The Washington Nationals appear to have found Dusty Baker's replacement in the form of a novice manager.

Chicago Cubs' bench coach Dave Martinez has reportedly agreed to a three-year contract with a fourth-year option to become the Nationals' new skipper, a source told Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post on Sunday.

An official announcement isn't expected until after the World Series.

Once the deal is completed, Martinez will become the Nationals' eighth manager since moving to Washington in 2005, and their fourth skipper in the last seven seasons.

The 53-year-old Martinez has spent the last nine seasons as Joe Maddon's right-hand man in the dugout, first with the Tampa Bay Rays from 2008-14 and then with the Cubs for the past three seasons. Martinez has interviewed for various managerial positions since at least 2010 with no luck, despite Maddon publicly endorsing his longtime confidant.

Even the Nationals previously passed him by: they interviewed Martinez for the job in 2013, before hiring Matt Williams instead.

"I'd love to see him in the group (of managerial candidates)," Maddon said of Martinez on Oct. 7. "He belongs in the group. I know all these people being considered, and I promise you our guy matches up with every one of them.

"It's baffling to me a bit why (Martinez isn't considered) more often."

Before moving into coaching, Martinez played 16 major-league seasons as an outfielder with nine teams - including, most notably, parts of four years with the Nationals' ancestors, the Montreal Expos. Martinez slashed .276/.341/.389 and hit 91 homers.

Former Boston Red Sox skipper John Farrell also reportedly interviewed for the Nationals' manager job. Farrell's interview was shorter than Martinez's, who reportedly spent an entire day talking with Nationals executives, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

Washington also reportedly received permission to speak with New York Mets coach Kevin Long, per Heyman, though it's not clear if Long was interviewed.

The Nationals' managerial position became available after Baker was let go shortly after their elimination from the playoffs, despite his having led the Nats to their first consecutive playoff berths in team history.