On Saturday, July 11, in Philadelphia, Pa., the Washington Nationals selected Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian with the 11th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. The Potomac, Md., native lands with his hometown squad, with Nationals Park sitting just 21 miles south of home. Hacopian can certainly be an impact hitter that could debut within the next two years for a rebuilding Nationals team.
The selection of Hacopian marks three consecutive MLB Drafts that the Maroon and White have had a player taken in the first
round, joining the company of Braden Montgomery (2024, 12th overall, Boston Red Sox) and Jace LaViolette (2025, 27th overall, Cleveland Guardians).
After two solid years at the University of Maryland, where he earned two Second-Team All-Big Ten honors, the infielder transferred to College Station searching for bigger heights. Despite battling injuries, Hacopian played in 42 total games and batted .319 with 11 home runs for the Maroon and White in 2026. He started all 29 games in SEC play and ranked among the top 30 players in every offensive category. His efforts made him one of four Aggies to be named to the 2026 All-SEC First Team.
Over three collegiate seasons, Hacopian had at least 11 homers in each campaign for a career total of 41. He also had three straight seasons with 40 RBI, racking up 144 total between his time with the Terrapins and Aggies.
The 6’1”, 210-pound infielder is no stranger to playing on big stages, as he hit his first Texas A&M homer inside an MLB venue. In his first at-bat following six missed games due to back stiffness, Hacopian launched a first-inning solo shot over the visitor’s bullpen at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. That longball set the tone for a 10-0 run-rule victory over Virginia Tech on March 6.
Later in the season, Hacopian notched his third collegiate multi-homer game, leaving the yard twice in the first game of a May 9 doubleheader in Oxford, Miss., as part of an 18-5 run-rule win for the Aggies. The second longball was the seventh total by Texas A&M in that contest, tying a program record for most in a single contest.
As expected, Hacopian was off the board in the second wave of college prospects, joining the likes of Georgia Tech’s Drew Burress, Virginia’s AJ Gracia, and Kentucky’s Tyler Bell. Three high-impact collegiate seasons made it clear that Hacopian’s bat is worth trusting and developing in the Nationals organization. Most scouts and evaluators had Hacopian as the best college bat available on the board, especially among second basemen. His consistent ability to barrel up baseballs should translate in the professional ranks. Former big leaguer Chris Burke, now an analyst on ESPN’s college baseball broadcasts, said it best about Hacopian: “Low chase with high contact and high exit velocity – that’s what Major League Baseball is looking for in the draft.”
Despite committing a lone error last season and holding a .990 fielding percentage, there are concerns about Hacopian’s fielding prowess. Across his three college seasons, the infielder made 30 total errors on 439 chances (a .932 fielding percentage). As his development progresses, expect Hacopian to likely check in as a designated hitter. On the off chance he does play the field, he projects as a second baseman or could get placed in left field.
Prior to the draft, Chris Hacopian was ranked the 14th-highest prospect on the board and the top second baseman, per MLB Pipeline. In their scouting report, they say, “He has advanced feel for the barrel and control of the strike zone, and some clubs believe he has the best bat in the college ranks.”
Hacopian was the highest-ranked out of the four main prospects from Texas A&M, with outfielder Caden Sorrell (No. 33), infielder Gavin Grahovac (No. 38), and southpaw Shane Sdao (No. 95) checking in behind him. [based on team who drafts him] At nearly 22 years of age, it shouldn’t take Chris Hacopian very long to climb through the Nationals system. If he can stay healthy, there’s a high probability he could get to Triple-A Rochester in the next two season with a potential MLB call-up at the end of that early window. The bat is too good to be ignored, and based on the current outlook, two successful stints of Spring Training could have Chris Hacopian donning the red and white threads of the Washington Nationals come Opening Day of the 2028 campaign.
