Ricciardi enters his fifth season with the Giants as Senior Advisor to the President of Baseball Operations. Prior to his current role, Ricciardi spent eight seasons as a Special Assistant to then General Manager Sandy Alderson in the New York Mets front office after being appointed to the position on November 2, 2010. From November 14, 2001 through the end of the 2009 season, Ricciardi served as the fourth General Manager in Toronto Blue Jays history.
Ricciardi began the first of his 16 years in the Oakland Athletics organization in 1986, working as a New England Area Scout with the A’s while also serving as a minor league instructor. He held that role until he became the A’s East Coast Scouting Supervisor following the 1992 season. Ricciardi was named the club’s National Crosschecker in 1994.
He became a Special Assistant to the General Manager for the A’s in 1996, working under two General Managers in Alderson and Billy Beane. In 1999, Ricciardi was appointed the Director of Player Personnel for Oakland and remained in that role until being named the Blue Jays GM in 2001.
In 2000, Ricciardi was a member of the selection committee for the gold-medal winning 2000 United States Olympic Baseball team and was also part of the 1999 Pan American Baseball selection committee.
The Massachusetts native began his post-baseball playing career as a coach for Short-season Oneonta of the New York-Penn League in the Yankees organization from 1982-1984 before working as a coach for rookie-level Helena of the Pioneer League in the Brewers organization in 1985. He spent two seasons as an infielder in the New York Mets’ organization after signing as a non-drafted free agent, playing for Little Falls (A) of the New York-Penn League in 1980 and Shelby (A) of the South Atlantic League in 1981.
Ricciardi attended St. Leo University where he played baseball and was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003. He played baseball for St. Peter-Marian High School and was part of the 1977 High School State Championship team. In 2008, he was inducted into the St. Peter Marian’s High School Hall of Fame. Ricciardi also coached boy High School basketball for 11 years at Holy Name High School in Worcester, MA, advancing to the State Finals in Division 1 three times.
Ricciardi and his wife, Diane, have been married for 39 years and have two sons, Dante (26), and Mariano (24). His son, Dante, is currently a scout with the Boston Red Sox and Mariano is currently a player in the Oakland A’s system.