Washington Nationals Lose Hitting Assistant to Seattle Mariners

The Washington Nationals previously made the decision to retain the full 12-man coaching staff under manager Blake Butera, but on day two of the offseason, a notable coaching departure from the organization materialized.

Reports broke on Friday that the Seattle Mariners are hiring the Nationals' director of hitting CJ Gilllman as the new hitting coach, marking a blow to the coaching staff. Yet it also marks a reunion for Gillman given he previously served as the Mariners' minor league hitting coach for four seasons starting in 2022. Seattle is coming off multiple staff changes to end the regular season including manager Dan Wilson, marking Gillman's expected hire the first hire to replace any of the four new vacancies.

Still, Gillman also returns to the Mariners organization with familiarity with several others along the roster having worked with others like Colt Emerson and Lazaro Montes, while he inherits several young players with catcher Cal Raleigh among the key pieces on the 2027 roster.

Gillman was a key part of a Nationals' team that ranked among the league's best in multiple categories and leading the MLB in runs scored for the bulk of the 2026 regular season. That also included improvement across the Nationals' farm system where Gillman was closely involved as the organization saw significant improvement in pitch selection, exit velocity and launch angle as part of the team's new hitting philosophy.

How the Nationals fill Gillman's role on the staff now poses a major question for president of baseball operations Paul Toboni and the front office to answer with the rest of the offseason still left to unfold.

Prior to his time with the Mariners, Gillman served as the minor league hitting coordinator with the Cincinnati Reds for two seasons beginning in 2019, marking his first role in the MLB. He made the jump to the MLB after previously serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for over five years at the Air Force Academy, while he began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Dayton during the 2013 season. Gillman also spent one season with the Colorado Rockies before suiting up for the Windy City ThunderBolts, a professional independent minor league team outside of Chicago.

Neither the Seattle Mariners nor Washington Nationals have confirmed the news since, though Gillman's expected hire comes as two candidates have emerged to take over as the Mariners' new manager in 2027.