Nationals Name 2026 Senators Coaching Staff

HARRISBURG, Pa. (Jan. 29, 2026) – The Washington Nationals announced Thursday that Delino DeShields will manage the Harrisburg Senators for a fourth season in 2026.

DeShields joins Matt LeCroy as the only managers in modern Senators history of four straight seasons. DeShields trails LeCroy’s six managerial seasons overall (2012-2013, 2016-2019) for most in modern franchise history.

The Nationals are also returning pitching coach Rigo Beltrán, athletic trainer Don Neidig, and strength and conditioning coach Ryan Grose to the Senators staff. Darin Everson joins as hitting coach in his first season in the Nationals organization.

“We look forward to welcoming Delino and the staff back to City Island,” said Senators team president Kevin Kulp. “This crew has a wealth of baseball experience and knowledge which is great for us and our fans to watch in action each night.”

DeShields is fourth in modern franchise history with 195 wins trailing only Matt LeCroy, Dave Tremblay, and John Stearns. Twenty-one players from DeShields’ three previous years as Senators manager have gone on to make their Major League debut so far.

Prior to joining the Nationals organization, DeShields spent 14 seasons in the Cincinnati Reds organization, including serving as the first base, infield, and baserunning coach on the Major League staff from 2019 through 2022.

As a player, the Montreal Expos drafted DeShields in the first round of the 1987 Draft. DeShields played 13 seasons in the Majors with Montreal, Los Angeles (NL), St. Louis, Baltimore, and Chicago (NL). DeShields’ 463 career stolen bases rank in the top 50 all-time in Major League history.

Beltrán returns for his third season as Harrisburg’s pitching coach. He joined the organization after spending the 2023 season as the Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen coach.

Beltrán coached for nine seasons overall in the Cleveland organization, including one year as Double-A Akron’s pitching coach. As a player, Beltrán appeared in 78 Major League games across five seasons with St. Louis, New York (NL), Colorado, and Montreal.

Everson returns to the Eastern League and City Island after playing part of the 1995 season with the Senators and part of the 1998 season with Trenton. Everson also managed Colorado’s Double-A New Britain Rock Cats and Hartford Yard Goats (2015-2016) while later serving as hitting coach for the Mets’ Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies (2023-2024). Last year, Everson was assistant hitting coach for Kansas City’s Triple-A Omaha. He has spent the last 20 years as a coach, manager, or hitting coordinator.

Pete Horner is named the assistant pitching coach in his first season in Harrisburg and with Washington. A graduate of Bowling Green University, Horner has served on the baseball staff of his alma mater, Bowling Green, as well as McPherson College (Kan.), Ave Maria University (Fla.), and Southeastern University (Fla.) most recently.

Nik McClaughry is the defensive coach in his first season with the Senators and in the Nationals organization. He was drafted by San Diego in the tenth round of the 2023 Draft out of the University of Arizona. McClaughry played three seasons in the Minors in the San Diego and Seattle organizations. He previously served as assistant director of player development (position players) at Louisiana State University.

The Nationals named JT Heenan as a coach on staff as well for his first year in Harrisburg and with Washington. Previously, he was a development coach in the Texas organization before joining Ohio University as an assistant baseball coach. Most recently, Heenan served as head baseball coach and as a Special Education teacher at local East Pennsboro Area High School in Enola, Pa. He’s a graduate of West Virginia University.

Neidig returns for his fourth season with the Senators as athletic trainer and 13th in the Nationals organization. He was with the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2022 after spending the previous three seasons with Potomac. Neidig’s professional career began in the Pittsburgh organization. He graduated from Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pa., where he resides in the offseason.

Brooke Boggs joins Neidig as the staff’s associate athletic trainer. She enters the Washington system after serving as assistant athletic trainer of Double-A Arkansas in the Seattle organization. She’s also spent one season in the Boston and Milwaukee systems and two seasons in the Miami organization. Boggs is a graduate of Carroll University (Wis.) (Bachelor of Science) and Southeastern Louisiana University (Master of Science).

Grose returns for his fourth season with the Senators and seventh overall in the Nationals system. Prior to Harrisburg, he spent two seasons in Fredericksburg and one year with the Auburn Doubledays. Grose was in the Minnesota organization for three seasons before joining Washington.

Juan Carlos Gonzalez is named the associate strength and conditioning coach for his first season in Harrisburg and in the Washington organization. Gonzalez is a graduate of Grand Canyon University with a bachelor's and a master’s degree.

The Senators offices are open 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Opening Day in Harrisburg is Tuesday, April 7, against the Akron RubberDucks. For more information, visit senatorsbaseball.com, call 717.231.4444 or visit the Senators at FNB Field.