NEW YORK — The New York Times brought a new generation of the Sulzberger family into its top ranks Wednesday, naming Arthur Gregg Sulzberger the deputy publisher. The appointment positions him to succeed his father as publisher and chairman of The New York Times Co.

Should he ascend to that position, Sulzberger, 36, would represent the fifth generation of his family to serve as publisher since the family patriarch, Adolph S. Ochs, bought the newspaper in 1896.

The selection of Sulzberger comes at a crucial moment for The Times, converging with a shake-up in the newsroom leadership and the impending release of a blueprint for reconfiguring the company for a digital and mobile future. Dean Baquet, executive editor of The Times, is reviewing a draft of the report and is expected to release it in some form in a matter of weeks.

At the same time, a downsizing of the newsroom looms early next year, stirring anxiety among employees who are already being instructed to embrace changes in the pace, tone, and form of The Times’ journalism.

The competition for the deputy publisher position was closely watched in the newsroom, and the fact that the selection came earlier than expected — the company had said it would happen by next May — will most likely be interpreted as further evidence that the pace of change is quickening.

Sulzberger, the son of Arthur Sulzberger Jr., who took over as publisher in 1992, was one of three candidates, all cousins. The others were Sam Dolnick, 35, who oversees many initiatives at The Times, including some in virtual reality and podcasts; and David Perpich, 39, who works on the business side and helped put in place The Times’ paywall and other subscription products.

The family trustees and The Times Co.’s board approved the appointment after a recommendation from a seven-member committee, which was formed as part of a formal selection process intended to ensure an even playing field for family members. In previous succession choices there was tension in the family over the perception that sons in the Sulzberger line held an advantage.

Sulzberger was widely considered the front-runner by employees in the newsroom, in part because he led the team that drafted The Times’ 2014 “innovation report,’’ which laid the groundwork for the company’s digital transformation.