WASHINGTON - No doubt about it: a lot of experience has or is leaving the Nationals in the player development area.
The Athletic, on Tuesday, reported that minor league instructors Tommy Shields, Pat Rice, Gary Thurman, and Brian Rupp will not return next year.
Shields was the manager of Single-A Wilmington, Rice was the pitching coach at Single-A Fredericksburg, Thurman was an outfield and baserunning instructor, and Rupp was the hitting coach for Double-A Harrisburg.
Those four combined to play nearly 50 years in the minors or majors and teamed up for close to two decades as part of Washington’s system in player development.