The Washington Nationals are in the middle of a massive set of internal changes. After a very long run of ups and downs under Mike Rizzo and Dave Martinez as the previous braintrust in charge of the organization, the club is getting a bit of a facelift.
Martinez and Rizzo were fired back in July due to the team's struggles that have exceeded half of a decade now, and new leadership at multiple positions has begun to be ushered in to lead the organization forward. Paul Toboni is replacing Rizzo as the President of Baseball Operations, and Blake Butera is taking over as manager for Martinez, but more recently interim manager Miguel Cairo.
Since Toboni took over, the one thing that has been consistent is his preference of hiring young and upcoming names in the coaching and front office ranks. Toboni, just 35-years-old himself, is the youngest POBO in baseball, and Butera, only 33-years-old, is the youngest big league skipper in over 50 years.
Toboni and Butera have primarily chosen young and forward-thinking names to join them on their respective staffs, and the latest hire made by the duo will somehow make Nationals fans feel even younger. Ironically enough, the Nationals are sponsored by AARP, the organization for the elderly, which had been indicative of their previous regime, but now serves as an opposite for their current one.
But back to their hire, the Nationals have brought in Corey Ray, a former big leaguer and Top 5 pick in the 2013 by the Milwaukee Brewers out of Louisville, to be their first base coach for at least the 2026 season. As a player, Ray was an outfielder who peaked as high as the #30 prospect in baseball before the 2017 season, but he was not exactly what you would look to as a burner, with 89 stolen bases in parts of 6 seasons in the minor leagues.
He had previously been working for the Cubs in their minor league system as the organization's baserunning coordinator and had previously served as the bench coach for the Cubs' Low-A Myrtle Beach affiliate. At just 31-years-old, Ray is getting an early opportunity to make a massive jump in his career, and I am excited to see what he can do as the team's first base coach.
Gerardo Parra had been the first base coach for a number of years, but other than being a feel-good story as a member of the 2019 World Series team, his coaching performance had been subpar. While the Nationals reached new heights in the stolen bases department, they also were among the worst teams in the league with regard to smart baserunning and were near the top of the league in times caught stealing.
What do you think of the Corey Ray hire? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.