While the roster movement became a bigger storyline surrounding the Washington Nationals heading into winter meetings this week, president of baseball operations revealed the 12-man coaching staff under manager Blake Butera.
Washington ended the 2025 season with ten on the coaching staff with an average age of 51, compared to 36 heading into the 2026 season.
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Manager Blake Butera, of course, joins the organization as MLB’s youngest active manager while becoming the youngest hire in over 50 years. He joins the organization after previously spending time as the manager of the Hudson Valley Renegades, the High-A affiliate under the Tampa Bay Rays, before moving on as the manager of the Charleston RiverDogs in 2021 and 2022 where he posted a combined 170-82 record. Butera was announced as the Nationals’ new manager on Oct. 31, 2025.
The addition of Michael Johns and Simon Matthews was previously reported, while former first-round selection Corey Ray joins the organization in a multi-faceted role as the first base, outfield and base running coach.
Tyler Smarslok joins the franchise after being part of manager Clayton McCullough’s staff with the Miami Marlins serving as the first base coach, but heads to Washington as field coordinator.
Matthew Borgschulte, who began his coaching career in the college ranks, joins Washington as the new hitting coach after serving as the primary hitting coach for the Minnesota Twins in 2024 and for the Baltimore Orioles from 2021.
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Andrew Aydt, who has never coached in the MLB ahead of his 30th birthday, joins as assistant hitting coach after previously working with Driveline Baseball where he worked with MLB starters like Cardinals’ Ivan Herrera.
The Nationals previously announced Simon Matthews as the new pitching coach, along with Toboni noting that former World Series champion and assistant Sean Doolittle will remain on the staff where he serves as the assistant pitching coach in 2026.
Glant became the second former college coach to join the Nationals’ coaching staff after Indiana University announced his departure on Sunday afternoon. He becomes the latest assistant from the college ranks to join the Nationals after news broke last week that former Charlotte assistant Phillip Cebuhar was headed to Washington as the new hitting coordinator.
Grant Anders joins the organization as bullpen catcher and development coach, as previously reported, while Victor Estevez and Bobby Wilson round out the coaching staff with Estevez filling in as third base and infield coach and Wilson as catching coach and run game coordinator. Estevez previously served as a manager in the minor league at the High-A level in the Milwaukee Brewers’ organization, where he has been since 2013. Wilson, meanwhile, was previously with the Texas Rangers where he served as catching coordinator and helped turn Jonah Heim into an American League Gold Glove winner in 2023.
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Full coaching staff:
Blake Butera: manager
Michael Johns: bench coach
Tyler Smarslok: field coordinator
Matt Borgschutle: hitting coach
Andrew Aydt: assistant hitting coach
Simon Matthews: pitching coach
Sean Doolittle: assistant pitching coach
Dustin Glant: assistant pitching & bullpen coach
Corey Ray: first base, outfield & base running coach
Victor Estevez: third base & infield coach
Bobby Wilson: catching coach & run game coordinator
Grant Anders: bullpen catcher & development coach