3 GMs the Orioles could try to poach if they decide to fire Mike Elias

When it finally came out that Mike Elias had secretly been promoted to the position of President of Baseball Operations, one of the footnotes in the announcement was that the Orioles were going to look for someone to fill the newly vacated General Manager position. Despite having the entire 2025 season and the past offseason to find someone for that role, it is still vacant. There is a slim possibility that the Orioles filled the position internally and just haven't told anyone, but the far more likely reason for this lack of a GM is that nobody has agreed to take the position.

This would make sense. With how the Orioles have performed over the last year and the way Elias' job security is steadily becoming a National Media talking point, why would anyone want to jump on this sinking ship?

If the Orioles' season continues to spiral, instead of looking for someone to hire for a number two role in the organization, the Orioles would be wise to start thinking about who they could potentially hire to replace Elias. Here are some names that would be interesting fits if the Orioles went that direction.

Preston Mattingly could be the opposite of Mike Elias

Preston Mattingly is a young up and coming executive who would represent an interstes change of pace for the Orioles. He has worked under GMs who are very different from what the Orioles are used to with Elias. He worked for five years in San Diego under AJ Preller before getting hired by the Phillies, where he is currently the General Manager working under Dave Dombrowski.

That's a lot of experience working with some of the most aggressive GMs in the sport. Those are guys who always want to be competitive, are eager to make trades, and aren't afraid of signing big contracts. Almost the exact opposite of the Orioles under Elias.

One of the biggest weaknesses of the Elias front office has been their tendency to "prospect hug" and their inability to negotiate contracts and extensions, especially with pitchers. That's certainly not something that either of the front offices where Mattingly has worked has ever been accused of.

The only real issue is that with Dombrowski being one of the older GMs in the league, it's very possible that the Phillies are grooming Mattingly to take over for him when he retires, not to mention he gets to work with his dad in Philadelphia. So it may prove difficult for the Orioles to steal him away.

Carter Hawkins could bring pitching development to Baltimore

Carter Hawkins cut his teeth in Cleveland and is currently the number two guy with the Chicago Cubs under Jed Hoyer. He was reportedly a finalist for the National's top position when it opened last year.

Getting someone with experience in Cleveland is very interesting. They have been recognized as being one of the most forward-thinking front offices, especially when it comes to pitching, which is the Orioles' most glaring need. It would be nice to bring the Cleveland pitching development strategy to Baltimore and see what that would look like.

What the Cubs have done over the last few years has also been impressive. They have very steadily drafted, developed, and extended some homegrown stars but also been willing to trade prospects when necessary, and they've been active in free agency. It's a very well-rounded approach to team building that Hawkins has been a key part of.

Jeff Kingston could pressure test the Orioles against MLB's premier franchise

The Dodgers are the best, and not just because they have the most money. They do everything right from top to bottom. Hiring someone from the Dodgers won't automatically make the Orioles the Dodgers, but Kingston has worked for the Dodgers for seven years, and he's seen enough really good processes that he could show up in Baltimore and very quickly identify where the Orioles are falling short compared to what the best team in the league is doing.

There are a lot of smart baseball people who have a wealth of experience that the Orioles could give a shot at turning their franchise around. Or they could just keep the same guy who can't seem to figure out how to put together a half-decent rotation. Tough choice, it'll be interesting to see where they land on it.

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