By WFAN.com
It appears as if the search for the Mets' next front office leader is almost complete.
According to multiple reports, the team has narrowed down its list of candidates to three- Tampa Bay Rays vice president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, Milwaukee Brewers' senior advisor Doug Melvin, and CAA agent Brodie Van Wagenen.
Each one will conduct a call-back interview with the Wilpons, beginning tomorrow.
Melvin is the favorite to land the position due to his experience and reputation in the sport, but Bloom and Van Wagenen could still win Fred Wilpon over in the second round of interviews, according to the New York Post's Mike Puma.
The reports mean that MLB executive Kim Ng, agent Casey Close and Detroit Tigers vice president of player development Dave Littlefield, who all received serious consideration for the position, are no longer in contention.
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First hired as an intern, Bloom, 35, has been with Tampa Bay for 14 years and was promoted to senior vice president of baseball operations in November 2016. The Yale graduate, along with GM Erik Neander, oversees all functions within baseball operations. The Rays, who are coming off a surprising 90-72 season, are known for their emphasis on analytics. Bloom is the most analytically-minded candidate remaining.
Melvin, 66, is currently a senior advisor with the Brewers. He was the team's genreal manager for 13 years. Milwaukee is currently in the National League Championship Series and also reached the NLCS under Melvin in 2011. Prior to joining the Brewers, Melvin served as GM for the Texas Rangers from 1994 - 2001. During that span, the Rangers made the postseason three times, which represented the franchise's first three trips to the playoffs in its history. Melvin is known for his scouting and player-development abilities.
Van Wagenen is the lead baseball agent at CAA, and is certainly the most out-of-the-box candidate still in contention. His client list includes Mets players Yoenis Cespedes, Jacob deGrom, Todd Frazier, and minor leaguer Tim Tebow. Van Wagenen's inclusion as a finalist shows the team's willingness to consider candidates with diverse perspectives, as his path from super-agent to GM would be a first in Major League Baseball.
The Mets are expected to make each finalist available to the media as they interview this week.