The Washington Nationals have wasted no time this offseason when it comes to making some big changes up front. Paul Toboni, the National’s President of Baseball Operations, and Blake Butera, the team’s manager, both new to the positions, continue to take chances on yet another younger front office hire. As the team continues to rebuild after another losing season, obtaining a new hitting coordinator was a priority.

At 29, Phillip Cebuhar leaves Charlotte Baseball with several impressive accomplishments. With four seasons under his belt as the hitting coach at Charlotte, Cebuhar racked up 346 home runs. During Charlotte’s 2023 season, the 49ers broke the 100-home run mark with 103 home runs that season, marking only the second time in program history that milestone occurred. He also oversaw either the drafting or signing of six professionals out of the 49ers program headlined by All-American selections David McCabe and Cam Fisher.

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During his first season with Charlotte, program records continued to be set. Heading into the 2023 NCAA Regionals, Cebuhar’s aggressive offense posted 371 walks, the most walks by any team heading into the tournament.

Cebuhar also recorded over 250 walks during all four seasons, which hasn’t been achieved since the team’s 2011 season.

In a recent press release, Charlotte’s head coach, Robert Woodard, said, “Phillip Cebuhar has been a tremendous asset to Charlotte Baseball, and we are incredibly grateful for his relentless effort, professionalism, and dedication to our program.”

“His daily commitment to developing our players and elevating our standards has made a lasting impact on this team and our culture. We are extremely proud of Phillip and thrilled for his opportunity to serve as the Hitting Coordinator for the Washington Nationals. It is a well-earned next step for a coach of his talent, integrity, and work ethic.”

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Cebuhar also becomes the third assistant under Charlotte manager Robert Woodard to head to the pros after Austin Meine went to the Baltimore Orioles and Michael Oh to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Before his time with Charlotte, Cebuhar started off his coaching experience as a graduate assistant from 2018 to 2021 at the University of Arkansas. In 2019, he became a Dominican Summer League assistant hitting, catching, and base coach as well as a player analyst for the Cleveland Indians Minor League team.

Crucial to his career, these coaches help to develop young international players for the MLB. To add to his resume, Cebuhar spent 2022 as the Orleans Firebirds hitting coach, a premier collegiate summer baseball league located in Cape Cod.

Now, Cebuhar aims to take his talent to the next level with the Nationals. It’s evident that he’s what the Nationals need after years of struggling offensive efforts in the past seasons. It wouldn’t be unusual to continue seeing younger hires for the Nationals, in hopes that these young, aggressive minds can reshape the team and offer new approaches and tactics for the upcoming season.

Soon, the attention will shift toward the 2026 roster with a pair of Nationals mentioned by ESPN among 15 potential trade candidates this offseason and over 30 free agents following the 2025 season.