Yesterday, the Major League Baseball Players Trust has expanded its leadership group to include three new members and has appointed four officers. The changes follow a rigorous process to determine how best to serve the philanthropic efforts of players and the communities served. The additional trustees and officers bring skills that will help the Trust to better support and amplify the community engagement interests and efforts of MLB Players.
“We are pleased to welcome our newest members to the Trust leadership,” said Amy Hever, Director of the Players Trust. “Their backgrounds, respective expertise in their areas of work and commitment to the overall mission of the Trust will be extremely valuable as we continue to deliver on our organization’s strategic priorities for the coming years.”
Chris Capuano, Director of Operations for the Major League Baseball Players Association, has been elected Chairman of the Trust. Capuano, a respected Player leader as a pitcher for six teams, has been active in the union since his rookie season in 2004, when he was a Player Representative for the Brewers. Capuano also served as a Player Advisor for the Player Association’s Business Affairs department and was a leading spokesperson and advocate for the Players Trust.
The two other new members are:
- Xavier James, Chief Operating Officer for the MLBPA, has 30 years of business and legal experience, working with industry leaders in law, sports, entertainment, broadcast media, finance and publishing. As a former Player advocate, he has counseled numerous major leaguers (and other athletes) on a variety of business opportunities and legal issues. James will also serve as an officer and will hold the title of Vice-Chairman.
- Javier Vázquez, a former major league pitcher who played for seven teams, is an international special assistant for the MLBPA. Vázquez, a native of Puerto Rico, joined the Players Association in 2014 with the goal of representing the interests of Latino Players within the membership.
This accomplished group joins existing trustees Tony Clark, former major leaguer and Executive Director of the MLBPA; All-Star relief pitcher Andrew Miller; and All-Star starting pitcher Max Scherzer.
The new members, elected effective Jan. 12, increase the number of Trustees to six. In addition to the Trustee appointments, four officers were elected. Joining Capuano and James as officers are:
- Tatia Mays-Russell is the MLBPA’s Chief Financial Officer. Mays-Russell is a finance and operations executive known for effectively partnering with leadership to achieve strategic initiatives and drive innovation. Before joining the Players Association, Mays-Russell served in leadership roles across diverse industries including sports, media, publishing, and transportation. She will serve as Treasurer.
- Hiram Marcos Arnaud is an Assistant General Counsel with the MLBPA. Arnaud will serve as Secretary to the board. Arnaud has years of experience providing legal counsel to unions and their members in a variety of industries. At the Players Association, Arnaud works on collective bargaining, CBA enforcement, grievance administration, Player Benefits, and internal union governance matters. Prior to joining the Players Association, Arnaud worked at a union-side labor law firm and an international law firm and clerked for a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York.
The Players Trust has also revised its mission and approach to philanthropy to better address the lifelong well-being of young people, families, and other individuals in need in the communities where Players live, play, and call home. The Trust has pledged more than $1.5 million to philanthropic efforts, with plans to launch more than five new initiatives in the first quarter of 2022.
Members Discussion