The Baltimore Orioles hired Jared Banner as general manager on October 19, adding the Cubs executive alongside Mike Elias, according to Field Level Media’s report carried by Reuters.
Banner will oversee day-to-day baseball operations, with responsibility for player development, coaching and performance. Elias remains president of baseball operations as Baltimore prepares for the offseason.
The appointment adds an executive with 18 years in baseball operations. Banner most recently served as Chicago’s assistant general manager, a position he held since January 2024.
His role in Baltimore also includes working with Elias on strategy, staffing and acquiring talent, according to the club’s announcement reported by BaltimoreBaseball.com.
That division of responsibilities makes this an addition to the leadership group under Elias, whose move to president left the general manager position unfilled.
Banner’s recent experience spans several functions. He joined the Cubs in December 2020 as vice president of special projects before overseeing player development in 2022 and 2023.
His earlier career included the Mets and Red Sox. He became New York’s executive director of player development after working through multiple roles in Boston.
BaltimoreBaseball.com reported that Banner began with the Red Sox after graduating from Amherst in 2007 and later became their vice president of player personnel.
He played four years of varsity baseball at Amherst and majored in psychology. His background therefore includes college playing experience alongside his work in major league organizations.
The hiring follows Elias’ public interest in adding perspectives from outside the organization. MASN reported that expanding baseball operations had become a priority after the season.
Elias said in September that ownership supported recruiting outside talent and growing the department. He described the organization as relatively small compared with other baseball operations groups.
In welcoming Banner, Elias pointed to his experience leading different departments and working with executives across several organizations. He framed the appointment around building for 2027 and beyond.
Banner, in turn, said Elias’ vision attracted him to Baltimore. His stated goal is to build on the existing foundation and help bring championships back to the Orioles.
The front office has already undergone other changes. MASN reported that director of player and staff development Matt Blood departed the organization in September.
Assistant general manager Sig Mejdal’s duties also shifted toward researching emerging technologies and innovative practices in baseball operations, providing another example of the department’s changing structure.
Baltimore missed the postseason for a second straight year after consecutive playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024. The club plans to introduce Banner at Camden Yards on October 27.
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