Do we have a prodigy here? More important, can he do the job, and do it well? Those were the questions many workplace veterans were asking last week after the Texas Rangers announced Jon Daniels as their new general manager. Mr. Daniels, a Cornell University graduate with a degree in applied economics and management, is two months past his 28th birthday. He is the youngest and least-experienced general manager in baseball history.

"That doesn't mean he can't do the job," said David Morrison, president of TWENTYSOMETHING Inc., a Philadelphia-based young adult marketing consultancy. "Yes, it's kind of mind-boggling, but there's been a paradigm shift in workplace culture, and this kid is proof."

Seniority, loyalty and paying one's dues are no longer requirements for achieving top management positions. What's important now is: What have you done for the company? Have you met the requirements? And are you doing what you need to be doing to keep the company moving forward? Another example comes from baseball. Mr. Daniels is only a few months younger than Theo Epstein was when he was hired as general manager of the Boston Red Sox in 2002. The team won the World Series two years later. Mr. Daniels spent four seasons with the Rangers, most recently as assistant GM, handling free-agent negotiations and financial matters such as payroll and budget management. His previous job was as an intern with the Colorado Rockies.

The corporate climate in many workplaces is changing, experts say. For the first time, four generations are active and critical to the American workforce – the Silent Generation (ages 60 to 72), baby boomers (ages 40 to 59), Generation Xers (ages 25 to 39) and Millennials (24 and under). Generation Xers are a highly motivated and educated generation that grasps opportunities. Many are putting their personal lives – starting a family, settling down in one place – on the back burner and focusing solely on their careers.

"They know what they want and they go get it," said TWENTYSOMETHING Inc.'s Mr. Morrison. "They realize they are building a résumé for the long-term, so for them, getting experience is absolutely paramount."

Some job hop to get ahead. Others go the route of development programs that companies have used for years to identify individuals who could someday occupy the corner office. Experts warn that moving too fast up the corporate ladder could leave young executives with far less experience in key areas of a business than someone whose career takes a little more time.

"By not coming up the conventional channels, these individuals might not have all the skills they need to do the job," Mr. Morrison said. "They have to be smart enough to bring in people, fill in the gaps in their learning curve. "CEOs are given a lot less latitude to make screw-ups."

Young leaders' business decisions are often analyzed and scrutinized. Failure, if it happens, becomes more pronounced.

"The downside is, if they fail, they are going to fall pretty fast and onto their sword," said one university professor. "People are not going to forgive." That doesn't necessarily mean their careers are over.

"Normally you would think it would be a strike against them for life," Mr. Morrison said. "The reality of it is, they're playing in the major leagues – no pun intended – and even if you screw up, it's still an incredible experience."

And that's where being young can be advantageous.