Preston Mattingly (born August 28, 1987) is an American baseball executive and former professional baseball player from Evansville, Indiana. He is the Vice President and General Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.
Mattingly is the son of Evansville native, former New York Yankees star and Major League manager Don Mattingly.
Central High School
Mattingly grew up in Evansville and attended Central High School, where he was a standout multi-sport athlete.
He played both baseball and basketball for the Bears and developed into one of the area’s top baseball prospects. Mattingly played alongside future Major League pitcher and fellow Evansville native Aaron Barrett at Central.
Following his senior season, Mattingly was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 31st overall pick in the first round of the 2006 MLB Draft.
Professional Baseball
Mattingly began his professional career in the Dodgers organization in 2006 as an infielder and later transitioned to the outfield.
He spent six seasons in the Dodgers’ minor league system but did not reach the Major Leagues. His playing career also included brief time in the Cleveland and New York Yankees organizations before he left professional baseball.
College Basketball
After his baseball career ended, Mattingly returned to school and pursued another sport.
He enrolled at Lamar University in Texas and became a member of the school’s NCAA Division I basketball team. Despite being significantly older than most college players, Mattingly eventually became a team captain.
He graduated from Lamar in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in business.
Baseball Executive Career
Mattingly returned to professional baseball in 2017 when he joined the San Diego Padres organization.
He spent five seasons with San Diego, working in professional scouting before becoming manager of scouting and later coordinator of Major League advance scouting and game planning.
In September 2021, the Philadelphia Phillies hired Mattingly as their Director of Player Development, putting him in charge of the organization’s minor league development system.
His rise through the Phillies organization was rapid. Following the 2023 season, he was promoted to Assistant General Manager, Player Development.
On November 8, 2024, the Phillies promoted Mattingly again, naming him Vice President and General Manager.
As general manager, Mattingly works under Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski and is involved in roster construction, player development, scouting and other aspects of the club’s baseball operations.
Phillies General Manager
Mattingly’s promotion made the former Central High School Bear one of the highest-ranking baseball executives to come from Evansville.
His unusual path to the position included being a first-round draft pick, six seasons as a minor league player, playing Division I college basketball and working his way through scouting and player development before becoming a Major League general manager.
In 2026, the Mattingly family’s connection to the Phillies became even stronger when his father, Don Mattingly, joined Philadelphia’s coaching staff. Don later became the Phillies’ interim manager, creating what is believed to be the first father-son manager and general manager combination in Major League Baseball history.
Preston Mattingly’s rise from Central High School in Evansville to General Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies represents one of the more notable front-office careers of an Evansville sports figure.