Carter Hawkins is the new Chicago Cubs GM, tasked with helping Jed Hoyer reconstruct the team as it heads into a busy offseason

Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune
·2 min read
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The first offseason task for Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer involved finding a new general manager.

The position had been vacant since Hoyer was promoted in November, replacing the departed Theo Epstein. A search that began in earnest weeks ago has concluded. The Cubs on Friday named Carter Hawkins as their general manager.

Hawkins, 37, spent 14 years with the Cleveland Guardians, the last five as an assistant GM. He joined the organization in 2008 as an advance scouting intern before transitioning in 2009 to a full-time position in professional scouting. A year later, Carter became assistant director of player development, which he held for four seasons before being elevated in 2015 to director of player development.

“I am thrilled to bring Carter into our organization,” Hoyer said in a statement. “He has earned a fantastic reputation as a leader through hard work, open-mindedness, humility and intelligence. I enjoyed getting to know him throughout the interview process, and it quickly became clear that we share the same passion for team building. I look forward to partnering with him to build the next great Cubs team.”

Hawkins’ duties as Cleveland’s assistant GM included player and staff procurement and development, negotiations, rules and administration and player personnel decisions at the major- and minor-league levels. He also oversaw the organization’s player development department. Hawkins graduated from Vanderbilt in 2007 and was a catcher on the Commodores’ baseball team.

Hawkins’ player-development background is extensive and attractive for an organization that must continue to find and develop talent after moving on from its core players within the last year. Cleveland has developed a reputation for its player development, especially on the pitching side. From the onset of the GM search, the Cubs were expected to go outside the organization for the hire to get a new voice and perspective in the front office.

“I’m excited to add a partner and bring someone in that can help me,” Hoyer said during his news conference after the season. “I was really proud of the way our office handled (the trade deadline). They were able to pick up a lot of slack this year with Theo being gone and without having a GM in place.”