SAN FRANCISCO -- Farhan Zaidi, the Giants' new president of baseball operations, continued to make his presence felt by appointing a pair of key figures to the ballclub's scouting staff on Saturday.
Zack Minasian, previously a Brewers special advisor in their scouting department, will become San Francisco's director of pro scouting. Meanwhile, A's assistant scouting director Michael Holmes, who worked with Zaidi in Oakland, becomes the Giants' director of amateur scouting. The hirings were initially reported by The Athletic.
It is unknown if John Barr, the Giants' previous scouting director, will be retained in a different capacity.
Barr spent 11 years with the Giants and was in charge of the Drafts that brought catcher Buster Posey, shortstop Brandon Crawford, first baseman Brandon Belt and second baseman Joe Panik to San Francisco. The Giants hope that prospects such as catcher Joey Bart, the club's No. 1 prospect, and outfielder Heliot Ramos (No. 2) can lengthen Barr's list of Draft successes.
Zaidi will be among the most-watched executives at this week's Winter Meetings as he tries to revive a ballclub that has struggled for the past two-and-a-half seasons. It's uncertain whether he will attempt to hire a general manager who would serve as his immediate assistant. The club hasn't replaced former farm director David Bell, who filled the Reds' managerial vacancy.