Dana Brown Becomes Second Astros Black General Manager | Former Braves Exec Follows Path Of Bob Watson In Houston

In an attempt to keep baseball’s World Championship in “Space City”, the Houston Astros are giving an MLBbro executive his shot to command the franchise.

Dana Brown, who helped the Atlanta Braves construct their World Series victory while building one of the deepest farm systems in the game, was named the Astros general manager on January 26.

 

 

Brown Is A Five-Tool Executive With Decades Of Experience & An Eye For Talent 

Brown is as close to a five-tool next generation executive as there is in the game today.  In the new world order of talent evaluation, player development, and acquisitions, the anointed leader of the Astros front office appears to be a great fit as the franchise hopes to continue its deep playoff runs that culminated last year with their victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.

With Dusty Baker as the field manager and Brown running the show in the front office, the Astros become the second team in MLB history to give Black Knights an opportunity to collaborate on the critical decisions regarding the construction of their roster.  The potentially dynamic duo follows in the footsteps of former Chicago White Sox GM Kenny Williams and manager Jerry Manuel in the windy city.

Houston has been one of the more progressive franchises in Major League Baseball when it comes to hiring Black front office executives to lead their franchise while helping chart their course to championships.  Brown follows in the footsteps of Bob Watson who was MLB’s first Black GM in 1993.

 

 

“I’ve been in the game for 33 years,” Brown said according to MLB.com. “Baseball is all I know. It’s my entire life, and so I want to empty myself into this city [and] the Astros fans and let [owner] Jim Crane knows he made a special pick.”

Brown Drafted Vaughn Grissom & Money Mike Harris II

Brown was a vital contributor to the recent success of the Braves by drafting and evaluating the development of the young stars who began paying dividends in 2022.  He is noted for his analytical acumen and his understanding of player development as he was part of the “war rooms” when the Braves drafted new school MLBbros Michael Harris II and Vaughn Grissom. As rookies, both were significant contributors to the Braves’ National League East division title last year.

His thumbprints remain on several other teams who have enjoyed championship success after his expertise helped them acquire all-star talent that paid dividends. Brown was the director of scouting for the Expos/Nationals franchise from 2002-09, and reportedly drafted more than 40 Major League players, including seven All-Stars after his scouting career began with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1994.

It’s a special moment for Brown and his wife Cassandra. The couple met in the 6th grade, so she’s 100 percent invested in her husband’s success and understands how he is pioneering new ground for other aspiring Black front office executives.

 

 

MLB Percentages Still Single Digits For Black Representation 

MLB’s numbers regarding African American players sit at just under 8 percent on the field and it’s less than half of that when it comes to corporate leadership on these MLB teams.

There’s a reason why the Braves and Astros are flagship franchises these days. They have a diverse body of decision makers, baseball lifers, with decades of experience and a winning formula that extends beyond their firm grasp of the metrics.