procedural work and number crunching, but Minniti is a people person whose problem solving skills apply in diverse situations.
Sounds like a great candidate for a smaller market team.