Nationals host Naval Academy baseball team for special experience

The Naval Academy baseball team had April 7 circled on their calendar for quite some time. This date represented a unique opportunity to visit Nationals Park to work out with members of the Nationals, check out their facilities and watch them take on the Los Angeles Dodgers from a suite.

The special outing was a chance to assist the Midshipmen as they pursue their baseball dreams, while also honoring and thanking them for their commitment to serve our country upon the conclusion of their playing careers.

Navy’s team split into two groups upon arriving at the ballpark, as position players went to take batting practice with Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, hitting coach Darnell Coles and assistant hitting coach Chris Johnson in the cages, and pitchers and catchers headed to the bullpen.

For Lowe, the event represented a crossover of two major aspects of his life: baseball and the Naval Academy. His father, Dave, played baseball and football there before becoming a pilot in the Navy for 20 years.

“I don’t know if I can properly describe all that the Navy has done for me and my family, but it’s a lot,” said Lowe. “So, giving back to the next generation is what it’s all about. These kids aspire to do things that a lot of the public will never truly understand. Whether they play a sport or are just a ‘regular student,’ what they do at service academies deserves all the respect from pro athletes and regular citizens.”

In addition to giving out some tips to use at the plate, Lowe aimed to leave an impact that stretched beyond the diamond.

“I hope they see that it doesn’t take a superhero to do my job, but it is so important when they do theirs,” he said. “These kids are special. They’ll do things that the public can’t physically or mentally do. Regardless of how they play on the field, what they do is so respectable.”

His mindset was one that Navy head coach Chuck Ristano shared when talking about his players.

“These guys are about to do the most important thing that our nation demands, and that’s serve our country and protect it,” said Ristano. “I know it sounds a bit dramatic, but we are safe because of what these guys will go on to do.”

He added, “They also chase excellence as baseball players, so to be able to get exposed to baseball at the highest level and see an organization that does it at such a high level, I think it’s important.”

While position players were chatting and working with Lowe, Coles, and Johnson, Navy pitchers and catchers picked the minds of Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams and pitching strategist Sean Doolittle during a bullpen session.

“To have Sean Doolittle and Trevor Williams spend as much time as they did with our guys in the bullpen, that’s a pretty special thing that not everybody gets to do,” said Ristano.

It was an experience that Ristano’s players greatly appreciated and had been looking forward to for a while.

“We’ve had this marked on our calendars for a good bit,” said Navy pitcher Brady Bendik. “We’re very grateful for this opportunity to come out here and enjoy this beautiful ballpark and hang out with Trevor Williams. Not many people can do that.”

Participating in the experience was an easy decision for Williams, whose father served in the military.

“Being in our nation’s capital, we have a strong connection to the military,” he said. “Having those guys come out and get a big-league experience for a day is something I wanted to do and help out with.”

On what Williams hoped his presence accomplished, he added, “I’m just thankful that the Nats jersey is impactful for those players. It’s not so much me. It’s the big-league uniform that it represents, and I’m thankful that I’m able to wear this uniform.”

The two groups then reconvened to meet with Nationals manager Dave Martinez and franchise legend Ryan Zimmerman — each sharing their years of baseball wisdom with the players and commending them for their commitment to serve.

“It was a really nice experience for our guys to get to a big-league ballpark, interact with big-league coaches and players, see the facilities and get a little work in,” said Ristano. “We’re really appreciative that the Nationals opened it up for us.”

The Midshipmen also received a pregame on-field recognition, as they were congratulated for taking two games out of three against Army in last month’s Army-Navy Star Series, before heading to a suite to watch the Nationals defeat the Dodgers, 6–4.

“This is everything that I could’ve imagined,” said Bendik. “For a lot of us, this is kind of what our goal is. Our goal is to be a Naval officer one day, but we’re Division I baseball players. This is a unique opportunity that a lot of us want to achieve one day.”

For more on how the Nationals honor and give back to the military and military families through various initiatives, head to nats.com/Military.