While the Washington Nationals have undergone a sweeping overhaul across their front office and coaching staffs this offseason, one key piece of the organization’s infrastructure remains unchanged - and that continuity might be one of their biggest strengths moving forward.
Victor Rodriguez, the club’s director of international operations, is still leading the Nationals’ international scouting department. Originally hired in 2023 by longtime GM Mike Rizzo, Rodriguez has retained his role under the new leadership of Paul Toboni, who now heads up baseball operations. That kind of stability in a department as vital as international scouting is no small thing - especially when it’s anchored by someone with strong ties to the new regime.
Rodriguez’s résumé reads like a scouting reunion tour. His first job in baseball was with the Red Sox, where he worked alongside both Toboni and Justin Horowitz.
His next stop was with the Rays, where he overlapped with Anirudh Kilambi. Now, all three of those former colleagues are key decision-makers in the Nationals’ front office - and Rodriguez is a trusted voice running one of the most important pipelines in the organization.
“It’s always good to come and see somebody that you’ve worked with in the past,” Rodriguez said Thursday, as MLB’s international signing period officially opened. “That learning curve and that trust gets expedited a little bit better. It’s really exciting for me to be able to work alongside all these guys again.”
And Rodriguez’s department had plenty to show for their efforts.
The Nationals signed 15 players from three Latin American countries on Thursday, headlined by a pair of high-upside Dominican outfielders: Samil Serrano and Isaias Suarez. Both 17 years old.
Both considered among the top international prospects in this year’s class. And both signed for $1.9 million bonuses, according to a source familiar with the deals.
Serrano is the bigger name - literally and figuratively. At 6-foot-3, the left-handed hitter has a smooth swing that projects to play gap-to-gap, with the kind of frame that scouts believe could grow into legitimate power as he fills out.
Baseball America ranked him as the No. 16 prospect in the international class; MLB Pipeline had him at No. 26.
“As we evolved in the evaluation process, we got to see that that sweet swing plays in the game,” Rodriguez said. “Looking at the body type and how much room he has to grow into some significant mass, we firmly believe this guy has the opportunity to hit and grow into some power as well.”
Suarez, meanwhile, brings a different flavor to the outfield. He’s a 6-foot-2 right-handed hitter with advanced defensive instincts and elite speed.
While he’s still developing offensively, his athleticism and upside are undeniable. Baseball America ranked him No. 18 in the class; MLB Pipeline had him at No.
“This guy is very similar to Samil,” Rodriguez said, “except this guy is significantly more twitchy, more of a runner. We believe in the attributes - there’s a ton of upside here.”
In total, the Nationals signed eight players from the Dominican Republic, including Serrano and Suarez. They also added outfielder Angel Ramirez, who received a $1 million bonus, as well as outfielders Juan Duran and Jawel Garcia, infielders Euris Acosta and Rayniel Lache, and catcher Carlos Mueses.
From Venezuela, the Nats brought in right-handers Santiago Moreno, Christopher Navas, Josue Rondon, and Aldemaro Sevilla, along with catchers Pedro Guerra and Luis Tarifa. Panamanian outfielder Brad Rodriguez rounded out the class.
Altogether, the group represents a significant investment from the Nationals, who had a total bonus pool of $6,679,200 to work with during this signing period.
What’s notable is that many of these players had been on Rodriguez’s radar long before the Nationals’ front office shake-up. Despite the organizational changes, there was alignment between Rodriguez and the new leadership on the types of players the team wanted to target - a sign that the Nationals may be entering a new era with a clear, unified vision.
“It seemed like for the most part we were on the same page,” Rodriguez said. “They provided whatever resources we needed in the little bit of time we had left before this deadline. It’s been very positive.”
And perhaps most importantly, there’s a level of trust already built into the process - something that doesn’t always come easy in a newly restructured front office.
“There has been a previous relationship with these guys on a personal level, which is very exciting,” Rodriguez added. “They kind of knew how I worked. So the support’s been great, and it’s going to be real exciting to see what we do next year.”
For a Nationals organization in the midst of a rebuild, these international signings represent more than just raw talent. They’re the early building blocks of a long-term plan - one that’s starting to take shape with a front office that’s finally pulling in the same direction.