Phillies hire former Twins GM Terry Ryan as scout

The Phillies continued to add to their front office Wednesday with the hire of Terry Ryan, a seasoned baseball man who has a long-time relationship with team president Andy MacPhail, as a special-assignment scout.

Ryan, 63, spent more than three decades in the Minnesota Twins' front office until he was fired last July. He succeeded MacPhail in 1994 as the Twins' general manager and held that title for 19 years (in two separate stints).

"I'm very happy to be joining the Phillies and have the opportunity to provide some impact and evaluation," Ryan said in a statement. "This is an exciting time for the franchise as they have what many in the industry consider to be one of the top farm systems in baseball."

Ryan is the fourth former general manager in MacPhail's front office, not counting MacPhail. The others: Pat Gillick, Ed Wade and Dallas Green. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak is entering his second season in the position.

"While we have made significant investments in our analytical endeavors over the past year," Klentak said in a statement, "it is important to remember that quality talent evaluation is essential to making quality baseball decisions."