SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The San Diego Padres announced today that they have named Josh Byrnes Senior Vice President, Baseball Operations. Executive Vice President/General Manager Jed Hoyer made the announcement.

“I am excited to work with Josh again,” said Hoyer. “He is one of the best baseball minds in the game and will be a terrific addition to our front office.”

Byrnes joins the Padres following parts of five seasons as General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The 2011 campaign will mark his 18^th season in Major League Baseball.  He began his front office career in 1994 with the Cleveland Indians, contributing to the club’s advance scouting, professional scouting and contract research efforts before being named Director of Scouting in 1998.  He joined the Rockies as Assistant General Manager in 1999, serving three years under Dan O’Dowd.  Following the 2002 season, Byrnes was named Assistant General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, a position he held until being named Diamondbacks General Manager in November of 2005.

Originally from Washington D.C., Byrnes attended Haverford College in Pennsylvania, where he established school career records in home runs and RBI.  He and his wife, Charity, currently reside in Phoenix with their daughters Avery and Darby.