As New GM Is Earning The Kind Of Praise Fans Needed

Newly appointed Athletics GM Cam Castro draws praise from former mentor, highlighting a promising era for the franchise.

LAS VEGAS -- Cam Castro’s move into the Athletics’ general manager job brought a familiar face and a familiar voice into the conversation this week at the GM Meetings.

Castro, who was introduced as the A’s new GM last week, said his years in the Brewers organization helped shape him for the opportunity. He spent time in Milwaukee from 2019-26 in a variety of roles, and much of that growth came while working alongside Brewers GM and president of baseball operations Matt Arnold, the executive behind this year’s World Series-winning club.

“Matt is somebody who was just incredibly good to me and didn’t need to be,” Castro said. “I was a pitching coach in the organization and he was great to me for a really long time. I have a ton of respect for Matt and the whole group we had there.

“What I would take from him personally as the person and leader that he is is listen, collaborate, ask questions, get curious and seeking to understand other perspectives. Ultimately, being comfortable when you have to make a decision, but to gather and collate as much information as you can to get there, and to build really great relationships along the way, which he had, and I would hope that I can bring to this organization as well.”

Arnold, reached by MLB.com at the Aria Resort and Casino during the GM Meetings, had nothing but praise for Castro’s rise.

“He’s great. He’s one of the best.

Very happy for him and his family. He’s a talented guy.

His track record, if you ever look at what he’s been through as far as a coach in the Minor Leagues, a coach that coached all the way through the Rust Belt at junior colleges, it’s just a really cool story from where he’s come from to where he is today.”

Arnold added that Castro’s background has given him a broad perspective and a strong connection with players.

“He’s worn a lot of hats. He’s got a lot of empathy and he knows how to connect with players at every level.

He’s been part of it as a coach. … He has that level of grind that it takes to be good in this sport.”

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