MLB makes changes to ‘Selig Rule’ focused on internal promotions

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Major League Baseball has made modifications to the Selig Rule aimed at addressing internal club promotions, The Athletic has learned. The memo, sent to teams in October, was discussed as part of larger industry issues at the general managers meetings last week in Carlsbad, Calif.

The changes are effective immediately and are made to enhance diversity in future leadership of the sport. The modifications require several stipulations.

*Any club making an internal promotion for a senior baseball operations position must provide the Commissioner’s Office with a succession plan for all of the club’s senior baseball operations positions. That plan requires the club to include diverse individuals for future leadership positions.

*In the event of a non-diverse internal promotion, it’s the Commissioner’s expectation that a diverse individual will be promoted, or hired, to a vacancy created by the promotion.

*A club must provide the Commissioner’s Office with notice of the internal promotion and the rationale for not conducting an external or internal interview process.