A’s New President Aims for Success Ahead of 2028 Vegas Transition

Taylor Smith, who has recently been appointed as the Athletics’ president of baseball operations at just 31 years old, is tasked with building a championship team as the A’s prepare to move to a new $2.1 billion stadium in Las Vegas in April 2028. Smith recognizes the potential of Las Vegas as a strong market eager for sports teams.

In his previous roles, including assistant general manager for the Boston Red Sox, Smith embraced an analytics-driven approach reminiscent of the famous “Moneyball” strategy pioneered by former A’s GM Billy Beane. With an eye toward sustainable future competitiveness, he plans to engage with both players and the community while navigating possible challenges such as a potential player lockout related to the collective bargaining agreement.