The Washington Nationals are close to finalizing an agreement to hire Blake Butera, a former minor-league manager and current director of player development, as their next skipper.
At 33, Butera will become the youngest manager in Major League Baseball in more than half a century. When he began managing in the Tampa Bay Rays organization in 2018 at just 25 years old, he was the youngest manager in all of minor-league baseball.
ESPN first reported the news of Butera’s expected hiring in Washington. He’ll succeed Miguel Cairo, who served as the Nationals’ interim manager after Dave Martinez and longtime general manager Mike Rizzo were dismissed in July.
The move marks the first major hire for new general manager Paul Toboni, who took over earlier this month. His arrival was followed by significant turnover across the front office and player development groups, with more than a dozen staffers and scouts not returning for 2026.
Butera has spent the past two seasons as the Rays’ senior director of player development. Drafted in the 35th round by Tampa Bay in 2015, he moved into coaching after two seasons as a minor-league infielder. He managed the Rays’ short-season affiliate in 2018 and 2019, then led Low-A Charleston from 2021 to 2022. In 2023, he was promoted to assistant field coordinator while also serving as Team Italy’s bench coach during the World Baseball Classic.
A Boston College alum, Butera played four collegiate seasons and spent two summers in the Cape Cod League.