Former Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen Joins Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports as COO

Former New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen announced Wednesday that he has joined Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports. 

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the 46-year-old Van Wagenen will serve as the COO for Roc Nation Sports, which is a strong fit given his previous experience as an agent.

Van Wagenen was the Mets' GM in 2019 and 2020, but he was fired in November shortly after Steve Cohen purchased the team.

Before his time with the Mets, Van Wagenen was co-head of Creative Artists Agency's baseball division and one of the most powerful agents in the sport.

Per Passan, Van Wagenen had a working relationship with Roc Nation during his time at CAA, as he helped broker large contracts for Roc Nation players Yoenis Cespedes and Robinson Cano.

Given the familiarity between the two sides, Van Wagenen felt joining Roc Nation was a sensible move, saying: "We believed in the vision Jay and [Roc Nation co-owner] Juan [Perez] had back in 2013. We've stayed in constant contact with them. It was a natural homecoming."

With regard to Van Wagenen's hiring, Jay-Z said: "Brodie's knowledge of the business is indisputable and unparalleled. Since we first worked with Brodie, we realized the shared commitment to athletes both on and off the field. He's always been extended family and now it's official."

Van Wagenen's foray into being part of a major league front office didn't work out as hoped with the Mets going 112-110 in his two years at the helm and failing to make the playoffs.

By getting back into the agency business, Van Wagenen is returning to his roots and an area in which he thrived for years.

Aside from Cespedes and Cano, Roc Nation has several other high-profile athletes in the fold as well, including Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, Charlotte Hornets rookie guard LaMelo Ball, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.

Van Wagenen knows both the agent game and the New York market as well as anyone, meaning he should be a natural fit with Roc Nation moving forward.