Top Padres Stories of 2014

Padres Hire A.J. Preller

Dec 12, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Texas Rangers assistant general manager A.J. Preller talks during the Rule 5 Draft during the MLB Winter Meetings at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. The Texas Rangers chose Russell Wilson, quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks in the draft. Mandatory Credit:

-USA TODAY Sports

The biggest signing in 2014 was not a player, but the team’s new General Manager. Following a disappointing run by Josh Byrnes, the new Padres’ ownership group had their chance to choose their first GM. On August 5th, the team announced that they had agreed to a 5-year deal with the Texas Rangers Assistant General Manager, A.J. Preller.

Preller was known for his work in the international market. He helped the Rangers discover young talent like Jurickson Profar and Elvis Andrus among others. Even with that knowledge, Preller was still a bit of a wild card. Rookie GMs are always unknowns, so Preller could be a complete flop. He is off to a strong start and has won over a lot of Padres’ fans, but there’s still games to be played.