Syracuse Mets Manager Dick Scott Wins Minor League Baseball's Sheldon
IL Syracuse Mets

Syracuse Mets Manager Dick Scott Wins Minor League Baseball's Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award for Distinguished Service in Player Development

Published on December 9, 2025 under International League (IL)
Syracuse Mets News Release


Syracuse, NY - Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™) announced the selection of longtime baseball executive, manager, and coach Dick Scott as the 17th winner of the Sheldon "Chief" Bender Award, presented to an individual with distinguished service who has been instrumental in player development. The award honors Bender as a longtime front office executive and consultant who spent 39 years with the Cincinnati Reds. Scott has managed the Syracuse Mets, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets, for the past three seasons from 2023-2025.

Dick Scott's career in professional baseball began in 1981 as the 17th round draft choice of the New York Yankees out of Ellsworth High School in Ellsworth, Maine. As a shortstop, Scott spent eight seasons in the Yankees organization, reaching Triple-A Columbus. After signing with Oakland as a Minor League free agent in 1989, Scott reached the big leagues with the Athletics, playing in three games with the eventual World Champions. Following the 1990 season and ten seasons as a professional player, Scott retired and immediately began a coaching, scouting and player development career that would span the next 35 years.

Scott's career in player development began the very next season in 1991 as he remained in the Athletics organization as a Manager with the Rookie-level Arizona League Athletics, whom he led to a league championship in his first season.

Scott went on to manage six seasons in the Athletics organization, with stops in Madison (1992), Southern Oregon (1993), Modesto (1994) and Huntsville (1995-96). His 1994 Modesto club went 96-40, posting a .706 winning percentage, which has not been topped in the Minor Leagues since. Scott was named the Manager of the Year in his league three times (1991 in Arizona League, 1992 in the Northwest League and 1994 in the California League). He was named USA Today Baseball Weekly Minor League Manager of the Year in 1994.

In 1997, Scott joined the Arizona Diamondbacks organization as a manager at Class-A South Bend before moving into a Major League Advance Scout role in 1998.

Following the 2001 season, Scott became the Director of Player Development for the Toronto Blue Jays, a role he held through the 2009 season. In 2010, he joined the Houston Astros organization as their Minor League Field Coordinator. From 2011 through 2012, he served as the New York Mets' Minor League Field Coordinator, before serving as their Director of Player Development from 2013-15.

In 2016, Scott joined Major League coaching staff as Bench Coach for two seasons. In 2018, he joined the Miami Marlins as Director of Player Development for three seasons. During the 2021-2022 seasons, he served as the Mets' Coordinator of Coaching Development and Instruction before being named Manager of Triple-A Syracuse for the last three seasons.

Dick and his wife, Kristin, have two sons, Ryan and Zach, along with two grandchildren, Carter and Marley. They reside in Ellsworth, Maine.

"It's a great honor to receive such a prestigious award and to be associated with the previous winners of the Bender Award, many of whom are some of the most impactful people in the game, so it really means a lot," said Scott. "I know most of the previous winners of this award and have strong relationships with so many of them, it means the world to me to be associated with that group. The journey in professional baseball can be challenging at times, but it's the people that make it great, whether its players, coaches, staff, front office, it's those people that make the journey so special and I'm very appreciative for this career and this honor. I'm especially grateful to my wife, Kris, and my entire family for their support throughout my career."

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International League Stories from December 9, 2025


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