Ned Colletti

Ned Colletti
Name	Ned Colletti
Birth date	8 November 1954
Birth place	San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation	Baseball executive, scout, coach, broadcaster
Years active	1976–present

Ned Colletti is an American baseball executive and former coach known for long tenures in Major League Baseball front offices and media. He served as general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and held executive roles with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants organizations, later moving into scouting and broadcasting. Colletti's career intersects with numerous players, managers, and executives across Major League Baseball and collegiate baseball programs.

Early life and education

Colletti was born in San Francisco, California and raised in the Bay Area, attending local schools before matriculating at Santa Clara University, where he played college baseball and studied liberal arts. He was influenced by coaches and administrators from nearby programs, including Saint Mary's College of California, University of San Francisco, and California State University, Chico, and developed relationships with scouts from the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Oakland Athletics that guided his path into professional baseball.

Playing and early coaching career

As a college catcher at Santa Clara Broncos, Colletti played under coaches with ties to Pac-8 Conference programs and summer leagues like the Cape Cod Baseball League, which featured future major leaguers from University of Southern California, Stanford Cardinal, and California Golden Bears. After graduation he transitioned into coaching, serving at the high school and collegiate levels in the San Francisco Bay Area and working alongside staff from Bellarmine College Preparatory and Junípero Serra High School. He later joined minor-league coaching staffs affiliated with organizations such as the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs system.

Front office career

Colletti began a front office career with the San Francisco Giants organization in scouting and player development roles, interacting with scouting directors from Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and Detroit Tigers. He moved on to the San Diego Padres as an assistant general manager, collaborating with executives like Kevin Towers and coaching staff tied to Tony Gwynn and Bruce Bochy. His front office work involved amateur scouting, international scouting, and minor league operations, connecting him to personnel from the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Guardians, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Mets.

Tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers

In 2006 Colletti was hired as general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, succeeding Paul DePodesta and working for owner Frank McCourt. During his tenure he negotiated free agent signings and trades involving stars like Manny Ramirez, Adrián González, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw, and Matt Kemp, while hiring managers including Joe Torre and working with coaches such as Don Mattingly. Colletti made front office moves against competitive clubs like the San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers to position the Dodgers in the National League West, managing payroll issues alongside MLB executives from the Commissioner of Baseball office and negotiating with agents representing players connected to Scott Boras and Brooks Robinson era figures. Under his stewardship the Dodgers reached multiple postseason berths, contended with rivals including the Colorado Rockies, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and the Chicago Cubs in interleague play, and navigated disputes involving ownership transitions and media partners like Time Warner Cable and FOX Sports.

Tenure with the San Francisco Giants

After leaving the Dodgers, Colletti later joined the San Francisco Giants organization in a senior baseball operations role, reporting to executives such as Brian Sabean and collaborating with player development staff tied to the Fresno Grizzlies and Sacramento River Cats. He was involved with scouting and roster analysis during periods that intersected with Giants rosters featuring players like Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Hunter Pence, and staff from the Korea Baseball Organization scouting community. His role included coordinating with other front offices across Major League Baseball and advising on trades, free agent signings, and international signings that involved teams such as the Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, and St. Louis Cardinals.

Post-MLB roles and broadcasting

Following his executive career Colletti transitioned to broadcasting and media analysis, appearing on regional sports networks and national outlets like ESPN, MLB Network, and local broadcasters tied to the Dodgers’ television productions. He worked as a commentator with play-by-play partners from networks such as SportsNet LA, contributing analysis on roster construction, prospect evaluation, and in-season strategy while engaging with journalists from the Associated Press, The Athletic, and Sporting News. Colletti also served as a scout and consultant for MLB clubs and independent teams in leagues connected to the Atlantic League, Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, and winter leagues in Puerto Rico, linking him to scouts from Cuba and representatives from Nippon Professional Baseball.

Personal life and legacy

Colletti is notable in Bay Area and Los Angeles baseball circles, maintaining ties to institutions including Santa Clara University, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and youth programs at San Francisco Little League. He has been recognized by alumni associations and community organizations, participating in charity events with players, managers, and executives from clubs like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and Los Angeles Angels. Colletti's legacy is tied to roster building, scouting, and media work that intersects with figures from the modern era of Major League Baseball.

Category:Major League Baseball executives Category:American sports executives and administrators