Ari Kaplan

Ari Kaplan is a leading figure in sports analytics and one of the few long-term baseball leaders with a proven track record at Fortune 500 companies. ‘The real Moneyball guy” according to Forrester, he is known throughout the Major Leagues for revolutionizing and modernizing player assessment, including having developed the “expected” ranking system currently in use. His use of analytics and technology helps coaches prepare for games, players understand their strengths and weaknesses, general managers forecast future performance and risk, and executives of all stripes make decisions – not guesses. Kaplan has worked with over half of all MLB organizations and many global sports media organizations, and his baseball career spans 25 seasons. Represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, he shares insights on how executives make data-driven decisions based on analytics, big data, and critical thinking. While sharing insider baseball stories, he shows organizations how to find meaning in seemingly endless amounts of information and looks at where analytics will innovate in the future. Working to improve performance at every level, Kaplan combines technology, statistical analysis, and business acumen to produce a fresh perspective on decision-making.

With former world champion Dodger GM Fred Claire, Kaplan is the president of AriBall, a leading analyst and scouting firm. His work includes roster strategy, forecasting, advance scouting, player/coach game preparation, Minor League player development, draft analysis, international, arbitration, financial, budgeting, marketing, and community outreach.

Fortune 500 Expertise. Kaplan also served as president of the Independent Oracle Users Group for the world’s largest business software company, and he gained broad recognition in the IT marketplace as CEO of Expand Beyond Corp. He is one of the founding fathers of the mobile business software market and widely recognized as a leading authority in the IT industry. Kaplan has architected and led implementation of some of the most successful and visible data centers and applications for Fortune 500 companies including 3Com, Hallmark, Merck, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange.