Danny Haas joined the Washington Nationals’ entrance workplace after, “… spending the earlier 5 seasons (2019–’23) as a particular project scout,” for Arizona’s Diamondbacks, and earlier than that, the membership famous in a press launch, the brand new VP of Newbie Scouting within the nation’s capital, “… labored for the Baltimore Orioles (from 2012–18), first as a nationwide crosschecker (2012–14), earlier than being promoted to particular assistant to the manager vp of baseball operations (2015–18).”
Haas talked about attending to work with the GM and President of Baseball Ops in D.C., Mike Rizzo, with whom he had an extended historical past, as one of many foremost elements in his resolution to affix the Nationals.
“It’s at all times been a little bit of a private dream. I’ve identified him since 1997. I used to be 22 years outdated,” Haas defined.
“I performed with a number of the gamers that he signed. After which he truly tried to get me with the D-backs once I was with the Pink Sox.
“So the connection goes means again with my dad and so forth. I’ve identified him for a very long time.
“Lot of respect for him, what he’s executed with the D-backs and with the Nats, and I’m trying ahead to the problem right here.”
“I believe it’a humbling and it’s thrilling,” Rizzo mentioned of Haas’s feedback about eager to get a possibility to work collectively.
“When you can herald an individual as wanted as him, along with his talent set and his repute within the sport, it’s thrilling that he felt so strongly about coming right here, due to the way in which we maintain our enterprise.”
A 1997 18th Spherical choose by Boston, Haas performed 5 seasons within the minors, and he mentioned his historical past with Rizzo started then, when the GM was a scout within the Pink Sox’ group.
He first met Rizzo, he mentioned, in all probability at a Midwest League low-A baseball sport. He was there along with his son, and I gave him some bats and balls. [Rizzo] was a scout for the Pink Sox and I used to be a participant for the Pink Sox within the minor leagues. So undoubtedly Battle Creek, Michigan, I believe it might be.”
What did he assume Rizzo’s scouting report on him can be?
“Ooh, he couldn’t have — I hope he thinks I’m a greater scout than I used to be a participant, for certain.”
Haas, shortly after he was employed in late 2023, was already trying ahead to his first draft along with his new membership.
“We’re very collaborative. This job has gotten to the place it’s larger than one individual, for certain.
“So that you’ve acquired to weigh all of your voices. On the finish of the day, anyone has to make the decision. But it surely’s a giant course of with quite a lot of enter from quite a lot of people.”
Rizzo, who was usually the one making the ultimate name prior to now, acknowledged he’d accepted he has to step again and let others do their jobs too.
“Yeah, I didn’t like them interfering in my drafts and that’s why I don’t intrude very a lot in these drafts.”
It lived as much as Haas’s expectations.
“It was a blast. Every part got here collectively nice,” he mentioned after Day 1 of the 2024 Draft.
The day earlier than the draft, Rizzo made a take care of Kansas Metropolis’s Royals, including a Aggressive Stability spherical choose (No. 39 total), which the Nationals then used to pick out catcher Caleb Lomavita after they picked shortstop Seaver King with their high choose (tenth total within the 1st Spherical).
“It was superior. [Rizzo] did an incredible job getting the additional assets,” Haas mentioned.
“He’s been an incredible help by means of all this, each along with his opinions and his weighing in at key occasions and undoubtedly that choose elevated our haul for certain.”
“Christmas got here early,” Nationals’ Assistant Director and Nationwide Crosschecker, Newbie Scouting Reed Dunn joked.
With the forty ninth choose within the 2nd Spherical, the Nationals chosen Luke Dickerson, and Haas talked on the finish of Day 1 concerning the technique going into his first draft with the membership.
“I believe the widespread them for all three of the fellows at this time: They’re athletic, toolsy gamers with optimistic elements of efficiency,” Haas mentioned, assessing the highest three picks. “They at all times performed onerous in our views, and confirmed indicators of constructing changes as properly.”
“We’ve been monitoring these guys all 12 months,” Dunn added.
“Up the center, athletic, upside gamers was key. And we really feel like we actually recognized early, stayed on, and have been capable of get three of them within the draft.”
“Once more,” Senior Director, Newbie Scouting Brad Ciolek chimed in, “… the underlying theme right here is: All three of the fellows made great strides from their earlier 12 months to their platform 12 months this 12 months. We clearly look extensively at their historical past, check out what they should enhance upon. And all three of those guys answered the bell this spring, and we felt actually assured and good about our course of, and finally we have been ecstatic to finish of with all three of them on the finish of the evening.”
