Official press release provided by the San Diego Padres media department:

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres announced today they have named Chad MacDonald vice president/assistant general manager of player personnel.  Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcement.

“Chad has always impressed me with his passion for and knowledge of the game,” said Byrnes. “Over the years, he has developed into an outstanding evaluator who has impacted many draft decisions and international signings. He also has developed into a very effective leader with a sincere appreciation for scouts and their hard work.”

MacDonald comes to San Diego after a one-year stint in New York, serving as the Mets’ amateur scouting director.  His lone draft in New York was highlighted by the Mets’ first-round selection (13^th overall) of high school outfielder Brandon Nimmo, the first player from Wyoming ever to be selected in the first round.  His career also includes six years as a scout between the Cleveland Indians (2000-02) and Los Angeles Angels (2003-05), being honored as Topps’ Scout of the Month for each organization during the 2001 and 2005 seasons.  MacDonald later joined the Arizona Diamondbacks as assistant scouting director in 2006. He was promoted to director of international scouting in Arizona for the 2009-10 seasons before joining the Mets in 2011.

A native of Arlington, Tex., MacDonald played four years of college baseball, attending both Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Tex. and Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C. He began his front office career with the Texas Rangers in 1993. He and his wife, Julie, have two children.