Mets Tab Terrasas As New Scouting Director

By Matt Meyers
October 28, 2005

After purging their scouting department by firing or reassigning 10 scouts in early September, the Mets took a step toward stability by promoting Rudy Terrasas from assistant scouting director to scouting director.

Terrasas joined the Mets before the 2005 season after spending the 2004 season as a special assistant to Brewers general manager Doug Melvin. A native of Pasadena, Texas, Terrasas played at Ranger Junior College for two years before transferring to Lamar, graduating in 1977. He played in the Mexican League for one season and began his scouting career with the Phillies as an associate scout in 1981 before becoming a full-time scout for them in 1983. After four years with the Phillies, Terrasas joined the Rangers, where he met current Mets general manager Omar Minaya.

Terrasas worked in a variety of roles for the Rangers. He began his scouting career there as an area scout and signed Rusty Greer. He then became a Midwest crosschecker in 1992, where he was involved with the signings of Scott Podsednik and Craig Monroe.

After the 1995 season he moved over to the professional scouting department, which Minaya directed. Though Minaya moved over to the Mets in 1997 to become assistant GM, Terrasas stayed with the Rangers and became a special assistant to Melvin, who was then the Rangers GM; he stayed with Texas through 2003.

Terrasas' first task as scouting director will be to restock the scouting department that has plenty of openings after the firings in September. The Mets are currently in the process of the search for replacements, though it is still unclear why they decided to overhaul their scouting department in the first place.

"I don't know the reason (for the overhaul)," Terrasas said. "I am elated and welcome the opportunity I am getting here to be the scouting director."

This is the second time in as many years the Mets have altered their scouting department. Before the 2005 season, the Mets reassigned scouting director Jack Bowen and promoted Russ Bove to the position. Though it is too early to evaluate the 2005 draft that Bove oversaw, he will be moved over to the pro scouting department to make way for Terrasas.

Under Minaya, baseball's only Latin American GM, the Mets have made it clear that they will be aggressive in the foreign talent market. Terrasas, however, realizes that no avenue of talent can be ignored.

"I don't really have a preference (where the talent comes from)," the 51-year-old Terrasas said. "For me it is more being able to draft and sign the best available player. In a perfect world that is my hope. I know there are other factors with signability and representation, but in a perfect world, I want to seek out and sign the best available player."