The youth movement with the Nationals is real. Earlier this season, Washington called up two of its top prospects in outfielders James Wood and Dylan Crews.
With the calendar officially turned to September, clubs can to add more players to their roster thanks to the restrictions expanding from 26 to 28. The Nationals are taking advantage of the opportunity and bringing up more of their young talent.
This time, it's Darren Baker.
The 25-year-old utility man has spent the entire 2024 season in Triple-A with the Rochester Red Wings. Baker is batting .280 with 124 hits, 20 doubles, 49 RBIs and 38 stolen bases in what is his first full season in the league just a step below MLB.
When he makes his MLB debut, it won't be the first time Baker stars on an MLB diamond. In fact, 22 years ago, he shined in his own unique way on an MLB field thanks to his relationship with a certain manager sharing the same last name — Dusty Baker.
Here is more to know about Baker and his relationship to the former MLB manager.
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Is Darren Baker related to Dusty Baker?
Yes, Darren Baker is related to Dusty Baker. The Nationals prospect is the son of the longtime baseball skipper.
The two won't get to spend time in the same league together. After 26 years as a manager in the MLB, Dusty elected to finally retire at the end of the 2023 season. At the time of his retirement, he was the oldest active manager in the league, stepping away from the sport at the age of 74.
Dusty managed a number of clubs, including the Astros, Nationals, Reds and Cubs, but his first gig was out in the Bay Area with the Giants. That's where Darren first got into the spotlight.
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The younger Baker used to be a bat boy for San Francisco while his father was calling the shots in the dugout. During the 2002 season, the Giants managed to make it all the way to the World Series, playing against the then-Anaheim Angels.
In Game 5 of the series, San Francisco outfielder Kenny Lofton ripped a triple in the bottom of the seventh inning. But that wasn't the highlight of the play.
Instead, it was 3-year-old Darren, who left the dugout while the play was still developing to retrieve the bat. Giants first baseman J.T. Snow scooped up the youngster near home plate and carrying him out harm's way as another runner raced into home behind him.
The clip is one of the most heartwarming moments you will see on the diamond, as little Darren eventually was put back down by Snow and carried out the rest of his duties as bat boy, retrieving lumber and bringing it back to the San Francisco dugout. While it made for a cute memory, the MLB elected to implement a rule after that requiring bat boys to be at least 14 years old.
It may be hard for the Nationals' newest member to top his previous career highlight, but Baker will be given the chance. Washington is well out of a playoff spot with less than a month remaining in the regular season.