Nationals begin shaping long-term future with major front office hiring decision

2024 Boston Red Sox Rookie Development Workout | Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/GettyImagesWe're officially one step closer to seeing a new front office setup in Washington. Paul Toboni, the 35-year-old Assistant General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, has officially been named as the Nationals new President of Baseball Operations.

There are a couple reasons why this should stand out. First of all, this was a standalone role during most of Mike Rizzo's time atop Washington's front office, as Rizzo had held this title in addition to GM since 2013. Second, Toboni's resume is very strong, and perhaps stronger than most outsiders expected.

Let's dig deeper into that second point. Toboni spent a…