The Paul DePodesta era has begun at Coors Field.

The Rockies on Friday announced DePodesta as the fifth head of baseball operations in team history. DePodesta, 52, will officially carry the title of president of baseball operations into MLB’s GM meetings, which are scheduled to begin Monday in Las Vegas.

Rockies owner, chairman and chief executive officer Dick Monfort called DePodesta a “winner” as he announced the hire. During his 20-year MLB career, DePodesta was the only executive of that era to win division titles with five organizations, including the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

“Today is an exciting day for the Rockies organization as we welcome Paul as our new president of baseball operations,” Monfort said. “Paul was the very first person we interviewed, and throughout our conversations with him Walker and I were both intrigued by his understanding of the game, his positive attitude, his process-based mindset and his influence on the game. This is a special guy with great vision and a great plan. He is a winner and he is going to win in Colorado.”

Monfort’s mention of the interview process gives insight into the franchise’s pledge to hire someone from outside the organization. It also shows the Rockies were willing to think outside the box as DePodesta has worked in the NFL as the Cleveland Browns’ chief strategy officer since 2016. In that role, he was tasked with implementing systems for the Browns while working across the organization, including with ownership, the front office, coaching staff, player personnel staff and analytics team, according to the Browns.

So why DePodesta?

Before going to the Browns, DePodesta served as the vice president of player development and amateur scouting with the New York Mets from 2011-15. Prior to his tenure with the Mets, DePodesta served as a special assistant for baseball operations and executive vice president with the Padres from 2006-10, as general manager of the Dodgers from 2004-05 and as an assistant general manager with the Oakland Athletics from 1999-2003.

It was in Oakland that he worked with general manager Billy Beane during the era that inspired the movie “Moneyball” with actor Jonah Hill portraying DePodesta’s character. The Athletics captured three American League West titles and one wild card berth while DePodesta was there, using a unique view of analytics to keep the A’s competitive with teams that had larger budgets.

FILE – Cleveland Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta looks on before an NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Cleveland, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane, File)

So what’s next for the Rockies?

DePodesta has plenty of work ahead of him, figuring out how to turn around a franchise that suffered through 119 losses in 2025 and has posted three consecutive 100-loss seasons. He also must work through, among other tasks, elevating a farm system that features just two Top 100 prospects (Ethan Holliday and Charlie Condon) as well as choosing a manager for the Rockies in 2026.

However, based on comments from Rockies executive vice president Walker Monfort, it appears DePodesta will have more help coming in the front office to make some of those decisions.

“Paul’s previous work in MLB set the foundation for many aspects of the way the game is analyzed today and we are thrilled for him to be a key figure in our future. Under his leadership, we will evolve the Colorado Rockies into what we know will be an exciting new era,” Walker Monfort said. “Hiring Paul is an essential first step to the evolution of our baseball department and we’re confident that he will not only maximize our current personnel but will also bring in additional leaders from outside the organization to help lead us forward.”

Additional leaders from outside the organization could include a general manager to serve under DePodesta as well as a chief revenue and strategy officer, a position that has been rumored to come into existence this offseason.

Cleveland Browns chief strategy officer Paul DePodesta is shown before an NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Speculation has begun that DePodesta could bring a familiar name back to Denver to serve as the team’s general manager.

DePodesta was a childhood friend of Thad Levine, who served as the senior vice president and general manager for the Minnesota Twins from 2017 to 2024. Levine also worked for the Rockies from 1999 to 2005 before becoming the assistant general manager with the Texas Rangers.