The Chicago White Sox announced that Mike Shirley, their amateur scouting director, has resigned. This news was shared on Saturday before the team’s 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Shirley stepped down amid allegations reported by The Athletic, accusing him of inappropriate racial and sexist comments directed towards coworkers.

Reports revealed that Shirley was placed on administrative leave following an anonymous tip about his conduct during the Area Code Games in Long Beach, California, in August. This event is a major scouting occasion attended by high school players, scouting directors, and front-office employees.

An additional investigation into Shirley’s conduct included claims of using vulgar language about women. The White Sox have made it their policy not to comment on personnel matters, according to MLB.com.

The Athletic also reported that Shirley had previously been the subject of an internal investigation. An anonymous tip from a former White Sox employee had alleged misconduct towards scouts from underrepresented groups. Despite this, no disciplinary action was taken after the investigation found no wrongdoing.

Shirley, 56, became the director of amateur scouting for the White Sox in September 2019. Before this role, he served as an assistant scouting director and cross-checker from 2010 to 2018.

This year, Shirley’s department concentrated on Chicago’s first overall pick in the MLB Draft, a rare occurrence for the franchise. With a record Draft pool of $20,489,500, the White Sox selected shortstop Roch Cholowsky from UCLA. Cholowsky was sidelined for the season in August due to right wrist soreness.