Front-office veteran Mike Hazen named GM of Red Sox

— -- BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox have hired Mike Hazen as general manager, the first big move by Dave Dombrowski since he took over as president of baseball operations in August.

Hazen has spent a decade in several areas of the team's major league operations, including player acquisitions, player evaluation, contract negotiations, major league scouting and pro scouting.

"Over his 10 years with the Red Sox, Mike has proven to be an invaluable member of the baseball operations department," Dave Dombrowski, Boston's president of baseball operations, said in a statement. "We are thrilled to have him in this position and I'm excited to have him working with me on every aspect of baseball operations."

Hazen, 39, spent five years in the Indians organization before coming to Boston, holding titles in Cleveland of assistant director of player development, coordinator of major league advance scouting, and assistant director of pro scouting.

He began his tenure with the Red Sox as director of player development in February 2006 and has served in several areas of major league operations, including player acquisitions, player evaluation, contract negotiations, major league scouting, and pro scouting. Hazen was named senior vice president/assistant GM last January.