The Nationals used the No. 11 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Chris Hacopian, a local product whose bat has been turning heads all spring and summer.
It’s the kind of selection that fits the direction Washington has been chasing under new President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni: build the system with players who can actually develop into big leaguers. The organization has clearly been leaning into that idea, and after several surprises in the top 10, the board opened up enough for the Nationals to land a player they had been connected to throughout the pre-draft process.
Hacopian comes from Gaithersburg, Maryland, and his path to this moment has taken him through both College Park and College Station. He spent his first two college seasons at the University of Maryland before transferring to Texas A&M for his final year with the Aggies.
The appeal starts with the bat. This season, Hacopian hit .319/.405/.578 with a .983 OPS, drawing 25 walks against just 21 strikeouts in 195 plate appearances.
He also launched 11 home runs and drove in 41 runs. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the No. 14 prospect in the draft.
Defensively, there’s still some uncertainty about where he ends up. He played second base for Texas A&M after spending most of his time at third base and shortstop with Maryland, and he could also wind up in left field in the minors. MLB Pipeline gave him a 45 grade for both his arm and fielding, along with a 40 run tool.
But the carrying tool is obvious. His hit tool checks in at 60, and his power at 50, which is why so many evaluators see a player who could move quickly if the bat keeps doing what it has done so far.
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