The Nationals are heading into this weekend’s Draft with a different voice running the room, but not a lack of familiarity with the process.
Paul Toboni is in his first season as president of baseball operations, and Washington will make its first selection at No. 11 overall on Saturday. Toboni arrives with a track record from his time with the Red Sox, where he oversaw Major and Minor League development and helped guide the selections and development of Roman Anthony, taken No. 79 overall in 2022, and Marcelo Meyer, the No. 4 pick in 2021.
“I’m really excited for it. It's one of my favorite times of the year,” Toboni said.
“It’s kind of how I grew up in the game, so to speak. Even with my current responsibilities not really mandating that I'd be involved a ton, I like going on our database and looking up the different players and watching video and all that.
“We're really fortunate in that [director, amateur acquisitions] Des McGowan and [assistant director, amateur acquisitions] Lloyd Hill and Justin Horowitz, we have great trust in all of them that they'll put us in a great position to make some great picks. And I’ll be along for the ride.”
One of Toboni’s biggest moves was bringing Horowitz over from Pittsburgh to serve as assistant general manager and oversee the Nationals’ amateur, international and professional acquisitions. Horowitz had been the Pirates’ amateur scouting director from 2023-25 and ran their Draft operation in 2024 and 2025, when Pittsburgh selected Konnor Griffin at No. 9 overall in 2024 and Seth Hernandez at No. 6 overall in 2025.
Griffin, now 20, is already in the Majors and went 5-for-13 against the Nationals this past weekend. Horowitz also worked with Toboni in Boston, where he rose to special assistant in amateur scouting from 2020-23.
Washington’s Day 1 picks are set at 11, 42, 78 and 106, and the club’s bonus pool sits at $12,278,300.
The organization also has a recent first-rounder to point to in Eli Willits, the No. 1 overall pick last year. The Nationals took the 17-year-old high school shortstop, son of former Major Leaguer Reggie Willits, making him the youngest player selected first overall since Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987.
Willits is now the Nationals’ No. 1 prospect and MLB’s No. 3 prospect, and he’s already reached High-A in his first pro season. Mike DeBartolo was serving as interim GM for that 2025 Draft.
Another name from that class making noise is right-hander Miguel Sime Jr., the No. 111 pick. Sime has drawn attention for touching triple digits while still a teenager, earned a promotion to High-A after his first 10 pro starts, and now ranks as the Nationals’ No. 17 prospect. He was also named to the 2026 Futures Game during All-Star Weekend, alongside Willits.
At No. 11, MLB Pipeline’s latest Mock Draft has Washington linked to Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese.
The note on the pick says, “No one has jumped out to the lead, but word is the Nats do like the Mississippi State third baseman.” Reese is ranked as the No.
18 Draft prospect.
Toboni said the board could shift fast once the picks start coming off.
“Things can change pretty quickly,” Toboni said. “We all like to think that many of these players are sure things when they're in A-ball, but that's not the case.
And it goes the other way as well. There are players that we're not talking about right now that are in A-ball or High-A or whatever it might be that end up being pretty darn good players.
“So we'll maintain an open mind. Honestly, so much that is dictated by just what the draft board looks like and who's available at your pick that I've just learned over the years that a lot of it kind of sorts itself out.”
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