The New York Mets finally got their guy, reaching an agreement to hire David Stearns as their next president of baseball operations after previous failed pursuits.

Stearns became the Brewers general manager in 2015 at the age of 30, making him the youngest GM in the league. He brought many top stars to Milwaukee, including Christian Yelich, who won the MVP in his first year with the team. The successful moves led to Stearns getting promoted to their president position in 2019.

After leading the Brewers to four straight playoff appearances, he decided to step back from his role as president and become a team advisor in 2023. The organization attempted to extend his contract, but he declined, electing to spend more time with family and potentially take a new job such as this Mets position after his deal was set to expire in October.

The Mets are thrilled to have secured Stearns' services, who has been a rising star at every stop in his career. Owner Steve Cohen has attempted to pursue Stearns twice since acquiring the team in 2020, but was rejected by the Brewers' top brass both times.

Stearns graduated from Harvard in 2008, and spent the next 15 years working in the league. He grew up in New York and was a Mets fan all his life, making him a perfect fit for the rebuild required in Queens, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic.

“As a kid, he would lie down at his bedtime, wait for his mother to close the door to his room, then grab the Sony Walkman he had hidden under his pillow. With the radio on, he would listen to that night’s Mets game,” Sammon writes.

Cohen will hope that bringing a lifelong supporter with his pedigree will finally kick the Mets into high gear. The team fell flat in 2023 despite the highest payroll in the MLB, and will use Stearns to make better strategic moves going forward as they try to get over the hump with a talented young core.