Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
There’s a new face of the Giants’ ownership group.
Gregory Johnson, the son of majority owner Charles, was approved by MLB on Thursday to become the team’s new control person, grabbing the reins from Rob Dean, who had replaced Larry Baer. The control person is the front-facing figure of the organization who “is accountable to Major League Baseball for the operation of the Club and its compliance with the rules of Baseball,” according to the release.
The Giants said Johnson, now the Giants chairman, and Dean, the vice chairman, are the leaders of the organization. Baer, the president and CEO, and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi will report to Johnson and Dean. The ownership trio of Johnson, Dean and Baer will represent the team at the owners meetings this week in Arlington, Texas, where Johnson was approved by the other clubs.
In the past, the Giants’ control person was seen as a public representative of the front office and made frequent media appearances. This was especially the case when Baer filled the role. It is unclear if the same will be true for Johnson.
The Johnson family has owned part of the Giants since 1993. Charles was under fire last year over controversial political donations.
