The New York Mets announced on Thursday that Billy Eppler is the team’s new general manager.
Eppler became general manager of the Los Angeles Angels in 2015, with Los Angeles plucking him from the New York Yankees, where he was Brian Cashman’s, right-hand man.
Eppler made some bold moves before being fired in 2020: signing New Jersey native Mike Trout to a 12-year, $430 million contract, giving the Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon a seven-year, $245 million contract and convincing two-way Japanese star Shohei Ohtani to come to Los Angeles.
Here is the Mets’ press release announcing the hiring of Eppler:
“The New York Mets today announced the team has signed Billy Eppler to a 4-year contract to be the club’s 16th General Manager.
Eppler, 46, served as the Los Angeles Angels General Manager from 2015-2020 and worked for the New York Yankees in a variety of capacities from 2004-2015, rising to Assistant General Manager, before joining the Angels on October 4, 2015.
“Billy has the experience, character, and respect of the baseball community that will allow him to attract the players and front office talent to lead the Mets forward,” said Mets Owner, Chairman, and CEO Steve Cohen. “He is a leader who has worked in two of baseball’s biggest markets and his talents and personality will move us closer to my goal of sustained success.”
During his time with the Angels, Eppler signed Shohei Ohtani in December 2017, agreed on a 12-year extension with Trout just before the 2019 season and tabbed Joe Maddon as the team’s manager during the 2019 offseason.
Eppler joined WME Sports as part of their baseball representation in September 2021.
“Over the past two decades, Billy has been a scout and an assistant GM. He’s also more than familiar with the New York Market. This uniquely qualifies him to lead our efforts going forward,” said Mets President Sandy Alderson. “He’s smart, he hustles and has a keen eye for identifying talent. He’s going to make us better. I am really pleased that we have someone of his caliber leading the Mets.”
“I’m so thankful to Steve and Sandy for what I consider an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Eppler. “We have a lot of work to do and will systematically begin to work towards our goal of building a perennial winner. I also have to thank WME for the amazing opportunity to join their baseball group, which is building something very special.”
Eppler was an Assistant General Manager with the Yankees from 2012-2015, served as the Senior Director of Professional Personnel from 2010-2011. He was the Yankees’ Director of Pro Scouting from 2006-2009. Eppler joined the Yankees in 2004 as the Assistant Director of Baseball Operations. While assisting General Manager Brian Cashman, his responsibilities included assisting with player acquisitions, roster composition & management, staffing & personnel and player contract negotiations. In addition, Eppler oversaw all phases and personnel in the Yankees’ Major League and Professional Scouting Departments both domestically and internationally.
Eppler graduated from the University of Connecticut with a finance degree in 1998 and began his sports career as an intern in the Washington Football Team Scouting Department. He joined the Colorado Rockies organization in 2000 as an area scouting supervisor in Southern California in 2000. Eppler was promoted to Assistant Director of Pro Scouting & Player Development in 2003, a job he held for two years before joining the Yankees.
Eppler and his wife, Catherine, have two sons.
