The Major League Baseball offseason is well underway, the time of year when players and prospects are moved across the country as teams prepare for spring training. Coaches shift around as well, and one of them is Charlotte 49ers Hitting Coach Phillip Cebuhar.

Charlotte confirmed that Cebuhar has accepted a job with the Washington Nationals. It is not a surprising development with the Nationals prioritizing youth in their rebuild.

Washington is seeking a fresh start after a 66–96 season, the worst mark in the National League East. 

The organization hired Blake Butera as manager, making him the youngest MLB skipper in more than 50 years. At 29 years old, Cebuhar fits right in with the young staff in the dugout at Nationals Park.

While Cebuhar lacks major league experience, he earned the opportunity after an impressive four-year run with the 49ers. Under his guidance, Charlotte hit 346 home runs. His standout season came in 2023 with 103 homers, only the second triple-digit home run year in program history. 

Charlotte also showed strong plate discipline during Cebuhar’s tenure, drawing at least 250 walks in each season.

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Fifth-year outfielder Carson Bayne swings at a pitch during the Oct. 17 exhibition game.

Campbell Marchant/Niner Times

Coaching a college team, Cebuhar has seen the beginning of the player pipeline, working with multiple Charlotte standouts who were later drafted. With the Nationals, he will now work with players at the opposite end of that pipeline. 

Washington is investing heavily in young talent, which is promising long-term, but developing those players in the coming years is critical. Cebuhar now faces the task of preparing these prospects for major league pitching.

Cebuhar himself will also make a major adjustment. Coaching a Division I program is no small job, but major league competition is a different challenge. 

College fastballs average around 85 to 90 mph, while the major league average sits at 94, not to mention the growing number of pitchers who regularly touch 100 mph and feature deeper arsenals than most college bullpens.

It may prove to be a steep climb for Cebuhar, but he joins a fresh dugout in Washington. The Nationals have plenty of questions heading into 2026, but if Cebuhar can get their hitters to perform anything like the 49ers did under his leadership, it could be a fun year in the district.