The Rays have formally announced the departure of longtime Assistant General Manager Carlos Rodriguez.
When Chaim Bloom departed the Rays to run the Red Sox in 2019, the team did not elevate a General Manager due to the equity found in talent between Peter Bendix, James Click, and Carlos Rodriguez.
Since that time, James Click was recruited to be the General Manager of the Houston Astros in 2020 (winning the World Series in 2022), and Peter Bendix was named General Manager ahead of the 2022 season
before being recruited to become President of Baseball Operations of the Miami Marlins after the 2023 season.
Following the departure of Bendix, the Rays again declined to formally name a General Manager, instead maintaining four Asst. GM’s in Will Cousins (R&D and systems), Kevin Ibach (Player Personnel and Pro Scouting), Chanda Lawdermilk (Talent development), and — again — Carlos Rodriguez (Player Development and International Scouting) under the President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander, who stepped informally back into the General Manager role. The leadership is also, notably, supported by former Rangers General Manager Jon Daniels in an advisory capacity.
Despite the transition to a new ownership group this week, Neander has maintained his position as the lead for Baseball Operations, and operationally will continue as the implied General Manager for the organization. As a result, Carlos Rodriguez has elected to pursue new opportunities after seven seasons as an AGM.
The formal press release is below:
After 15 seasons of significant contributions and leadership, Rays Vice President, Assistant General Manager Carlos Rodriguez will depart the organization to pursue new challenges and opportunities, both within and outside of baseball, the club announced today.
Rodriguez, who joined the Rays in 2010, has played a pivotal role in helping drive the evolution and success of the organization over the past 15 years. During his tenure, the Rays have not only improved on the field, capturing three AL East division titles and earning five postseason berths, but have also seen tremendous growth across the organization’s baseball operations with sustained success both on and off the field.
“After 15 incredible years with the Tampa Bay Rays organization, I’ve decided the time is right to step away and transition to explore other opportunities,” said Rodriguez. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together and grateful for all the friendships I’ve made here — especially Erik Neander, who has been like a brother to me. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to lead several departments and work alongside so many talented and dedicated people. Those experiences have shaped me both professionally and personally, and I’ll always carry them with me. While it’s difficult to step away, I’m excited to see what the future holds and confident the organization is in great hands moving forward.”
“For 15 years, Carlos has been an invaluable presence in our organization, leaving a lasting impact across our operations,” said Rays President, Baseball Operations Erik Neander. “His professionalism, teamwork and unwavering dedication have made him an exceptional colleague and a cherished friend to me and countless others at the Rays. We are profoundly grateful for his contributions and the successes we’ve shared. We wish Carlos, Omayra and their family happiness and success in the future.”
Rodriguez joined the Rays in 2010 as a professional and area scout, a role he held until his promotion to director, Latin American scouting in 2012. He held the role of director, international scouting from 2015-19 before being named vice president, player development and international scouting in 2019, a position he occupied for two years before becoming vice president, assistant general manager in 2022.
During his time in the Rays international scouting department, he played key roles in scouting and signing several notable players including José Alvarado, Jonathan Aranda, Vidal Bruján, Genesis Cabrera, Diego Castillo, José Castillo, Yonny Chirinos, Angel Felipe, Ronaldo Hernández, Jose Lopez, Anthony Molina, José Mujica, Joel Peguero, René Pinto, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Sánchez.
