A big bombshell on the Washington Nationals GM search has just come out. Bob Nightengale reported that the Nationals have begun the process of interviewing GM candidates. Nightengale also dropped a name that is in the mix. That name is Cubs General Manager Carter Hawkins.
Until today, news
had been quiet on the GM front. Interim GM Mike DeBartolo is obviously a candidate for the job, but we did not know who the other candidates were. Fans and pundits took some educated guesses, but there was no concrete information.
Now we have a real name. Barry Svrluga followed up the report by saying that Hawkins had not been interviewed yet, but that he is in the mix for the job. That means an interview is likely to happen sometime soon.
So what do Nationals fans need to know about Carter Hawkins? Well, he has an impressive resume. After playing at Vanderbilt, Hawkins joined the Indians front office as an intern. He quickly impressed and became a full time scout for the organization. It was claimed that he was the guy who found Jose Ramirez, but this is something he denied.
Hawkins worked in the Indians organization for the next decade. He was recognized by many as a bright up and coming executive. In 2021, he left Cleveland to become the GM of the Cubs.
However, that GM title is slightly misleading. In reality, Hawkins is the second in command to President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer. However, he is a big voice inside the Cubs organization. It is an unfamiliar set up to Nats fans because Mike Rizzo always had absolute power during his tenure.
So what is Hawkins all about? He combines a scouting background with an analytical mind. In Cleveland, he learned a lot about the analytical side of things, especially on the pitching side of things. Before going to Chicago, Hawkins was in charge of the Guardians player development.
Cleveland became renowned for their pitching lab while Hawkins was in charge. That is something the Nationals need. While the team’s pitching development has improved somewhat, it is still not good enough. Hawkins could be the guy to get the player development right.
Cubs fans actually have somewhat mixed feelings about Hawkins. A lot of this stems from an interview he did that put him in hot water. After a quiet deadline, Hawkins told a reporter that he not only has a responsibility to the 2025 Cubs, but also the 2032 Cubs.
That did not go over well with a fanbase that is desperate to win. However, the Nationals could actually use a guy who is more process oriented and long term driven. Cubs fans that like Hawkins say he is good at finding value on the margins and will be an effective floor raiser for the Nats.
A lot of this reminds me a bit of Mike Elias in Baltimore. Elias did a great job building up the Orioles and making them competitive after being handed a mess. However, he has struggled to make moves to get the core he built over the hump and win in October.
Right now, the Nationals need to find a way to be respectable. Let’s focus on fielding a decent product first, and then think about making all in moves at a later date. Hawkins is a guy who has his flaws, but his strengths align well with what the Nationals need. I am excited to see how this process plays out in the coming weeks and months.
