The Houston Astros are in search of their next general manager, and Atlanta Braves Assistant General Manager Ben Sestanovich is reportedly being seriously considered for the job.
The news was first reported by Chandler Rome of The Athletic and later confirmed by MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. Houston is looking to fill the position before the end of the World Series, so the timeline for a decision is short.
That raises an important question for Atlanta. Its success under Alex Anthopoulos has made the front office a recruiting ground for other organizations, so if Sestanovich leaves, does the loss of an experienced player-development leader create a real challenge for the Braves?
First, who is Ben Sestanovich? He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Economics and immediately went to work in player development for the San Diego Padres. He used his education and his background as a pitcher for the Crimson to eventually become the Padres' Director of Player Development. Ahead of the 2020 season, he left San Diego to join the Braves as Assistant General Manager overseeing player development.
One of Sestanovich's signature achievements was personally helping right-hander Kyle Wright overhaul his pitch mix, which directly led to Wright leading the league in wins in 2022. He has also spearheaded a pitcher-heavy pipeline that has produced arms like Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver and Cam Caminiti, among others.
It wouldn't be the first time Houston has looked to the Braves organization to fill this same position since the two teams faced each other in the 2021 World Series. The vacancy was previously occupied by Dana Brown, who left his role as Atlanta's Vice President of Scouting to take the job with the Astros. If Sestanovich is chosen to succeed Brown, his departure would be a familiar one for Braves fans.
He isn't believed to be Houston's top choice. That's reportedly Milwaukee Brewers Assistant General Manager Matt Kleine, who was recently seen with Astros owner Jim Crane at the Houston Sports Hall of Fame induction. Still, Sestanovich is on the shortlist, and even if he doesn't get this job, he will undoubtedly be connected to others in the future.
So what could his departure mean for Atlanta? Losing an experienced development leader, especially one who specializes in pitching at a time when the team faces so many questions at that position, could certainly create additional challenges. But this is not new territory for the Braves under Anthopoulos.
He has built a touted baseball operations department that has become a premium destination for other teams seeking leadership, and the organization has depth and a track record of replacing departing executives. Still, player development is exactly where continuity matters most.
Atlanta's front office has become a talent pipeline in its own right, so rumors like this one won't stop with Ben Sestanovich. Success comes at the cost of being raided, and Anthopoulos knows it and is undoubtedly prepared for that eventuality. Whether or not Sestanovich ends up in Houston, the Braves have built something other teams want, and the real test of that front office may be how well it holds up when they come calling.
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