The Mariners announced today that President of Business Operations Catie Griggs has resigned from her role in order to pursue an opportunity closer to home and family. Griggs, who is from North Carolina, joined the Mariners in July of 2021, replacing disgraced former team president Kevin Mather after offensive comments he made during a Bellevue Rotary Club speaking event. Griggs represented a new direction for the club, and for baseball itself: at the time of her hiring, she was the sole woman in baseball to hold the title of “president” (she was joined in 2023 by the Marlins’ Caroline O’Connor, who now takes over the dubious distinction of the lone woman in baseball to hold this title).
Griggs’ sports background when joining the Mariners was largely with FC Atlanta, where she helped build a new community of fans by prioritizing inclusivity, and making soccer more accessible to all. She brought that same vision with her to Seattle, as she was the driving force behind the Mariners’ new and extended value menu, aiming to make the ballpark experience more affordable to families.
After Griggs departs at the end of this month, Mariners Chariman and Managing Partner John Stanton will assume the duties Griggs fulfilled until the Mariners name Griggs’ successor.
In a statement provided by the Mariners, Griggs wrote, “I’ve truly had a mix of emotions as I made the incredibly difficult decision to resign from my role as President of Business Operations. After much consideration, I have decided to prioritize our family and relocate back to the East Coast to be closer to both Justin and my aging parents.”
While there’s no word on the new position Griggs is moving to take, it’s not a surprise that someone with such deep roots in the South would feel a desire to return to familiar surroundings, especially to be closer to aging family. However, it’s a significant loss for the organization, and for women in senior roles in MLB, of which there are precious few. Catie Griggs was a welcome change from the toxicity of Kevin Mather and those who think like him; hopefully whoever the Mariners find to replace her shares Griggs’ values of inclusivity and accessibility.