ROCHESTER, NY – Minor League Baseball announced Tuesday that Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame General Manager DAN MASON has been named the 2026 Triple-A Executive of the Year. The honor was presented during the 2026 MiLB End of Year Awards Show at the MiLB Business Summit in Louisville.
Mason received Triple-A’s top executive honor for the fourth time in his career having previously been named International League Executive of the Year in 1996, 1997 and 2012. He is the first Rochester executive in franchise history to receive four such honors.
The 2026 season was Mason’s 37th with the Red Wings and 32nd as the club’s general manager. He joined the organization as an intern in 1990 and was promoted to general manager in 1995, becoming the youngest general manager in Triple-A Baseball at the time. He is now the longest-tenured general manager in Red Wings history.
Under Mason’s leadership, Rochester finished 90-58 to lead Minor League Baseball in victories and record its first 90-win season since 1953. The Red Wings captured the International League second-half title, returned to the postseason for the first time since 2013 and secured their first league championship since winning the Governors’ Cup in 1997. During his tenure as general manager, the organization has also received the John H. Johnson President’s Award, the Bob Freitas Award and the Larry MacPhail Award, among numerous other industry honors. Mason was inducted into the Red Wings Hall of Fame in 2025.
“We are thrilled that Dan is being recognized by the Office of Minor League Baseball with this highest achievement for a General Manager,” said Rochester Red Wings President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer NAOMI SILVER. “For those of us who know him, work with him or cheer for the Red Wings, this honor comes as no surprise, as Dan is the consummate professional…a leader our fans rally around and someone others in our industry have learned a great deal from. His work ethic is unmatched, and his integrity guides everything he does. As the longest-tenured General Manager in Red Wings history, Dan has given so much of himself to this team and our community. I am deeply proud to work alongside him and even prouder to call him my dear friend. Receiving this award for a fourth time is a testament to his sustained excellence and enduring place as an icon in the game we love.”
The Red Wings were also finalists for two additional Minor League Baseball honors. The BRUCE THE BAT DOG Collection represented the International League as a Golden Bobblehead Award finalist in the New Merchandise Launch category, while COCOS LOCOS DE ROCHESTER was a finalist for the overall Copa de la Diversión championship.
The Bruce collection transformed the Bat Dog’s popularity into a coordinated retail and community-engagement platform featuring original apparel, a Red Wings jersey, trading cards and pet accessories. Through the Bruce Bettering the Community Campaign, the collection supports Honor Flight Rochester and the Veterans Outreach Center. Flower City Group contributed $18,560 to the campaign in 2026, with additional donations from Meet & Pet events, a Bruce “pawtographed” bat raffle and merchandise proceeds still to come.
Cocos Locos de Rochester celebrates the region’s Latino culture and heritage through baseball, family and fun. The program’s ballpark experiences, community engagement and philanthropic impact amplify the businesses, traditions, families and stories that help shape Rochester.
The Red Wings will open the 2027 season on Friday, March 26, against the Syracuse Mets at ESL Ballpark, beginning a three-game Easter weekend series. The earliest scheduled home opener in franchise history will highlight 150 years of professional baseball in Rochester, Rochester Community Baseball’s 70th anniversary and 30 years at ESL Ballpark.