We’re in the middle of a series highlighting some of the top names the Nats could potentially select with their 11th pick in the 2026 draft. The first player we covered was UCSB pitcher Jackson Flora. Now we’re going to cover a position player in Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian, who is one of the best pure hitters in his class.
Besides being a great player, something that intrigues me about Hacopian is his background. He was born in DMV and grew up in Gaithersburg. Hacopian attended Winston Churchill High School in Potomac before transferring to a baseball-focused academy for his senior year. At Churchill, Hacopian was an absolute star, becoming one of the top high school players in the area.
For college, Hacopian decided to stay close to home and play with his brother at the University of Maryland. He was an instant star hit .323 with a 1.009 OPS and 15 home runs. He got even better as a sophomore, hitting .375 with a 1.158 OPS and 14 home runs. In his second yearhis on-base percentage was over .500 and he walked 40 to just 19 strikeouts in 52 games.
This attacking profile is obviously very intriguing for scouts. Not many hitters have elite contact skills, great plate discipline and above-average power. Hacopian appears to have that combination and it should earn him a first-round pick. Here’s a good video overview of Hacopian that talks about his game.
Before his junior season, Hacopian entered the transfer portal. With his brother graduating and Maryland not being a traditional baseball powerhouse, Hacopian wanted to test himself in the SEC. He decided to transfer to Texas A&M, where he will play shortstop for the Aggies. Producing against SEC competition would only further cement his case as the best pure hitter in the class.
If you look at the statistics you will see why Hacopian is so elitist. His chase rate was less than 20%, his scent rate was about 15%, and his exit speeds were elite. That’s basically the full package for a hitter. There aren’t many prospects in this class that have all these tools.
Despite his obvious skill at the plate, Hacopian isn’t a perfect candidate. There aren’t many holes in his offensive profile, but if you were to nitpick, his swing would be the only concern. Hacopian’s setup is a bit unusual with a big leg kick and a barrel point. However, he has hit every level, so that is not a problem for the time being. As a hitter he is as complete as they come.
The bigger question marks come on the other side of the ball. Hacopian currently plays shortstop, but he doesn’t have the athleticism to stick there. He’s expected to move to third base in pro ball, although there are some to assure if he can stay on the infield at all. If he can’t do that, Hacopian should move to left field or first base.
He’s also a below-average runner, so there’s a lot of pressure on the bat here. The bat is really good though, so even if it slides down the defensive spectrum, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Ideally, Hacopian would be a third baseman. He wouldn’t be the defender that Brady House is, but he is a much more complete offensive player.
It’s always fun to see a player be part of his hometown team. If Hacopian were drafted by the Nats, he would be a hometown hero like James Wood. The Nats need well-rounded hitters, and that’s what Hacopian provides. If all goes according to plan, he has a chance to become a near .300 hitter with a 25-home run power.
That would easily be worth the 11th overall pick. However, you definitely need to have confidence in the bat to select Hacopian given his lack of secondary tools. This season at Texas A&M will tell us a lot about how elite he is. If Paul Toboni wants a safe college hitter with contact and power, Chris Hacopian is his man. Being a DMV guy is the icing on the cake.
#MLB #Draft #Washington #Nationals #draft #hometown #hero #Chris #Hacopian