Toboni: New skipper Butera 'blew me away' during hiring process

Blake Butera didn’t just stand out during his interview for the Nationals’ managerial opening.

“He blew me away throughout the process,” president of baseball operations Paul Toboni said.

Naming the eighth manager in Nats team history was Toboni’s biggest “to do” in his first month at the helm of the organization. On Tuesday, Toboni reflected on the decision to make the 33-year-old Butera the youngest Major League manager since 1972.

“It starts with the person that Blake is,” Toboni, 35, said during a Zoom with reporters. “I think he just very much aligns with the values that we hold sacred as an organization. Then, I think Blake's leadership skills really jumped out to us from the get-go. Those two things, in conjunction with each other, were two of the main driving factors.

“Also, he's got a pretty unique set of experiences that didn't necessarily lead us to making the decision in isolation, but I think were very beneficial as we considered Blake's candidacy relative to the other candidates.”

Unique résumé of experience

Butera was hired from the Rays organization, where he had been senior director of player development since 2023. Toboni and Butera didn’t know each other, but Toboni had heard positive feedback about Butera in baseball circles over the years. (He even scouted Butera at Boston College for the Red Sox.)

“I think maybe the most obvious [unique] thing, especially from the outside, would be the fact that he's coming from the front office overseeing player development,” Toboni said. “That hasn't happened very frequently, I think, throughout baseball. But then also, he doesn't have experience as a Major League manager, let alone a Major League staff member.

“So having said that, he's been a Minor League manager, and he had a lot of success as a Minor League manager. I think in that job you are exposed to a good amount of things where there is overlap with the Major League managerial position. The more we thought about it, the more we figured it was a great fit.”

Wide-ranging relatability

Toboni believes Butera’s “uncanny ability” to relate to others will help him succeed in the managerial role. Toboni described him as “incredibly humble, incredibly open minded, really even keeled.”

Butera is leading a young Nationals team on which James Wood and Dylan Crews are only 10 years his junior. At the same time, Butera was lauded for his relationship building with more veteran coaches.

“We want someone that is going to do a really good job creating a winning culture in the clubhouse and is able to hold players and staff accountable,” Toboni said. “From there, I just think we want someone that is aligned with our values and has those great leadership traits that I think can really push that group forward.”

Forming new coaching staff

Toboni and Butera are working together to shape the 2026 coaching staff. (Several members of the ‘25 staff already were informed they would not be returning unless added by the new manager.) Toboni believes Butera will understand his strengths and also have the humility to address areas for support when selecting his coaches.

“First and foremost, we want folks with character that are aligned with how we want to build this out,” Toboni said. “But then two, we want a level of expertise that can take shape in a number of different ways -- whether that's experience in the Major Leagues and an understanding of how to navigate in-game decision-making and experience doing so, or competence or expertise in the pitching or the hitting or in the defensive spaces.

“We want to create a really well informed staff that also does a great job connecting with players and staff members. I think what hopefully will shine through is, the diversity of experiences and backgrounds will really play a big role as well.”

Front office updates

In addition to the coaching staff, Toboni is shaping his front office, noting, “For the time being, I'm not planning on hiring a GM.” Mike DeBartolo, a long-time Nationals front-office member who had been named interim GM in July, will hold the role of a senior vice president and assistant GM to help oversee baseball operations.

Toboni also hired Devin Pearson (formerly Boston’s director of amateur scouting) and Justin Horowitz (formerly the Pirates’ director of amateur scouting) as assistant GMs. Pearson will oversee player development, and Horowitz will oversee acquisitions.

“They’re both just unbelievable leaders and teammates that I think will seamlessly transition into this organization and create really great relationships in short order,” Toboni said.