The Nationals plan to hire Brian Rodgers as their next international scouting director, according to a report in The Athletic, in the organization’s latest attempt to modernize its front office.
Rodgers has been with the Houston Astros since 2022, and has worked in international scouting for nearly a decade. Victor Rodriguez, the Nationals’ international scouting director since 2024, will move to a new role within the organization, according to the report.
A year ago, the Nationals completely remodeled their front office, major league coaching staff and player development system, hiring Paul Toboni as president of baseball operations, Ani Kilambi as general manager, and Blake Butera as manager. Kilambi plans to expand the team’s analytics department this offseason and hire an assistant general manager to lead the new-look unit.
International scouting has not been one of the organization’s strengths in recent years. The team’s 2019 World Series championship featured multiple international players who came up through the Nationals’ system, including Juan Soto and Victor Robles, but most of the Nationals’ current young core was built through the draft and trades.
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While the Nationals are concluding their seventh consecutive losing season, there is reason for optimism. The team currently has more wins (73) than it has earned in a season since the 2019 World Series-winning campaign, and young players like James Woods (24) and CJ Abrams (25) have proven themselves as potential franchise cornerstones.
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