The Chicago Cubs made a quiet but notable front office move on the same day the Tampa Bay Rays punched their ticket to the World Series, hiring Steve Miller away from Tampa Bay to run their international scouting department.
Miller has been named the Cubs’ new vice president overseeing international scouting, a role he held with the Rays since 2019. During that stretch, he became an important part of Tampa Bay’s front office and contributed to a roster that will now meet the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series.
Sources: The Chicago Cubs have named Steve Miller their new VP, overseeing the International Scouting department.
Miller comes over after serving as the Rays’ Director of International Scouting since 2019, where he played a key role in several notable international signings.
- Francys Romero (@FrancysRomero) October 19, 2026
For the Cubs, the appeal is obvious. International free agency has been a soft spot for the organization for years, while the Rays have built a reputation for getting the most out of that pipeline. Tampa Bay’s success in developing international talent shows up in its prospect inventory, including the number of international prospects FanGraphs graded at 35+ FV.
Chicago’s own track record in that area has been much thinner. The first 11 prospects in the Cubs’ system ranked by MLB Pipeline were all drafted, which underscores how little impact the organization has gotten from international free-agent signings. Bringing in someone from a club that has consistently handled that side of roster-building well looks like an attempt to change that.
It is the kind of hire that might not draw much attention now, but could matter more a few years down the line if the Cubs start finding real value in international free agents.
Miller’s arrival also comes as the Cubs lost Jared Banner to the Baltimore Orioles on the same day. At minimum, the front office is getting new voices.
There could still be broader changes coming this offseason. Carter Hawkins had been viewed as a possible candidate to oversee his own front office, though there has been little movement there. The looming December 2 lockout may be slowing any major front office shuffling, given how much timing would matter for a change of that size.
That uncertainty extends to the coaching staff as well. Ryan Flaherty has been a popular managerial candidate in recent years, but he has not been strongly tied to the openings with the Mariners or Astros.
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