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The Washington Nationals are set to hire a new manager, according to ESPNBlake Butera, 33, will become baseball’s youngest skipper in more than 50 yearsButera previously held positions with the Tampa Bay Rays

The Washington Nationals are reportedly set to hire a new manager — and he’ll be the youngest baseball skipper in 53 years!

The Nats are finalizing a deal to hire Blake Butera, 33, according to ESPN, which was first to report the news, and The Washington Post. 

As of Thursday afternoon, the team had not yet confirmed Butera’s hiring.

Butera, who was previously senior director of player development for the Tampa Bay Rays, worked for four seasons as a minor league manager in the organization and sported a 258-144 record.

Born on Aug. 7, 1992, Butera would become the youngest manager in the MLB since Frank Quilici managed the Minnesota Twins at 33 years and 27 days old in 1972, according to MLB.com.

Blake Butera.

Tom Priddy/Four Seam Images via AP

Butera’s hiring is the first significant signing since Paul Toboni, 35, was hired earlier this month as the team’s president of baseball operations.

In his role with the Rays, Butera was in charge of player development as the franchise’s farm director.

If his hiring is confirmed, Butera will succeed Dave Martinez, who was fired in July after nearly eight seasons. Miguel Cairo served as interim manager for the rest of the season, which the Nationals finished with a 66-96 record.

Butera first forged a career as a player, where he was selected by the Rays in the 35th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, but quickly made the switch to coaching.

By 2018, he had become the youngest manager in Minor League Baseball at the age of 25.

Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza, who had Butera as his bench coach for Team Italy, is excited about the Nats’ new managerial prospect.

“I think it’s a great hire and I’m so happy for him,” the former New York Mets star said, according to MLB.com. “He is [a] very loyal, diligent, efficient, and dedicated baseball man. He commands respect with his knowledge and demeanor. He will always strive to put his players in a position to succeed. It was a pleasure to work with him.”