The Nationals are working to finalize a deal to name 33-year-old Blake Butera as their next manager, an out-of-the-box hiring of someone who never played or coached above Single-A but was highly regarded for his work leading the Rays’ much-touted player development system.
The expected hiring of Butera, which was confirmed by a source familiar with the decision, would make him Major League Baseball’s youngest manager since 1972, not to mention thrust a previously little-known figure in the sport into a high-profile job in the nation’s capital.
Unconventional as the move – which was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan – may sound, Butera appears to align well with new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni. Well-versed in analytics and player development, Butera shares many of the qualities that made Toboni, 35, the choice of Nationals ownership to reshape the organization after 17 years under former general manager Mike Rizzo.
Butera has been employed by the Rays in one capacity or another since 2015, when the former infielder was selected in the 35th round of the MLB Draft out of Boston College. The Louisiana native played only two seasons of professional ball, never advancing beyond the short-season Single-A level, but he immediately went into coaching upon his retirement and spent the next decade working in a variety of roles for Tampa Bay.
By 2018, at the age of 25, Butera was named manager of the Hudson Valley Renegades and led that short-season Single-A club to the first of two consecutive first-place finishes in the New York-Penn League. He was promoted to manager of the low Single-A Charleston River Dogs in 2021 and led that team to back-to-back Carolina League titles, with an 88-44 record in 2022.
Well-regarded for a farm system that consistently produces top players, the Rays promoted Butera to minor league assistant field coordinator in 2023, then to senior director of player development in 2024, the title he has held the last two years.
Butera also has coaching experience at the international level, serving as bench coach for Italy in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, the quality control coach for Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League and a coach for the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League.
Though he’ll become MLB’s youngest manager since the Twins hired 33-year-old Frank Quilici in 1972, Butera inherits a Nationals clubhouse that is one of the youngest in the sport. The only current player under contract for 2026 who is older than him is right-hander Trevor Williams, born four months before Butera in 1992.
It will make for a stark contrast from recent club history. Butera replaces 51-year-old Miguel Cairo, who served as interim manager since July 6 after the firing of Davey Martinez, who was 53 when he was hired prior to the 2018 season. Dusty Baker was 67 when he was hired in 2016, Matt Williams was 48 when he was hired in 2014, Davey Johnson was 68 when he was hired in 2011 and Jim Riggleman was 56 when he was hired in 2009. The only younger manager in Nats history was Manny Acta, who was 38 when he was hired in 2007, though he had prior experience as a major league third base coach with the Mets and Expos.