After overseeing a farm system that has developed into one of the best in baseball, Andy McKay has been rewarded for that success along with his loyalty and longterm commitment to the organization.

On Wednesday, the Mariners announced that McKay has been promoted to assistant general manager.

“It would be impossible to overstate the impact Andy has made for the Mariners over the past seven years,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in the news release. “His knack for identifying difference-making people and cultivating learning environments has been a hallmark of our system since his arrival. His competitiveness, creativity, thirst to learn, talent to teach and a feel for baseball strategies will continue to challenge all of us to improve and grow.”

This will be McKay’s eighth year with the organization, having spent the past seven seasons serving as the Mariners director of player development, overseeing all aspects of the Mariners’ minor league system, including roster management and skills development.

McKay was promoted to the Mariners’ big league coaching staff before the 2021 season. However, when his expected replacement, Emanuel Sifuentes, left baseball for a different professional opportunity, McKay returned to his role as a senior director.