Rachel Minaya, wife of former Mets general manager and current Yankees executive Omar Minaya, was found deceased in their New Jersey home on Saturday, according to a source informed by the family.
Omar Minaya was not present at home during his wife’s passing.
The source, briefed by the family, confirmed that suicide has been ruled out as the cause of death.
The Minayas have two adult sons, Justin and Teddy. Justin currently plays as a forward for the Portland Trail Blazers and has been participating in their summer league team in Las Vegas this month.
Omar and Rachel Minaya met in 1989 at a Manhattan hair salon, according to a 2007 Sports Illustrated profile. They became engaged within a year during a trip to Italy.
Omar Minaya joined the Yankees at the beginning of 2023 as a senior adviser to general manager Brian Cashman. He previously served as the Mets’ general manager from 2004-10 and as a special assistant to various GMs from 2017-20. Minaya, 65, also held the position of GM for the Montreal Expos before the franchise moved to Washington and became the Nationals. Additionally, he worked for the Texas Rangers in a scouting role and as vice president of baseball operations for the San Diego Padres from 2011-2015.
Known for his scouting expertise, Minaya’s tenure as the Mets’ GM included significant signings such as Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez, which contributed to the team reaching the NLCS in 2006. The Queens-raised Dominican Republic native also oversaw drafts that brought in homegrown talent like Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey, aiding the Mets in their journey to the 2015 World Series.
With the Yankees, Minaya has been involved with the big-league club, minor league affiliates, and international scouting, serving as an additional resource for Cashman. He is one of three former GMs in the Yankees’ front office, alongside Brian Sabean and Jim Hendry.
Between his stints with the Mets, Minaya worked in the Padres’ front office from 2011-15, providing valuable insight when the Yankees traded for Juan Soto in December. He then spent three years as a senior adviser to Tony Clark, the executive director of the MLB Players Association, before returning to the Mets under Sandy Alderson.
Prior to joining the Yankees, Minaya also served as an amateur scouting consultant for MLB.
