Nick Piecoro

azcentral sports

The Diamondbacks' front office shakeup continued Friday with the departure of well-regarded scouting director Ray Montgomery, who left the organization to accept a high-ranking position with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to multiple baseball sources.

After four years overseeing the Diamondbacks' amateur scouting department, Montgomery will serve as special assistant to the general manager and vice president of scouting for the Brewers.

Several of Montgomery's draft picks with the Diamondbacks recently began graduating to the majors, including third baseman Jake Lamb and pitchers Evan Marshall and Andrew Chafin. Three of the club's top prospects – pitchers Archie Bradley, Braden Shipley and Aaron Blair – were also selected under Montgomery's watch, as was right-hander Trevor Bauer, who was traded to the Cleveland Indians.

Montgomery is considered an up-and-coming executive; he interviewed for the San Diego Padres' general manager's position in July and then for the Diamondbacks' GM job in September. The Diamondbacks had planned to expand Montgomery's role in the organization going forward.

Going to the Brewers is a homecoming of sorts for Montgomery, who spent eight seasons working in their amateur scouting department before becoming the Diamondbacks scouting director in October 2010. The Brewers had been searching for a replacement for scouting director Bruce Seid, who died in early September. Seid was one of Montgomery's mentors.

It remains to be seen what the Diamondbacks will do in Montgomery's absence. De Jon Watson, the team's senior vice president of baseball operations, was not available for comment.

Montgomery is the latest to depart the Diamondbacks' front office in recent weeks, following general manager Kevin Towers, assistant general manager Billy Ryan and director of baseball operations Ryan Isaac.

Short hop

The New York Yankees hired former third baseman Eric Chavez as a special assignment scout. Chavez spent parts of two seasons with the Diamondbacks before retiring in July with back problems.