Diamondbacks Hire Deric Ladnier As Next Scouting Director
The Arizona Diamondbacks who own the no.1 overall pick in next June’s First Year Player Draft, have hired Nationals executive and former Royals scouting director Deric Ladnier as their new scouting director according to a report by Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
The Diamondbacks confirmed the hiring on twitter:
#Dbacks name Deric Ladnier as Director, Scouting.
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) December 5, 2014
Ladnier is entering his 25th season in scouting and player development.
This hiring completes the Diamondbacks revamped front office led by Chief Baseball Officer Tony La Russa, General Manager Dave Stewart, and senior VP DeJon Watson.
Mark Snipp, a national crosschecker with the Reds, was the other finalist for the job.
Ladnier is well respected around the game as a great evaluator of talent. When he was with the Royals, he drafted Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas. Both helped the Royals win the A.L. pennant last season, and make it to the World Series.
Ladnier has been with the Nationals since 2009 as a special assistant to Nationals G.M. Mike Rizzo, who was the Dbacks scouting director from 2000-2006.
He is entering his 25th season in scouting and player development. He is also a former teammate of Watson.