The Orioles hired Catie Griggs as president of business operations on Monday, making the former Seattle Mariners executive the first woman to hold the title in franchise history.
Griggs, 42, will oversee the business side of the ball club, a responsibility that was held by former team president and CEO John Angelos before he sold the team to an ownership group led by David Rubenstein in January.
He resigned from the same position with the Mariners on Friday, citing a desire to move closer to his family on the East Coast. The North Carolina native and Dartmouth graduate spent three years in Seattle managing the club’s business operations, most notably overseeing the MLB All-Star Game and the NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park that lasted less than a year.
“Catie’s track record of success, diverse business experience and commitment to excellence make her the right person to lead the next chapter of our business operations in Baltimore,” Rubenstein said in a statement. “The entire Orioles organization welcomes Catie as we continue to enhance every aspect of our operations.”
Rubenstein expressed his desire to hire a new executive to handle the business side of the organization in May, saying that “I’m not going to play that role” previously held by Angelos. After hiring a search firm, Rubenstein and the Orioles landed Griggs, a 2022 Sports Business Journal Forty Under 40 honoree. He is Rubenstein’s first major hire since taking over the Orioles.
Griggs is one of two women in MLB history to hold the role of president of a baseball club, joining Caroline O’Connor of the Miami Marlins. She joins an Orioles headquarters that also includes Eve Rosenbaum, one of the few female assistant general managers in baseball, and two female senior vice presidents.
He spoke in his opening press conference with the Mariners in 2021 about being “the most progressive team in baseball.” Griggs also touted the importance of forward thinking, hosting two fan meetings to get feedback in his first offseason.
The Mariners hired Griggs to replace, in part, former president and CEO Kevin Mather after he resigned following a series of comments on a Zoom call to the Rotary Club that were leaked on social media and sparked a backlash from fans. Seattle opted to split its CEO duties into two positions, giving then-GM Jerry Dipoto control of baseball operations and handing the business side to Griggs.
Considered a rising star in the sports business industry, Griggs earned his high school diploma at age 14 as a homeschooled student and enrolled at North Carolina State before transferring to Dartmouth at age 17. He earned his undergraduate degree and MBA at Dartmouth with a two-year stint as a strategy consultant in between.
Prior to his stint in Seattle, Griggs served as chief business officer of MLS club Atlanta United FC for four years, where he helped the expansion team grow into one of the most recognized brands in American soccer. Griggs also held leadership positions at Turner Broadcasting and Futures Sport & Entertainment.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Orioles organization,” Griggs said in a statement. “Supporting this great franchise, the city of Baltimore and our passionate fans is an incredible honor.
“I hope to contribute to the team’s success both on and off the pitch.”
This story may be updated.
