Washington Nationals Top Prospect Finding Confidence Again at Arizona Fall League
Fans got a glimpse of the incredible stable of young talent the Washington Nationals have in their organization during the 2024 season. Some of those contributors came over from the San Diego Padres in the Juan Soto blockbuster deal.
Starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams and left fielder James Wood are all parts of the core acquired from the Padres. But, they weren’t even the most highly regarded prospect in the package.
That distinction fell upon outfielder Robert Hassell III, who was the No. 1 ranked minor league player in San Diego at the time of the deal.
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft has lost some of his shine in recent years. Injuries have played a big part in that, as a fractured hamate bone in his right wrist two games into his Arizona Fall League appearance in 2022 set him back.
That injury coupled with struggles at the plate led to Hassell’s confidence being sapped. In a rare occurrence, the Nationals opted to send him to the AFL for a second time.
He began to find his footing and played at a high level. Finally seeing some positives on the field, his confidence was on the rise.
“Stuff was falling for me and the confidence was building,” Hassell said, via Michael Reynolds of MLB.com, “and with that confidence came the performance.”
In a truly unprecedented move, Washington sent their No. 12 ranked prospect to the desert again this year. Three straight trips is certainly not the norm, but he is thankful for the opportunity.
More than likely, this will be the last time as Hassell will get the opportunity. In eight games and 34 plate appearances, he has recorded a .406/.441/.813 slash line with two home runs, five doubles and one triple.
He has knocked in 12 runs and scored seven times, rounding out his stat line with two stolen bases.
“I look at it as a blessing,” Hassell said. “I know not many guys get to come back three times, but I’ve faced a ton of talent. I know a lot of these guys have gone on to play in the big leagues, and I’m hoping to do the same soon.
“I feel really great this time around, healthy, and that’s the main thing.”
While some of the other young players in the Nationals system may have surpassed him the last few years, it won’t be long until Hassell gets his chance in the Major Leagues. He just needs to figure out how to stay healthy, as a third AFL stint occurred because he appeared in only 60 games this past campaign.
“I think it always comes back to confidence, a hundred-thousand percent,” Hassell said. “I’ve never doubted my ability, I always feel great when I go out on the field. It’s just -- I have to be real with myself -- when I’m not the most confident, stuff doesn’t happen for me. But right now, I couldn’t be more confident.”
That certainly sounds like someone who has recaptured his joy for the game and is ready to live up to the lofty expectations placed on him originally.
