San Diego is set to hire the Rangers executive.
The Padres' search for a general manager appears to have ended -- multiple reports have San Diego hiring Rangers executive A.J. Preller for the job. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says Preller has been hired, while Jon Heyman of CBS Sports says Preller is indeed the choice but the deal isn't quite done yet.
Preller beat out, among others, Yankees executive Billy Epler, Mike Hazen of the Red Sox, and MLB executive and former assistant GM Kim Ng.
In Texas, Preller was one of general manager Jon Daniels' right-hand men, overseeing the Rangers' player development and scouting departments as assistant GM. Preller, 36, worked with the Rangers for 10 years, previously serving as manager and director of professional and international scouting and senior director of player personnel.
In addition to his decade with Texas, Preller also worked three years in the Dodgers' baseball operations department and for two years with Major League Baseball.
Earlier on Tuesday, Padres assistant general manager A.J. Hinch, one of a triumvirate of interim general managers since former GM Josh Byrnes was fired on June 22, resigned his position with the Padres.
"During my time in San Diego, I dedicated myself to do everything I could to help this team win, in the short-term and for the long-term. These last several weeks were no exception," Hinch said in a statement. "I think the organization is ready for a transition and I've made a decision and told Ron Fowler and Mike Dee that now is the right time for me to move on."