ANAHEIM -- The Angels completed their first managerial search in nearly two decades on Sunday, announcing that Brad Ausmus has been hired to replace Mike Scioscia.

Ausmus, 49, was formally introduced during a news conference at Angel Stadium on Monday after signing a three-year contract with the club.

Ausmus, who managed the Tigers from 2014-17, spent this past season as a special assistant to general manager Billy Eppler. The former big league catcher beat out nine other candidates for the position, including fellow special assistant Eric Chavez, Astros bench coach Joe Espada, Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde, Rays field coordinator Rocco Baldelli and longtime MLB infielder Omar Vizquel.

"Over the past few weeks, our baseball operations personnel sat down with numerous highly qualified and impressive candidates for our managerial role. We are thankful to all of them for their time and effort throughout the process," Eppler said in a statement. "Ultimately, Brad's balance of connectivity, communication and leadership skills, as well as his understanding of evolving strategies and probabilistic approach to decision-making, led us to him. We believe his knowledge, drive and growth mindset will allow him to integrate seamlessly with our players and staff and will be pivotal in advancing our culture and moving us toward our goals as an organization."

Scioscia announced that he would step down at the end of the season following the expiration of his 10-year contract, ending his 19-year run at the helm of the Angels.

A Dartmouth graduate, Ausmus spent 18 seasons in the Majors with the Padres, Astros, Tigers and Dodgers. He earned his first opportunity to manage with the Tigers, who hired him to replace Jim Leyland in Nov. 2013. Ausmus posted a .486 winning percentage (314-332) over his four years in Detroit, steering the club to the American League Central title in his first season.

After the Tigers announced that they would not renew his contract last fall, Ausmus joined the Angels' front office to assist with scouting and evaluations. He frequently traveled with the team on the road and was often spotted in the Angels' clubhouse after home games.

Ausmus will become the 17th manager in Angels history.

Maria Guardado covers the Angels for MLB.com. Follow her on Twitter.