Mets to Name Sports Agent Van Wagenen as GM

The New York Mets are on the precipice of making one of the most controversial hires in franchise history.  The Mets are negotiating a deal that will make Creative Artist Agency (CAA) sports agent Brodie Van Wagenen their next General Manager.

Naming a sports agent as the head of baseball operations is extremely rare, although it has happened. The only other instance where it happened, the Diamondbacks made Dave Stewart their GM in 2014. But at least Stewart was a well-known baseball man, having played the game for nearly 20 years with the A’s, Dodgers, and Phillies to name a few teams. He was also an assistant to former Met GM Sandy Alderson in Oakland in the late 90s, before he became an agent.

Van Wagenen doesn’t have that experience; he’s just an agent. It remains to be seen what kind of philosophy Van Wagenen has when it comes to baseball ops.

What makes matters a little complicated is the fact that Van Wagenen has represented a number of players currently on the Mets roster including Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Yoenis Cespedes, Todd Fraizer, Brandon Nimmo, and … Tim Tebow.

During the summer Van Wagenen issued a statement that the Mets should either sign deGrom to a long term deal or trade him. Now he might be in the position to trade his soon-to-be-former client if the Wilpon’s deem it necessary.

Already agents and baseball people are expressing concern about the potential hire, citing that Van Wagenen’s career move reflects a conflict of interest.

According to the New York Post, super agent Scott Boras said he has received offers to runs teams in the past, but never took it because his main job is to represent players and their interests.

“The Boras Corporation stands for a total commitment to players, and while I have been offered many opportunities with teams, I would never violate the trust that I have with any player and that is very important to what I do,” Boras said. “I am an attorney and I want [players] to tell me everything and a lot of these things are confidential, they are personal, and if I went to work for a different employer, I would have to divulge all that information because I have to do my job for that other employer I made a commitment to.”

MLB Player’s Association President Tony Clark expressed his concern that players are worried that personal information Van Wagenen may be privy to could be used against them in negotiations for contracts.

“They understand the opportunities that exist for representatives to make the decisions that they are going to make," Clark told ESPN. "To the extent that possibility exists, I would be confident in suggesting that the understanding and appreciation for confidential information remains so."

The Mets had considered Tampa Bay Rays executive Chaim Bloom and former Brewers GM Doug Melvin, but Melvin dropped out on Friday, and Bloom was the last experienced baseball executive standing next to Van Wagenen. The Mets were rejected by Twins GM Thad Levin, Indians GM Mike Chernoff and former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington.

It stands to see what role the Mets three-headed monster of John Ricco, Omar Minaya and J.P. Ricciardi will play if any in the Van Wagenen led front office, but one would figure the trio will stick around to assist the former agent in the transition to front office executive.