The Boston Red Sox are parting ways with one of their brightest young executives, as Paul Toboni, Assistant General Manager and Senior Vice President of Operations, is leaving to take a leadership role with the Washington Nationals. The move, first reported by Jeff Passan, marks a major shift for both organizations.
Toboni’s ascent through Boston’s front office has been nothing short of remarkable. Beginning as a baseball operations intern in 2015, he quickly climbed the ladder from area scout to director of amateur scouting, and later to Vice President in 2023. When Craig Breslow was hired as Chief Baseball Officer, Toboni was promoted again, adding Assistant GM duties to his portfolio.
During his tenure, Toboni became one of the most respected evaluators in the organization. He played a central role in drafting and developing many of the Red Sox’s most promising young players, including Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, Payton Tolle, and Connelly Early. He also oversaw key scouting decisions that shaped trades, such as the package involving Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, and Chase Meidroth in the Garrett Crochet deal.
His influence in building Boston’s farm system often flew under the radar, but insiders considered him a driving force behind its resurgence. While some credited former Chief Chaim Bloom for restocking the pipeline, Toboni’s fingerprints were evident in many of the team’s most successful draft classes. His departure leaves a significant gap in Boston’s player development infrastructure.
For the Nationals, Toboni represents a major hire as they continue their rebuild. Though his exact title has not been formally announced, he is expected to oversee baseball operations at the highest level. Washington is betting that Toboni’s scouting acumen and track record of talent evaluation can help them keep pace with division rivals like the Mets and Phillies, who lean heavily on aggressive spending.
Toboni’s career arc now places him alongside other front office standouts who left successful organizations for bigger roles, such as Andrew Friedman and David Stearns. If he can replicate their success in Washington, his exit from Boston may one day be viewed as one of the defining front office moves of the decade.
