Washington Nationals' Next Hot Prospect Was Arizona Fall League Star
The Washington Nationals are starting to fill out their roster for 2025, and the organization has been very busy over the last couple of weeks.
After a quiet start to the offseason, the Nationals have been very busy lately. Numerous signings and trades have occurred for Washington in recent weeks, as the lineup and starting rotation are beginning to take shape.
Coming into the winter, the Nationals could have gone in several different directions. With a talented young core, some thought the time to spend might be now. However, that doesn’t appear to be the case with the moves that the Nationals have made.
Most of the signings have been veteran players on one or two-year deals so far. Washington is clearly prioritizing keeping their flexibility intact for future spending while trying to get a better team on the field this season.
Not spending big yet in free agency allows the Nationals to continue to let their young core of talent grow. While plenty of their top prospects have arrived already, there are still some more on the way.
Jessica Camerato of MLB.com recently wrote about the top prospect to watch in 2025 for the Nationals. She chose outfielder Robert Hassell III, who is hoping to take a big step forward next year.
“Hassell, 23, the Nationals’ No. 13 prospect, has dealt with injuries in his early pro career. Now, the former 2020 eighth overall pick is looking ahead to a healthy season. Hassell finished last year in Triple-A, and he went on to earn an All-Star selection in the Arizona Fall League.”
The former first-round pick for San Diego, who was acquired in the Juan Soto trade in 2022, has yet to hit the ground running early in his career due to injuries. However, when healthy he has shown some signs that he will be able to help contribute.
Before being called up to Triple-A last season, Hassell was performing very well in both Single-A and Double-A. In 2025, Hassell was protected in the Rule-5 Draft, meaning that he is on the 40-man roster and will be invited to Spring Training.
This will be a huge opportunity once again for the young outfielder. He got the invite last year, but the second time around he should be more comfortable.
As a former top pick, the Nationals will certainly try to give him every opportunity possible, but their current outfield is looking strong.
With James Wood, Dylan Crews, and Jacob Young, the outfield for Washington is young with a lot of potential and talent. Young was the one who burst on the scene last season, emerging as an elite defender with plenty of speed.
In order to force himself into the mix, Hassell is going to have to perform well in Spring Training this season. Even if that happens, there is no guarantee that he will start. However, it will get his name on the radar in case of injury or poor play.
