Brewers hire David Stearns as new general manager

EDIT: The Brewers have announced that there will be a press conference at 1 pm, and it is expected that David Stearns will be introduced at that press conference. Original story is below. The press conference will be streamed live on Brewers.com.

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The Brewers search for a new general manager may be coming to an end. Adam McCalvy of Brewers.com, along with several other news outlets, are reporting that the position will go to Astros assistant GM David Stearns. The Brewers have not confirmed this yet since they have not concluded their GM search. At the same time, the Astros have not confirmed that David Stearns is leaving his post.

If this report is true, it would be a major shift in management for the Brewers organization. Stearns is just 30 years old, and his hiring would make him the youngest GM currently active (though younger GMs have been hired). Despite this, Stearns would still be an interesting hire. A Harvard graduate, he has been with several baseball organizations already, including the Mets, Pirates, and Indians. He has also spent time working with the Arizona Fall League and with the main office of Major League Baseball. He has held his position with the Astros for the last three seasons.

With Doug Melvin remaining on in an advisory role, hiring a young person like Stearns could be a very good move for the Brewers. It would allow him to have a more experienced GM with him in his first few months as he adjusts to the role. Melvin is still the Brewers GM for now, but once the hiring of Stearns (or any other candidate) is complete, he will step aside and just become an advisor for the team.

Stearns would be coming in to a rebuilding situation if he is the new GM for the Brewers. The Brewers do still have a few star players in Ryan Braun and Jonathan Lucroy, and also have several prospects ready to hit the majors in a year or two. This includes prospects like Brett Phillips, who was acquired from the Astros just a month and a half ago at the trade deadline, and Domingo Santana, who is currently up with the team and performing well. Stearns would bring in some experience from helping rebuild the Astros, who went from a team record 111 losses in his first season there to 79-71 and competing for a wild card spot this season.

For now, the Brewers are not commenting on the report of Stearns hiring. They may still be interviewing other candidates, as well as fulfilling any requirements on the general manager search that MLB has set out. We will monitor the situation and let you know of any additional news as it comes out.