Ken Griffey Jr. Hired by MLB, Will Serve as Senior Advisor to Commissioner

Ken Griffey Jr. is coming back to Major League Baseball. On Friday, the league announced Griffey will serve as a senior advisor to commissioner Rob Manfred. His role will focus on consulting the commissioner's office on multiple issues including an emphasis on baseball operations and improvement of diversity at the amateur levels.

"I am humbled to be asked to work with Major League Baseball in this role," Griffey said in a statement, as reported by ESPN. "It will be an honor to represent the best sport in the world and to promote our game among today's youth." Griffey will also help with the youth development baseball and will serve as an ambassador during the league's youth initiatives and big events such as the All-Star Game and the World Series.

"We are thrilled that Ken will represent Major League Baseball on some of our sport's most important stages, alongside our current and future stars," Manfred said in a statement. "We welcome the perspective and insights that Ken gained as an historic player, as a parent, and as someone who has spent his life in and around our great game."

It's fitting that Griffey will be involved with youth baseball as he was once called "The Kid." Griffey, was one of the top players in the game during the 1990s and 2000s. He started his career with the Seattle Mariners in 1989 and became a star very quickly. He was selected to his first All-Star game in 1990 and was named AL MVP in 1997. Griffey was a member of the Mariners from 1989-1999 and then played for the Cincinnati Reds for nearly nine seasons. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2008. He signed back with the Mariners in 2009 and played his final season in 2010.

Griffey is one of the most prolific home run hitters of all-time. He finished his career with 630 home runs which rank seventh all-time. He is one of nine players in baseball history to hit over 600 homers. Griffey was also an elite center fielder, winning the Gold Glove 10 times. He won the Silver Slugger Award seven times and was named Comeback Player of the Year in 2005. Griffey led the American League in home runs four times.