Cleveland’s Chris Antonetti Named MLB’S 2022 Executive of the Year

Official Guardians Press Release

Cleveland Guardians President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti, whose young Club earned this season’s American League Central title, has been named the recipient of MLB’s 2022 Executive of the Year Award, MLB announced during the annual General Managers Meetings.  The official Award bestowed by MLB resulted from voting among the 30 Clubs, each of which cast a vote prior to the start of the Postseason.  The runner-up for the 2022 honor was Alex Anthopoulos, President of Baseball Operations & General Manager of the Atlanta Braves, while Jerry Dipoto, President of Baseball Operations for the Seattle Mariners, finished third.

The Guardians posted a 92-70 record in 2022, winning its division by 11.0 games under longtime manager Terry Francona.  Cleveland’s core included homegrown players such as All-Star third baseman José Ramírez, 2020 AL Cy Young Award recipient Shane Bieber, breakout right-hander Triston McKenzie and rookie outfielders Steven Kwan and Oscar Gonzalez, and trade acquisitions like All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, All-Star second baseman Andrés Giménez, first baseman Josh Naylor, shortstop Amed Rosario, outfielder Myles Straw and pitcher Cal Quantrill.  The Guardians saw 17 rookies make their Major League debuts in 2022, matching the club record for the most in a single campaign (also: 1912 and 1914) en route to becoming the eighth-youngest Postseason team ever.  Cleveland also was the first team in MLB history to win a division or league title while seeing 17+ rookies make their debuts.

Antonetti joined the Cleveland front office in 1999 and ascended to General Manager prior to the 2010 season.  The Georgetown alumnus, who received a master’s in the sports management program at the University of Massachusetts, was promoted to his current role following the 2015 campaign, with Cleveland reaching Game Seven of the 2016 World Series in his first year in that capacity.  The franchise has now claimed the AL Central crown four times in the last seven seasons since 2016, the fourth-most division titles in MLB (behind only the Dodgers’ six and five by the Astros and the Braves).  The Guardians have assembled five 90-win seasons since 2016, which is topped by only one team (Dodgers’ six).

MLB began its official Executive of the Year Award at the conclusion of the 2018 season, with Billy Beane of the Oakland Athletics earning the inaugural honors, followed by Erik Neander of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019, Andrew Friedman of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020 and Farhan Zaidi of the San Francisco Giants in 2021.