Erik Neander
{{Short description|American baseball executive (born 1983)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name = Erik Neander
| image =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1983|05|25}}
| birth_place = Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.
| position = President of Baseball Operations
| team = Tampa Bay Rays
| teams =
- Tampa Bay Rays ({{mlby|2007}}–present)
| highlights =
- MLB Executive of the Year Award ({{mlby|2019}})
- Sporting News Executive of the Year ({{mlby|2019}})}}
Erik Neander (born May 25, 1983) is an American front office executive in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays. He has worked for the Rays since 2007, and became the team's president of baseball operations in September 2021.
Career
Neander was raised in Oneonta, New York, and attended the local high school, where he played baseball.{{cite news|last1=Derderian|first1=Steve|title=OHS grad named Rays' newest GM|url=http://www.thedailystar.com/sports/local_sports/ohs-grad-named-rays-newest-gm/article_b4d82f43-3085-5e3c-bcc5-225ee23a262d.html|access-date=February 15, 2017|work=The Daily Star|date=November 5, 2017}} Neander graduated from Virginia Tech and started working for Baseball Info Solutions, joining the Tampa Bay Rays as an intern in 2007.{{cite news|last1=Chastain|first1=Bill|title=Rays make baseball operations moves|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rays-make-baseball-operations-change-c208144940|access-date=February 15, 2017|work=MLB.com|date=January 9, 2017}}
Neander was promoted to vice president of baseball operations in October 2014.{{cite news|last1=Chastain|first1=Bill|title=Rays promote Bloom, Neander to VP, baseball operations|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rays-promote-chaim-bloom-erik-neander-to-vp-baseball-operations/c-98856134|access-date=February 14, 2017|work=MLB.com|date=October 17, 2014}} He succeeded Matthew Silverman as senior vice president and general manager of the Rays in November 2016.{{cite news|title=Erik Neander and Chaim Bloom get expanded roles with Rays|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2016/11/05/erik-neander-and-chaim-bloom-get-expanded-roles-with-rays/93357686/|access-date=February 15, 2017|work=USA Today|agency=Associated Press|date=November 5, 2016}} He was named recipient of the Sporting News Executive of the Year Award for 2019.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/rays-erik-neander-named-executive-031216845.html|title=Rays' Erik Neander named Executive of the Year|website=Yahoo Sports|author=Bill Baer|date=November 11, 2019|access-date=November 11, 2019}} He also received the MLB Executive of the Year Award the same year.
On September 8, 2021, Neander signed a multi-year extension with the Rays and was promoted to president of baseball operations.{{cite news |title=Rays promote GM Erik Neander to president of baseball ops, agree to extension |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4200353/2021/09/08/rays-promote-gm-erik-neander-to-president-of-baseball-ops-agree-to-extension/ |access-date=February 9, 2024 |work=The Athletic |date=September 8, 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Berry |first1=Adam |title=Rays promote Neander, reach multiyear deal |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/erik-neander-named-rays-president-of-baseball-operations |access-date=February 9, 2024 |publisher=MLB.com |date=September 8, 2021}} In February 2024, Neander and the Rays agreed to another extension.{{cite news |title=Rays' Kevin Cash, Erik Neander sign contract extensions |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39483896/sources-rays-kevin-cash-erik-neander-get-contract-extensions |access-date=February 9, 2024 |publisher=ESPN.com |date=February 8, 2024}}{{cite news |title=Rays reward Erik Neander, Kevin Cash with multiyear extensions |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2024/02/08/erik-neander-kevin-cash-contract-extensions-spring-training |access-date=February 9, 2024 |work=Tampa Bay Times |date=February 8, 2024}}
Personal life
Neander is married and has three children.{{cite news|title=Rays say good communication helps three-headed baseball operations department function|url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/rays-say-good-communication-helps-three-headed-baseball-operations/2313004/|access-date=February 15, 2017|work=Tampa Bay Times|date=February 12, 2017}}
References
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{{succession box | title=Tampa Bay Rays General Manager| before=Matthew Silverman | after=Peter Bendix | years={{mlby|2017}}–{{mlby|2021}} }}
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{{Tampa Bay Rays general managers}}
{{Tampa Bay Rays}}
{{Sporting News Executive of the Year Award}}
{{MLB Executive of the Year Award}}
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Category:People from Oneonta, New York
Category:Tampa Bay Rays executives
Category:Major League Baseball general managers
Category:Baseball people from New York (state)
Category:Major League Baseball Executive of the Year Award winners
Category:Major League Baseball presidents of baseball operations
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