Rangers Assistant GM A.J. Preller Emerges As Leading GM Candidate

AJ Preller: Mandatory credit goes to http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20131111-jdan.jpg.ece/BINARY/w620x413/JDAN.JPG

With the second round of interviews completed, it looks like the Texas Rangers’ A.J. Preller has moved ahead of the other three candidates for the vacant general managers position previously held by Josh Byrnes, who was let go over three weeks ago.

It is being reported by National Columnist for Bleacher Report and SiriusXM MLB Network radio analyst Scott Miller that Preller is the strong favorite to become the next GM.

Over the past several weeks, the Padres have interviewed Preller, Boston Red Sox’ Assistant GM Mike Hazen, MLB Senior Vice President Kim Ng, and the Yankees’ Assistant GM Billy Eppler.

The 36-year-old Preller was promoted after three seasons as the Rangers’ senior director of player personnel, and he is considered one of baseball’s foremost evaluators of international talent. Recently, the Padres have made a splash in the international scene and it has shown with the emergence Odrisamer Despaigne. 

Currently, the Padres’ are headed toward the trading deadline with three interim GM’s making the decisions, so it will be interesting to see how Preller or the other candidates will take the team after one of them is finally hired.