New York Mets to hire Jared Porter as general manager (Report)

The New York Mets have their man. Arizona Diamondbacks assistant general manager Jared Porter will be the team’s next general manager.

After some twists and turns, the New York Mets finally possess their next general manager. Jon Heyman of MLB Network is reporting that the Mets have hired Arizona Diamondbacks assistant general manager and senior vice president Jared Porter.

Jared Porter and the Mets are in agreement and he will be the new Mets GM. Only minor details to be worked out.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 12, 2020

Background

Jared Porter got his start in MLB with the Boston Red Sox in 2004. He credits his fellow Diamondbacks assistant general manager, Amiel Sawdaye, and Pirates general manager Ben Cherington with helping him land the job.

He was an intern for his first two years in the organization but quickly moved up the ranks. In 2006, he was named a player development assistant before moving to professional scouting in 2008. By 2010, he was the assistant director of professional scouting. He was then named director of professional scouting in 2012 following the departure of Theo Epstein.

Porter and Epstein weren’t separated for long though. In 2016, Porter accepted the same position with the Cubs under Epstein. He made such a strong impression that he was a favorite to fill the Cubs open general manager job this season, but the Mets swooped in first.

After two seasons with the Cubs, Porter took a promotion from the Diamondbacks under Mike Hazen. Porter had become Hazen’s second-in-command and the pair had worked together in Boston from 2006-15.

Throughout his career, Porter has won four World Series titles.

He’s well respected around the game as a scout who’s willing to put in long hours to win his team games. But while he may be a scout, Porter doesn’t disregard analytics. He understands and uses them, though probably not to the same effect that his fellow finalist and Epstein disciple Zack Scott does.

Culture

Porter comes from a culture of calm leadership that breeds family and brotherhood.

Theo Epstein is known to foster a front office that’s well respected for how well they treat each other. Some who’ve worked under him have called it a brotherhood, some call it a fraternity, and others call it a family. That culture by all counts followed Mike Hazen to Arizona.

Calm decision-making and a family atmosphere in the front office — that sounds like a place that makes people want to work under you.

Now, there’s no guarantee Porter fits that same mold. With that said, multiple people who’ve worked with Porter have called him humble, down to earth, and a great communicator and listener — all the traits Sandy Alderson talked about wanting in his next general manager.

It sounds like they’re a perfect fit for each other. Hopefully, that means the Mets build a warm and friendly front office that people want to work for, rather than one that makes people wish to avoid.

What does this all mean for the New York Mets?

This means we have a better idea of what the Mets are going to be looking for in their roster development.

Porter is known to value depth, versatility, and on-base ability. In an interview with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, when asked what his dream offseason would look like, he said, “I would say continue to get a deeper lineup, a lineup that sees more pitches, that battles, that complements the hitters we already have in place. Kind of a relentless offensive approach that never quits, wears pitchers down, gets into bullpens — that opposing pitchers don’t want to face. That’s the dream, the next steps this offseason.”

Look for Porter, like Alderson, to value the second tier of free agency. The Mets might not be players for every single big-name free agent under these guys, but they’re going to construct a competitive team. And they’re going to do it by building strong depth and drafting well.

That doesn’t mean the Mets aren’t going to chase after big names though, as stars are vital to any team’s success. It just means they aren’t going to sell out the bottom of the roster for the top.

It’s obviously impossible to guess how an executive will translate to the next level, but Porter is a good hire.