Another Blue Jay is flying south this winter.
On Monday, the Pirates added Blue Jays director of amateur scouting, Steve Sanders, to Ben Cherington's front office.
Sanders will be an assistant general manager, effectively taking the place of Kyle Stark.
"Steve has significant experience in amateur and international scouting from his time with the Red Sox and Blue Jays," said Cherington. "He has a deep commitment to continuous improvement in process and decision making and, as importantly, to his own professional growth and that of the people he works with.
"[Assistant GM] Kevan Graves, Steve and I have various experiences and perspectives on the game and decision making, and we share a commitment to getting better every day, to helping people, and to the Pirates. Kevan, Steve and I will collaborate across all aspects of baseball operations."
Sanders ran the last three drafts for the Blue Jays and was working with Cherington to help rebuild the team's farm system. Both were hired by Toronto in September 2016.
This is the first major move Cherington has made to the Pirates front office.
Cherington and Sanders first started working together in Boston in 2011 when Sanders was hired as an intern. He was promoted to a full-time position in 2012, Cherington's first season as the Red Sox general manager, being named an amateur and international scouting assistant. He spent one year as the amateur and international scouting coordinator in 2014 before receiving another promotion to the assistant director of amateur scouting prior to the 2015 season.
Sanders spent the past three seasons as the Blue Jays' director of amateur scouting. He also interned with the Dodgers from 2009-2010.
