The lobby of The Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas normally looks like a glossy advertisement for high-end nightlife. On typical days, the seating areas and walkways are filled with stylish young adults wearing trendy outfits—designer shoes, sharp blazers, flashy dresses, and accessories straight from a fashion influencer’s feed. The Cosmopolitan has built its reputation as a hotspot for the youthful and the fashionable, where the soundtrack is thumping dance music and the entire atmosphere feels curated for a social media post.
But this week, the usual vibe has been replaced by something completely different.
Instead of young trend-setters, streams of middle-aged men descended on the lobby wearing an unofficial uniform: quarter-zip pullovers, dark denim jeans, and the unmistakably popular On Cloud sneakers. Rather than groups waiting to head to a nightclub or bar, these clusters of men carried messenger bags and laptops, speaking in hushed tones, checking schedules, and periodically texting frantically. The influx wasn’t a random coincidence—it was the beginning of Major League Baseball’s annual General Managers Meetings.
These meetings, hosted this year at The Cosmopolitan starting Monday, mark a four-day gathering of high-level baseball decision-makers. Front office leaders from all 30 MLB organizations, along with substantial groups of analysts, scouts, legal advisers, and support staff, gather to discuss league matters, offseason planning, and future moves. The meetings run into Thursday, a day that culminates with the MLB Awards Show—another reason executives and influencers in the baseball world have flooded the hotel.
More MLB: Understand Cincinnati Reds Makes Tough Call On Trading Top Utilityman
Compared to the more glamorous and widely publicized Winter Meetings, which take place in early December, the General Managers Meetings don’t command nearly the same level of national media attention. The Winter Meetings are known for big-time free-agent signings, major trades, and dealers working hotel hallways hoping to make a splash. Those days tend to generate breaking news stories by the hour.
The GM Meetings, by contrast, are more controlled and structured. While deals occasionally get done here, this gathering is often the beginning of the true offseason dance. It’s a time when clubs explore concepts, set expectations, and survey potential trade frameworks.
In decades past, these meetings involved formal sit-downs between general managers, agents, or even players. But modern communication has reshaped the process. Today, text messaging and messaging apps have become the primary tools for opening negotiations or establishing early dialogue. Instead of marathon meetings in hotel suites, executives now bounce between scheduled seminars, league workshops, and brief impromptu chats in hallways or elevators.
More MLB: Red Sox Officially Lose Top Pitcher To Free Agency
Still, there is a unique value to having all these decision-makers in the same building. As one longtime executive put it, “when enough GMs are in one space, something happens.” Often the earliest seeds of a future blockbuster deal begin right here—with conversations that feel hypothetical at the time but evolve into reality weeks later.
Early Mariners buzz: The search for a first baseman
One of the loudest early offseason storylines centers around the Seattle Mariners and their clear interest in slugging first baseman Josh Naylor. Seattle made the postseason and has momentum, but executives know the roster still has holes that must be addressed if they want to compete for a championship.
The challenge lies in the relatively small market of available first basemen. Among free agents, Pete Alonso is widely considered the top option, with Naylor next in line—and then a steep drop-off in talent behind those two. That puts Naylor in an interesting position: teams needing a first baseman will either have to pay for Alonso, pursue Naylor, or settle.
More MLB: Ha-Seong Kim sign $16 million one-year deal with the Braves
Alonso is not just another name on the market. He is beloved in New York, drafted and developed by the Mets, and one of the most productive power hitters in baseball. Mets general manager David Stearns spoke candidly at the end of the season about the team’s defensive struggles, and Alonso’s glove at first base isn’t exactly Gold Glove caliber. The question hovering over the meetings is: Is Alonso’s defense shaky enough to justify letting him walk away in free agency?
Money complicates everything. Mets owner Steve Cohen has a reputation for being aggressive and spending freely. If Cohen decides Alonso must remain a Met, he can simply instruct Stearns to make it happen.
If the Mets divert from Alonso or decide to pivot financially, Josh Naylor becomes a natural fit for New York. The Mets can outbid nearly any other team. But a crucial factor remains: would Naylor want the New York spotlight? He enjoys his privacy and tends to avoid the circus of media attention.
Seattle, however, may be the team with the most motivation. The Mariners badly need another impact bat, preferably one with power and the ability to lengthen the lineup. They have payroll flexibility and a front office that appears fully committed to getting this deal done.
Other teams have needs at first base, but each comes with complications:
-
New York Yankees: They appear ready to give Ben Rice the majority of first-base reps. Rice was productive last season—hitting .255 with strong on-base numbers, 28 doubles, 26 home runs, and 65 RBI. Additionally, Rice plays for league minimum salary, giving the Yankees budget flexibility. There is also lingering tension from Naylor’s past on-field trash-talking against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, which may influence internal conversations.
-
Boston Red Sox: Boston may pursue Pete Alonso instead, particularly because they want a right-handed power bat to balance a young lineup filled with left-handed hitters (Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Marcelo Mayer). They still control Triston Casas, but injuries have made him unreliable.
-
San Francisco Giants: The Giants can afford Naylor, but first base may not be a priority. They expect to use a mix of young star Bryce Eldridge and a now-flexible Rafael Devers, who is reportedly open to playing first base after rejecting the idea with the Red Sox.
-
Texas Rangers: Texas used Rowdy Tellez and Jake Burger at first base but faces payroll concerns. GM Chris Young recently admitted publicly that payroll will decrease, complicating a pursuit of Naylor.
-
Arizona Diamondbacks: They briefly acquired Naylor last offseason, but after trading him to Seattle, they don’t appear eager to add payroll at that position.
-
San Diego Padres: San Diego could use a first-base upgrade, yet ownership has emphasized reducing payroll over the past several seasons.
With those obstacles, signs point strongly toward the Mariners accomplishing their goal—re-signing Naylor. They have been transparent about their interest and financial readiness.
However, as one former MLB executive warned:
“There’s always one team you never see coming. Just when you think the market is settled, someone surprises everyone.”
Other chatter around the meetings
Free-agent left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez has been reported in Las Vegas, meeting with multiple clubs. Valdez is unquestionably talented, durable, and capable of being a front-line starter. However, teams have concerns rooted in his behavior last season—particularly an incident where he intentionally crossed up pitch calls with his catcher to express disagreement on pitch selection. The moment raised doubts about his maturity and composure.
Even with those concerns, teams are expected to bid aggressively. Valdez is projected to land a contract around four years and nearly $100 million, although many evaluators believe that—without the behavioral questions—his talent alone would command a far greater payday.
More MLB: Mariners, Dodgers lead Blue Jay’s true middle-order hitter as free agency opens
Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies made a headline-grabbing front-office move by hiring Paul DePodesta as their new president of baseball operations.
DePodesta is well-known for his important role with the Oakland A’s during the Moneyball era and has spent recent years with the Cleveland Browns as chief football strategy officer. His new responsibilities include hiring both a general manager and a field manager as Colorado attempts to rebuild a franchise that has struggled for nearly a decade.
Be the first to comment