The Washington Nationals have begun a sweeping overhaul of their baseball operations department under newly appointed president of baseball operations Paul Toboni, in what stands as the most significant front-office shakeup since the club’s 2019 World Series championship.
The organization has parted ways with more than half a dozen employees, including assistant general managers Eddie Longosz and Mark Scialabba, both long-serving executives who had been foundational pieces of the front office during the Mike Rizzo era (h/t Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic).
Toboni was officially introduced last week at Nationals Park after leaving the Boston Red Sox organization, where he had built a strong reputation in scouting and player development. The 35-year-old’s arrival opened the door to an immediate shift in direction for a franchise that has not recorded a winning season since 2019. Within days of assuming office, Toboni commenced an extensive overhaul, parting with prominent staff and several scouts tied to the organization’s Florida complex.
Longosz and Scialabba’s exits epitomize the end of two of the Nationals’ longest tenures. Eddie Longosz, who joined Washington in 2010, rose from scouting assistant to vice president and assistant general manager of player development and administration in November 2023. He had previously captained the club’s scouting operations for eight seasons, serving as the backbone of its draft and player development strategies.
Mark Scialabba, a fixture in the Nationals’ front office since 2006, began as assistant director of player development and later became director of minor league operations (2009–2013) and director of player development (2013–2019). He moved into the assistant GM role for player development in 2019, then climbed the ranks to assistant GM of player personnel in 2021, overseeing the club’s minor-league pipeline and roster depth decisions.
These dismissals follow earlier offseason departures of former scouting director Danny Haas, who joined the Baltimore Orioles, and senior director of amateur scouting Brad Ciolek, who accepted a position with the Detroit Tigers. Both moves occurred after the July firing of longtime executive Rizzo and World Series–winning manager Dave Martinez.
In the meantime, as the GM chair remains up for grabs, Mike DeBartolo, who served as interim GM following Rizzo’s dismissal, will stay with the organization. Toboni has not confirmed whether the GM role will continue under his leadership structure, leaving DeBartolo’s future responsibilities unclear.
