Athletics hire Brewers VP as new general manager

The Athletics have named Cam Castro as their new general manager.

Castro comes from the Milwaukee Brewers, where he was senior vice president of player development and performance.

He is 36 years old.

He spent the past eight seasons in Milwaukee.

He started with the Brewers as a Single-A pitching coach in 2019.

Over the next six years, he rose through the ranks.

He served as minor league pitching coordinator.

He became director of pitching development.

He was promoted to vice president of player development.

His most recent title was senior vice president of player development and performance.

In that role, he oversaw skill development strategies used by the Brewers to train and develop minor league players.

He also led high performance systems, including medical operations.

He served as a player-development bridge from the front office to the Major League coaching staff.

The Brewers won the World Series this year.

Castro was part of the front office that built that championship team.

Now he will lead the Athletics' baseball operations front office.

He reports directly to Taylor Smith, the Athletics' new president of baseball operations.

Smith was hired earlier this year.

Castro and Smith will work together to rebuild the organization.

The Athletics are in the middle of a major transition.

The team is set to play its third and final season in West Sacramento, California, next year.

After that, the franchise will relocate to Las Vegas in 2028.

The move was approved by MLB owners in 2023.

The Athletics have been playing in temporary venues since leaving Oakland.

They spent the 2025 and 2026 seasons at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.

That stadium holds about 14,000 fans.

It is the smallest capacity of any Major League ballpark.

The team has been in a rebuilding phase for several years.

They have traded away many veteran players for prospects.

Their payroll has been among the lowest in baseball.

Castro acknowledged the challenge in a statement released by the team.

"I'm beyond thankful to John Fisher, Taylor Smith, Ross Bowen and the entire Athletics organization for this opportunity," Castro said.

"The A's are a historic franchise with an incredible legacy."

"I look forward to being a part of the next chapter of A's baseball and developing a team, culture, and organization that our fans will be proud of."

Taylor Smith also released a statement.

"Cam will be an awesome addition to the front office and a great partner to me in running this organization," Smith said.

"He has experiences and skillsets that will complement me and the very talented people that we already have in the organization."

"He's one of the best development minds in the game with a proven track record of building the systems and processes that develop a winner."

The hire signals a shift in how the Athletics are approaching their future.

For years, the team has been criticized for not investing in player development.

Castro's specialty is exactly that: building systems that turn young players into Major League contributors.

His track record in Milwaukee is strong.

The Brewers developed homegrown talent at every position.

Their pitching staff, in particular, was built through the system Castro helped run.

Now the Athletics are betting he can do the same thing in a much tougher situation.

The team's farm system is ranked in the middle of the pack.

They have some promising prospects but lack depth.

Castro's job will be to change that.

He will oversee all aspects of player development.

That includes drafting, signing international talent, and training minor leaguers.

He will also work with the Major League coaching staff on integrating young players.

The Athletics have not won a playoff series since 2006.

They have not made the playoffs since 2020.

Their last winning season was 2021.

The franchise has been in flux since announcing the move to Las Vegas.

Many fans in Oakland felt betrayed by the relocation.

Attendance at games in West Sacramento has been modest.

The team is trying to build a fanbase in a new market before they even arrive.

Las Vegas has never had a Major League Baseball team.

The city is home to the NHL's Golden Knights and the NFL's Raiders.

The Athletics will play in a new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

Construction has not yet begun.

The timeline for completion is 2028.

In the meantime, the organization needs to build a competitive roster.

Castro's hire is the first major front-office move under Smith.

It suggests the team is prioritizing long-term development over quick fixes.

That is a departure from previous regimes.

Under former general manager David Forst, the Athletics focused on analytics and low-cost veterans.

That approach produced some competitive teams but never sustained success.

Castro comes from a different school of thought.

The Brewers emphasize player development and internal growth.

They rarely sign big free agents.

Instead, they draft well, develop their own stars, and extend them early.