Nats bring back entire minor league staff, with few role changes

The Nationals’ minor league coaching staff is mostly staying put for 2025, with a couple of notable affiliate and role changes.

The Nats unveiled their entire player development staff for the upcoming season Wednesday, and it features plenty of familiar names who have been with the organization for some time.

Triple-A manager Matt LeCroy and Double-A manager Delino DeShields both return, with LeCroy about to enter his fifth season in Rochester and DeShields entering his third season in Harrisburg.

LeCroy, who played 39 games for the Nationals in 2006, has been a coach or manager within the organization continuously since 2008 and has managed every affiliate from low Single-A through Triple-A. He also served on the big league staff from 2014-15 as bullpen coach. He’s the first Rochester manager to hold the job for five seasons since Joe Altobelli from 1971-76.

DeShields joined the Nats in 2023 after a long stint with the Reds. The former Expos second baseman has become a mainstay in Harrisburg, helping top prospects James Wood, Dylan Crews and Brady House navigate their way toward Washington.

LeCroy’s staff in Rochester remains mostly intact, with Rafael Chaves (pitching coach) and Brian Daubach (hitting coach) both returning. He’ll have a new development coach in Mario Lisson, who moves up to Triple-A after managing at high Single-A Wilmington.

DeShields’ staff in Harrisburg returns fully intact: Rigo Beltran (pitching coach), Jeff Livesey (hitting coach) and Oscar Salazar (development coach).

With Lisson now at Triple-A, Jake Lowery moves up from low Single-A Fredericksburg to manage in Wilmington. The Virginia native and former James Madison catcher was a player in the Nationals system from 2016-20, then immediately became a minor league manager upon retiring. He began in 2021 with the Florida Complex League Nationals, then spent the last two seasons in Fredericksburg, where he led a young FredNats roster with some highly rated prospects to a league title.

Lowery inherits the existing staff in Wilmington: Mark DiFelice (pitching coach), Delwyn Young (hitting coach) and Mark Harris (development coach).

The new manager in Fredericksburg is Billy McMillon, who spent the last three seasons as development coach in Rochester. The former big league outfielder managed and coached in the Red Sox organization for more than a decade before joining the Nationals in 2022.

McMillon’s staff includes returning pitching coach Justin Lord and hitting coach Mike Habas, plus new development coach Luis Ordaz, who previously managed the FCL Nationals. Carmelo Jaime takes over as manager of the rookie level team in West Palm Beach.

The Nationals are also bringing back all eight of their minor league coordinators, including several with longstanding ties to the organization. Bob Henley (field coordinator) and Randy Knorr (catching coordinator) have been employed by the franchise since it arrived in Washington in 2005. The other returning coordinators are Sam Narron (pitching), Joel Hanrahan (rehab pitching), Tommy Everidge (hitting), Jeff Garber (fundamentals), Chris Prieto (outfield/baserunning) and Jason Wood (infield).