The Mariners announced today that President of Business Operations Katie Griggs has resigned from her position to be closer to home and family. A North Carolina native, Griggs joined the Mariners in July 2021, replacing former team president Kevin Mather, who was disgraced after making offensive comments at a Bellevue Rotary Club speaker. Griggs charted a new direction for the club and for baseball. At the time of her hiring, she was the only woman in baseball to hold the title of “president” (Caroline O'Connor of the Marlins joined in 2023, and now holds the stigma of being the only woman to hold that title in baseball).
Griggs' sports experience prior to joining the Mariners was primarily with FC Atlanta, where she helped build a new fan community by prioritizing inclusivity and making soccer more accessible to all. She brings that same vision to Seattle, where she is the driving force behind the Mariners' new Expanded Value Menu, aimed at making the ballpark experience more affordable for families.
When Griggs steps down at the end of the month, Mariners chairman and managing partner John Stanton will assume Griggs' responsibilities until the Mariners name a successor.
In a statement released by the Mariners, Griggs wrote, “It is with extreme mixed emotions that I have made the extremely difficult decision to step down as president of business operations. After much consideration, I have decided to prioritize my family and return to the East Coast to be closer to Justin and my aging parents.”
It is unclear what new position Griggs will take, but it is not surprising that someone with deep roots in the South would want to return to familiar surroundings, especially to be closer to aging family. However, this is a big loss for the organization and for women in senior positions in MLB, of which there are very few. Katie Griggs was a welcome change of pace from the toxic nature of Kevin Mather and others who think like him. Hopefully whoever the Mariners find to replace her shares Griggs' values of inclusivity and accessibility.
