The Colorado Rockies are making moves - and this one signals a clear shift in direction. According to multiple reports, the club is bringing in Josh Byrnes, longtime senior vice president of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, to serve as their new general manager.
It’s the second major front office hire in as many months for Colorado, who recently named Paul DePodesta as president of baseball operations. With DePodesta at the top and Byrnes now stepping in as GM, the Rockies are building a front office with deep roots and serious experience.
Byrnes is no stranger to the Rockies organization. In fact, this is something of a full-circle moment.
He first joined Colorado back in 1999 as an assistant GM under Dan O’Dowd, after cutting his teeth in the Cleveland front office during the John Hart era. That early Cleveland group has spawned a number of influential executives across the league, and Byrnes has been a steady presence in front offices ever since.
One of the more interesting footnotes in Byrnes' career? While with the Rockies, he was the one who interviewed and hired Jon Daniels - yes, that Jon Daniels - for his first job in Major League Baseball. Daniels, of course, would go on to become the longtime GM and president of baseball operations for the Texas Rangers.
Byrnes' front office journey has taken him through some of the league’s most respected organizations. After leaving Colorado, he joined the Boston Red Sox in 2003 as assistant GM under Theo Epstein - a front office that helped usher in a new era of analytics-driven decision-making.
Then came the top job in Arizona, where he was hired as GM following the 2006 season. His tenure with the Diamondbacks ended in 2010, along with his then-controversial hire of manager A.J.
Hinch.
From there, Byrnes moved to San Diego, where he eventually took over as general manager of the Padres in 2011. That stint ended in 2014 when he was replaced by A.J.
Preller. But Byrnes didn’t stay out of the game long - he joined the Dodgers later that same year and has been a key part of their front office ever since.
In Los Angeles, Byrnes has had a hand in one of the most successful player development pipelines in baseball. According to the Dodgers' own description of his role, Byrnes has overseen both scouting and player development - two areas where the Dodgers have consistently been ahead of the curve. From late-round draft gems to international signings and homegrown stars, L.A.’s ability to identify and develop talent has been a major pillar of their sustained success.
That’s exactly the kind of expertise the Rockies are hoping to tap into. Player development has long been a challenge in Colorado, where the unique altitude and ballpark dynamics complicate the growth of both pitchers and hitters. If Byrnes can bring even a fraction of the Dodgers’ developmental magic to Denver, it could be a game-changer.
There’s also an interesting dynamic at play in the pairing of Byrnes and DePodesta. While Byrnes has been entrenched in MLB front offices for over three decades, DePodesta has spent the last ten years outside of baseball, most recently working in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. That contrast - one executive with recent, hands-on experience in modern baseball operations, the other bringing a broader, cross-sport perspective - could create a unique synergy as the Rockies look to reshape their organizational identity.
For a franchise that’s struggled to find consistent footing in a competitive NL West, this front office overhaul is a bold step. Byrnes brings a proven track record, a deep Rolodex, and a familiarity with both the Rockies' past and the modern demands of team-building in today’s game.
Now the question becomes: can this new leadership group translate experience into results? If their resumes are any indication, the Rockies may finally be putting the right pieces in place to build something sustainable.