The New York Mets formally introduced David Stearns as president of baseball operations on Monday.

Stearns, 38, was placed above general manager Billy Eppler and under owner Steve Cohen in a working structure fairly common around baseball but new to the Mets.

Cohen had been seeking a president of baseball operations to oversee the entire department since buying the club in November 2020. Several attractive candidates, including Stearns, were unavailable during a three-year process that Cohen called "sort of dog years."

"I'm really excited by this," Cohen said. "You know, I've been really patient looking for the right person. As David and I got to know each other, I mean, it's clear that we're aligned in our thinking. We get along very well."