PHOENIX -- The Diamondbacks' front office remake continued this week, as scouting director Ray Montgomery left the organization to take a front office job with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Montgomery, among those interviewed for the D-backs' vacant general manager position in September, has been named the Brewers' vice president of amateur scouting/special assistant to the general manager. His role has not been fully defined, although it could include international scouting, pro scouting and further input on roster composition.
"It's bittersweet," Montgomery said Tuesday. "They (Brewers) made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I enjoyed my opportunity here the last four years. These jobs don't come along very often."
Montgomery spent the previous four seasons with the D-backs, overseeing the drafts in which Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley, Stryker Trahan, Braden Shipley, Aaron Blair and Touki Touissant were first-round picks. Bradley, Shipley and Blair are considered among the D-backs' elite prospects and appear close to major league-ready.
"I feel very good and the department feels very good about where we stand moving into this year," Montgomery said of the D-backs' cache of minor league prospects. "Not many teams have guys like that ready to step into the rotation."
Montgomery is returning to the place where he got his start in scouting. He joined the Brewers in 2002 and moved up to become the assistant director of amateur scouting in 2009-10 before joining the D-backs as one of general manager Kevin Towers' first hires.
“Ray brings experience, critical leadership and the courage and confidence to make tough decisions,” Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin told Milwaukee media outlets.
“I have confidence that with his recent experience as a director, he will sustain the organization’s success of drafting and development in a highly competitive scouting environment.”
ASTROS CLAIM HARRIS
Right-hander Will Harris was claimed off waivers by Houston, the D-backs announced. Harris was 0-3 with a 4.34 ERA in 29 appearances laSt season, spending about half the year in the majors.
The D-backs believe they are deep in the bullpen, not only on the major league roster but with right-hander prospects Kaleb Fleck and Enrique Burgos showing well this season and continuing to progress in the Arizona Fall League.
As expected, the D-backs exercised the options on right-hander Daniel Hudson and left-hander Matt Reynolds last week, adding two more arms to the 40-man roster. Hudson is expected to work as a reliever as he returns from his second Tommy John surgery performed in midseason 2013. Reynolds is on pace for spring training after his Tommy John surgery in September 2013.
Right-handed reliever David Hernandez, who missed last season after undergoing elbow ligament surgery in March, also is expected back early in the 2015 season.
The loss of Harris leaves the D-backs' 40-man roster at 37, with Burgos among the group of players who must be added to the roster or risk being lost in the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings.
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