Dana Brown and Perry Minasian return to Braves in scouting roles
Two familiar names — and two now-former general managers — have returned to the Braves’ front office.
Dana Brown and Perry Minasian have been hired as senior advisers of amateur scouting to work alongside Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos. Brown most recently served as the general manager of the Astros while Minasian was most recently the general manager of the Angels.
“Obviously, we worked with both of them for a long time in various roles in both Toronto and Atlanta,” Anthopoulos, told Sirius XM radio on Sunday. (He was formerly GM with the Blue Jays.) “They both got amazing opportunities to run clubs and run baseball operations, which we were excited for the two of them.
“And you always can use help on the amateur side. I think it’s becoming more and more important. It’s always been important, but I think it’s becoming even that much more important getting young players. I know them both as evaluators. They both have extensive experience.”
Brown joined Anthopoulos in Toronto in 2009 as a special assistant to the GM. In 2019, Brown came to the Braves to work as the vice president of scouting before being hired by the Astros as GM in 2023.
While in Houston, the Astros won division titles in 2023, 2024 and this past season despite an 81-81 record. They played in the American League Championship Series in 2023.
Brown and the Astros agreed to mutually part ways in August.
“(Brown), for years and years has been a great, sound evaluator,” Anthopoulos said. “I remember he was one of the only guys in our draft room that felt (pitcher Marcus) Stroman was going to be a starter and not a reliever. Obviously, a big part of getting guys like (Michael) Harris (II) here in Atlanta as well.
“And I know (pitcher Spencer) Schwellenbach’s been hurt, but (Brown) wanted to take Schwellenbach in the first round, and I had to try to talk him off ... just because we knew there was going to be some health issues and he had been a college reliever and we knew he was going to need Tommy John (surgery) and so on.
“I remember even after the draft he came out and said, ‘This is the favorite player I’ve ever drafted.’ I’m like, ‘Whoa, that’s a powerful statement to make with all the other great players that he’s drafted.’”
Minasian was the Braves’ assistant general manager in 2017 before being promoted by Anthopoulos in 2018 to vice president of baseball operations. A former scout in the Blue Jays’ organization during Anthopoulos’ time in Toronto, Minasian left the Braves in 2020 to become the GM of the Angels.
He was fired by the Angels in June.
“When I was in Toronto, we did a very good job in the draft there. (Minasian) had (pitcher) Noah Syndergaard first on his list. And he saw a lot of guys. And he was really, really high on him. And I remember him telling me, ‘You got to find a way to go see this guy.’”
Syndergaard became an All-Star with the Mets in 2016.
Anthopoulos added that Brown and Minasian will work primarily with the Braves’ vice president of amateur scouting Ronit Shah.
“I just think both guys are really good evaluators of amateur talent, and you have a chance to get those guys, and they’re available, I just think it’s a no-brainer move,” Anthopoulos said. “They’re not in the same roles that they were before when they were here. Obviously, those spots have been filled. But we definitely have room on the amateur side. I’m excited to have them both.”