Mike Elias named MLB Executive of the Year

Major League Baseball today announced that Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager MIKE ELIAS has been voted the MLB Executive of the Year. The official award bestowed by MLB resulted from voting among the 30 clubs, each of which cast a vote prior to the start of the Postseason.

The Orioles posted a 101-61 record in 2023, finishing 2.0 games ahead of Tampa Bay to secure the club’s 10^th AL East title and first since 2014. Baltimore’s 101 wins are tied with the 1971 team for the fourth-most in a single season in club history (since 1954), trailing 109 in 1969, 108 in 1970, and 102 in 1979. The O’s were the only team in the AL and one of three teams in MLB to win 100 games this season, along with the Braves (104-58) and Dodgers (100-62).

Baltimore’s core included homegrown players drafted and developed during Elias’ tenure, including All-Star catcher ADLEY RUTSCHMAN and Most Valuable Oriole Award-winning infielder GUNNAR HENDERSON, trade acquisitions like breakout right-hander KYLE BRADISH, All-Star reliever YENNIER CANO, left-hander DANNY COULOMBE, catcher JAMES McCANN, and first baseman/outfielder RYAN O’HEARN, and free agent veterans infielder ADAM FRAZIER, starting right-hander KYLE GIBSON, and outfielder AARON HICKS. 2020 Rule 5 selection TYLER WELLS led Baltimore’s starting rotation for the first half of the season before transitioning to the bullpen in September. Six players made their Major League debuts for the O’s in 2023, with five finishing the season on Baltimore’s 40-man roster: outfielders COLTON COWSER and HESTON KJERSTAD, infielders JOEY ORTIZ and JORDAN WESTBURG, and right-handed starter GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ. Kjerstad, Rodriguez, and Westburg finished the season with the Orioles and appeared on Baltimore’s ALDS roster.

Elias, who was also voted the Sporting News 2023 MLB Executive of the Year by fellow AL and NL executives, completed his 17^th season in MLB and fifth in Baltimore this year. He was named the Orioles’ Executive Vice President and General Manager on November 16, 2018. During his tenure, the Yale alumnus has worked quickly to revamp the Orioles’ player development system, revitalize the club’s international scouting presence, and expand the team’s analytics department. As a result of these dedicated efforts, the franchise is now flush with young talent and positioned for longstanding competitiveness in the AL East. Over the last two seasons, the Orioles (184-140) own the third-best record in the AL and fifth-best in MLB, behind only the Dodgers (211-113), Braves (205-119), Astros (196-128), and Rays (185-139). The Orioles’ farm system retained its spot at the top in the 2023 midseason rankings by Baseball America, ESPN, and MLB Pipeline, marking the second straight year that they have been ranked as the best farm system in baseball by these three outlets. The Orioles are the first organization to rank No. 1 in five straight MLB Pipeline farm system rankings.

MLB began its official Executive of the Year Award at the conclusion of the 2018 season, with Billy Beane of the Oakland Athletics earning the inaugural honors, followed by Erik Neander of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019, Andrew Friedman of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020, Farhan Zaidi of the San Francisco Giants in 2021, and Chris Antonetti of the Cleveland Guardians in 2022.