Ampontan put up a FanPost with this information yesterday, but the official word has come out from the Orioles. From the official press release:
The Orioles today announced that GARY RAJSICH (pronounced Ray-sitch) has been named Director of Amateur Scouting.
"We have added a very good, veteran baseball man with this hire," said Orioles Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations DAN DUQUETTE. "Gary is an excellent judge of talent at all levels."
Rajsich, 57, began his scouting career with the Boston Red Sox, serving in both the amateur and professional departments from 1994-2006. In his time with Boston, Rajsich drafted and signed LHP JON LESTER and was instrumental in acquiring RHP DEREK LOWE with CA JASON VARITEK from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for RHP HEATHCLIFF SLOCUMB on July 31, 1997.
From Boston, Rajsich joined the Texas Rangers as a professional scout, where he served from 2006-2009. In the fall of 2009, he was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays as professional crosschecker.
Selected and signed by the Houston Astros as an 11th round selection in the 1976 draft out of Arizona State University, Rajsich played four years in the major leagues (1982-85). The first baseman and right fielder made his Major League debut for the New York Mets in 1982, where he also played in 1983, and played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1984) and San Francisco Giants (1985). Rajsich finished his playing career with the Chunichi Dragons in the Japan Central League (1986-88).
It's hard to know what Rajsich will bring to the table, but if he can bring the next Jon Lester here, I'll be happy.
EDIT MORE ESSKAY: A press conference where Dan Duquette introduced Rajsich and made some other comments about the state of scouting in the organization has just concluded. Camden Chat wasn't invited (as far as I know) but people who get salaries and health benefits for writing about the Orioles were, and they're on Twitter about it:
These comments come from your choice of Brittany Ghiroli, Roch Kubatko and Dan Connolly, all of whom basically tweeted the same stuff:
* Lee MacPhail, formerly director of professional scouting, is being reassigned to a major league scouting position; Duquette does not expect to name a new director of professional scouting
* Duquette expects "number of scouts, when holes are filled, to be sufficient" and that "money will be there to sign amateurs"
* "More staff changes to come between now and the end of the winter meetings"