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BALTIMORE - After stops with the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs, Jared Banner is now with the Orioles as general manager and today, during his introductory press conference, expressed optimism about the team’s talent base and confidence that he can help the Orioles return to the playoffs.

Seated alongside O’s president of baseball operations Mike Elias at a Camden Yards press confernce, the two men talked about their new working relationship in leading the Orioles’ baseball operations.

Banner, age 40, has worked 18 years in a variety of roles in baseball operations and was Cubs’ assistant general manager since 2024.

Those last three years Chicago averaged 88 wins and made two playoff appearances the last two seasons.

“I’ve worked at Fenway Park. I’ve worked at Wrigley Field. I’m not just going to go work anywhere. But this is Camden Yards. This is a special place. Baltimore is a special city.

“Once I sat down with the people here, it became very clear that this is a great place to be and a place that we can do some special things,” said Banner, a former baseball player at Amherst College.

He has hit the ground running.

“The first thing I’m doing is getting on the phone with everyone I can. I’ve spent a lot of time with Alby (manager Craig Albernaz). I’ve been on the phone with Jim Palmer. I’ve spent a ton of time with Cal (Ripken Jr.) so far.

“So both former players, present players, my current colleagues. It’s my turn to listen and learn the organization. And hopefully we can do some damage here,” he said, adding he is having lunch tomorrow with Ripken.

Elias told the media today that he’s been in pursuit of someone for this position for a while now.

“We started the search last year,” he said. “I talked to over 10-12 people, something like that and ultimately landed on Jared with his profile and skill-set. But also his personality too and his leadership skills I think you will see will make a big impact here.

“We are so pleased that we landed on Jared for this position. He’s had a great career and he’s in the prime of his career. We are getting him at a time when he’s really well prepared for this and ready to grow and make a huge impact on our franchise in this tremendously important position for us.

“I’m really, really looking forward to working with him and all the impact he is going to bring to our team. And the perspective he’s going to bring to our team that we were perhaps lacking. Having not had any really large outside front office hires the last couple of years.”

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HOW WILL THIS ALL WORK?

With the top title in the O’s baseball operations, no doubt Elias has the right to call any shots but he also explained how these two men will work together and which areas each will take the lead in.

“Our setup right now is that Jared will take over everything to do with our internal players, our internal coaches. Player development, performance, health care, all of that is going to fall under his umbrella.

“I will then work more directly on the scouting and acquisition side of the equation. Pro, international, amateur, contracts, things like that. But we will be running the whole team together and working in concert with one another. But that is sort of the general division of management duties.

“Jared is tremendously experienced in those areas, very successful in those areas. I think he’s better than I am in those areas. And this will also hopefully allow the club to leverage me and allow me to spend more of my time on the acquisition side of things.”

Elias explained that when he was elevated to O’s president of baseball operations in 2025, it opened the organization to adding a general manager. And about half of MLB clubs now have a president of baseball operations and general manager working together to run their clubs.

Added Banner, when asked his strengths for this job?: “I think if you talk to people around the game, they will tell you that I’m always willing to challenge others. And I am always willing to get uncomfortable. Me and Mike are going to have to have some uncomfortable conversations at times and there is going to be some tension. And that is what you need to do. You need to challenge all your processes in order to get better.

“So that is something I take a lot of pride in. It’s a gift and curse though, trust me.”

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ON OTHER TOPICS

Banner used that word uncomfortable again when asked how he can help players that have taken steps backward, get moving in the right direction again.

Yep, another question about the O’s young core of position players.

“We’re going to challenge all of our processes,” he said. “And we might have to get comfortable getting uncomfortable. One of my main player development philosophies is we have to make practice more like the game. So the game gets easier once you get in there. So that is something we’re going to focus on and again can’t wait to get started with the guys.”

Banner sees the O’s farm as one of current best in the sport.

“I think it’s a top five farm system in the league,” he said. “I think there is a ton of talent down there and most importantly, it’s fairly close to the major league level. Not talent we are going to have to wait a long time on. We should see some of that talent in the majors this year.”

Elias said the club is still looking to add front office talent. He and Banner have already discussed this.

“We are working on growing our operation,” said Elias. “As I’ve said it’s been really small. That is not necessarily the worst thing in the world. There are positives to that. But we feel like we are at a point where continuing to grow baseball ops is on the agenda. Jared is going to be spearheading some searches here and he’s already hit the ground running.”

As for the upcoming free agent period in MLB, Elias again sees the O’s as looking for frontline starting pitching.

“We are talking about that right now. We have, I think, a really promising internal group of arms, both at the major and minor league levels. But we were talking about this today. Looking for upgrades on the rotation is absolutely on the menu,” he said.

Banner said they seek continuity in the major league coaching staff indicating they hope to keep all or most of the current coaches for the 2027 season.

Elias said he was thankful for the work that went on in the minors this year by former big league skipper Mike Shildt and Ripken.

“We wanted to bolster our fundamentals and kind of Xs and Os prep,” he said, adding the club hopes Shildt returns for next season.

“That is something we want to continue. I think we did a good job of making a lot of improvements this year. And now, with Jared’s involvement too, we are going to be able to accelerate that.”

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MAKING O’s HISTORY

Banner has officially become the first black general manager in O’s history and just the eighth in MLB history.

“I think representation matters. If there is some little kid in Baltimore that sees me up here and thinks they’re capable of something they might not have thought otherwise, that’s a big responsibility and something I take a lot of pride in,” Banner said.

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Jared Banner knows his baseball history and has a true appreciation of iconic ballparks and ballplayers. Working for the Red Sox introduced him to Fenway Park and for the Cubs to Wrigley Field. He spoke with Cal Ripken Jr. before the Orioles offered him the job of general manager and is having lunch with the […]

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