Baltimore expected to hire Mike Elias

The Baltimore Orioles finally have found a general manager.

The Orioles are expected to hire Mike Elias, 35, the valued Houston Astros assistant general manager, to head their baseball operations, two executives with direct knowledge of the hiring told USA TODAY Sports. The executives spoke only on the condition of anonymity because the Orioles have yet to make the public announcement.

Elias, a Yale graduate who began in the St. Louis Cardinals organization as a scout, joined the Astros with GM Jeff Luhnow in 2011 where he was their director of amateur scouting. His role expanded to overseeing player development and minor-league operations.

Elias, according to the Astros, was the driving force to sign shortstop Carlos Correa with the first pick in the 2012 draft.

Elias is expected to hire former Astros special assistant Sig Mejdal, a former NASA engineer, to work with him.

The Orioles have been searching for a GM since firing Dan Duquette on Oct. 3  after seven years. The Orioles also dismissed manager Buck Showalter in the wake of their 47-115 season, the worst record in franchise history.