Director, Player Development
Sam Niedorf begins his first season as Director, Player Development for the Houston Astros. Niedorf joins the Astros after seven seasons with the Texas Rangers, where he most recently served as Director, Player Development Initiatives & Pitching. In that role, he helped oversee the Minor League pitching department and contributed to the development and implementation of organization-wide player development processes. His responsibilities included, coordination of player plans, assisting in staff hiring and development, and collaborating across departments to align performance, coaching, and development efforts.
Previously, Niedorf served as the Rangers’ Coordinator of Player Development Systems Integration, focusing on aligning Minor League and Major League advance scouting, improving player and coach feedback tools, and supporting data-driven development initiatives. He also worked with USA Baseball as the 18U National Team Coordinator in 2018, managing national events and traveling internationally with the 18U team.
Niedorf’s professional background includes roles with the Philadelphia Phillies and Inside Edge. A graduate of the University of Minnesota with a degree in Applied Economics, he served as a student manager for the Gophers baseball program and was awarded the 2017 Phil Isaksson Teammate of the Year Award.