Kansas City Royals hire new scouting director who helped build a World Series champion

With fewer than two weeks left in the regular season, the Royals have made a change in their front office with an eye toward the future.

The Royals hired Brian Bridges as director of amateur scouting, replacing Danny Ontiveros. The move came as the White Sox hired Gene Watson, who had been the Royals’ vice president of major-league scouting/assistant general manager.

Bridges, who started with the Royals this week, spent the previous five seasons with the San Francisco Giants, where he was a national cross checker. Before joining the Giants, Bridges spent 12 seasons with the Atlanta Braves.

He worked his way up from a role as an area supervisor (2008-10) to the Braves’ director of amateur scouting role in October 2014.

Atlanta drafted third baseman Austin Riley, a two-time All-Star, along with pitchers A.J. Minter, Kyle Wright and Ian Anderson, during Bridges’ time as the Braves scouting director.

All four players were part of the Braves’ 2021 World Series championship team.

Bridges, who was let go by Atlanta in 2019, also oversaw the Braves’ scouting department when they drafted Drew Waters in 2017. Waters is now with the Royals.

A formal announcement regarding Bridges’ hire is expected this week when the team announces that Ontiveros has been promoted. Ontiveros is in his second season as scouting director.

The Royals will also name a replacement for Watson.

Watson to Chicago

New White Sox general manager Chris Getz, the former Royals infielder, hired Watson for Chicago’s front-office job.

Other than a one-year stint with the Angels in 2021, Watson had been with the Royals from 2006-23 in a variety of scouting roles.

Watson was part of the Royals’ front office when they won the 2015 World Series and the 2014 American League pennant.