Texas Rangers give Chris Young a contract extension and new title after 4 years as GM

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Chris Young has a contract extension and a new title with the Texas Rangers after nearly four years as general manager and overseeing his hometown team’s first World Series title.

The Rangers on Friday announced a multiyear contract extension for Young and his promotion to President of Baseball Operations.

Young was hired as general manager in December 2020, and took over leadership of the team’s entire baseball operations group in August 2022. The Rangers were World Series champions last year, but went into Friday night’s game at Seattle 7 1/2 games back in both the AL West and the wild card chase with 15 games to play The 45-year-old Young’s original four-year contract was set to expire after this season.

“His leadership and vision were instrumental in helping bring a World Series championship to Arlington for the first time, and he is passionate about producing a consistent winner on the field year in and year out for our fans,” said Ray Davis, the team’s majority owner and managing partner.

The team didn’t release any other details about the extension, or indicate if there could be other changes in baseball operations, such as the hiring of a new GM.

Young was already the GM and didn’t get a title change two years ago when he assumed oversight of all aspect’s of the team’s baseball operations department after Jon Daniels was fired as president of baseball operations two years ago.

Daniels was only 28 when he was named GM in October 2005, and the Rangers made their first World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011. Daniels added the title of president of baseball operations in 2013, and held both roles until Young was hired.

Before becoming the Rangers GM, Young spent three years working in the Baseball Operations Department at Major League Baseball from 2018-20. He played for five teams over 13 seasons in the majors, the first two with the Rangers after the 6-foot-10 two-sport standout grew up in Dallas and played baseball and basketball at Princeton.

“The Texas Rangers organization holds a very special place for me, and I am excited to continue building on what we’ve started here,” Young said. “While the opportunity to a be a part of a World Series championship in my hometown was a tremendous thrill, our goal is to field a club that can contend for playoff berths every season.”

Young is the first person to win the World Series as a player (with Kansas City in 2015) and as a general manager since Johnny Murphy pitched on seven championship teams with the New York Yankees from 1932-43 and was GM of the Mets when they won the title in 1969.