Paul Toboni has wasted little time putting his stamp on the Washington Nationals, and the next area getting a bigger push is the club’s analytics operation.
After moving carefully on the major league roster, Toboni has already made clear he wants the organization to operate differently. That has included bringing in new technology to aid player development and, now, preparing to grow the baseball operations staff on the data side even more.
According to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, Washington “will hire more analytics staffers to match their growing ambitions.”
General manager Ani Kilambi told Nusbaum the Nationals plan to post “at least a dozen job openings in the analytics department.” Those roles are expected to lean heavily into data work tied to player projections, player acquisitions and player development. Nusbaum also noted that the Nationals could add jobs in biomechanics and major league strategy, along with more help in on-field performance evaluations.
The move fits the direction the sport has taken as analytics continues to shape how teams make decisions. Washington is clearly leaning into that reality, and Toboni’s front office is treating it like a priority rather than an accessory.
Right now, the Nationals have 19 people in their analytics department, per Nusbaum. Teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies - clubs known for their analytical approach - reportedly have staffs that are twice as large.
Part of the reason for the push is simple: Washington’s current group got stretched thin over the course of the season. Adding more people with experience in a more advanced analytical environment should help the Nationals handle everything more smoothly this offseason, from evaluating potential acquisitions to building coaching tools to digging deeper into pitchers and hitters.
None of that guarantees a return to World Series contention. But it is another clear sign of how Toboni is reshaping the franchise, and given how much Washington needed a reset, there should be real benefits to come from the changes already taking hold.
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