Top Yankee Scout Leaves Baseball For Soccer

Dick Farley with departing Yankees executive Will Kuntz. Mandatory Credit: Jim Hadries

Everyone loves two sport athletes. Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Brian Jordan, and countless others if you include Dancing With The Stars. Now there is a new bi-athlete. Sort of.

Will Kuntz had it good. While he wasn’t the general manager or assistant manager, he still had a seat at the executive roundtable, and was able to input his ideas. Actively involved in player scouting, such newcomers as Masahiro Tanaka and Brian McCann would not be in the Bronx if not for Kuntz.

However, when Kuntz received a text about a prominent position for Major League Soccer (MLS), he jumped at the opportunity. Officially, the Director of Player Relations of Major League Soccer, Kuntz leaves the Yankees after serving with the franchise since 2003. He helped the Yankees earn a World Series ring in 2009, yet ironically grew up as a fan of the rival Mets. Back in 2005, Kuntz was quoted by a Williams College newspaper on his favorite part of the Yankee lifestyle: “Going to Yankee Stadium for work every day. It’s so rare when people really love their job. I would pay to do my job, instead of getting paid to do it.”

A former basketball player at Williams College (also the alma mater of former owner George Steinbrenner), the 6′ 6″ Kuntz ventures into the sports world again still in his 20’s. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.