Pirates Appoint Justin Newman as Director of Amateur Scouting

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced the promotion of Justin Newman to the position of director of amateur scouting. This decision follows general manager Ben Cherington's intention to hire a full-time scouting director, which he revealed during a press conference in late September.

Newman has been part of the Pirates' front office since 2017, most recently serving as the director of player analysis. He takes over from Justin Horowitz, who left the team last October to join the Washington Nationals as assistant general manager. During Horowitz's tenure, the Pirates made notable first-round draft selections, including shortstop Konnor Griffin and right-hander Seth Hernandez.

In the interim period between Horowitz's departure and Newman's promotion, assistant GM Kevan Graves managed the team's draft activities, selecting former LSU outfielder Derek Curiel with the sixth overall pick in 2026.