Born on Nov. 11, 1961, in Medford, Ore., Towers was drafted by the Padres in 1982 and pitched for the organization through 1989. Injuries derailed his playing career in Triple-A, but he was then hired as a scout for San Diego in 1990.
Towers was the Padres’ scouting director in 1994-95 and was promoted to GM in 1995, a role he held until October 2009. He was 33 when he was named GM, one of the youngest to attain such a position. The Padres won the National League pennant in 1998.
Source: MLB.com