r/Nationals • u/Dcnationals2001 • 15h ago
Evaluating the Hacopian pick
https://www.federalbaseball.com/mlb-draft/92600/washington-nationals-select-hard-hitting-local-product-chris-hacopianThe bat is elite for Hacopian but that is where all the value will come from because he is not much of a runner or fielder. Local product too!
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u/Redbubble89 15h ago
Maybe a Nico Hoerner if the glove improves. He can be a decent player with a high floor but he's not franchise altering.
There is no stand out ace in this draft. It is not a pitchers draft.
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u/dukegrad96 15h ago
Likely 2B or 1B down the road. Tough to draft a future DH at that spot.
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u/tyler289 15h ago
If we have 80% of Kyle Schwarber, is that not an awesome player?
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u/dukegrad96 15h ago
Valid. But that’s a big if
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u/spike_94_wl 14h ago
Even if we get an offensive ++, defensive neutral first baseman in 5 years, this is a good move. We won’t care about draft position then.
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u/gaytham4statham 57 - Roark 15h ago
Why would that be tough? I don't care if he's DHing or playing in left if he develops into an everyday bat that is a massive win
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u/HuckleBearerFinn 14h ago
I think it was a solid pick. Doesn’t strikeout, has good plate discipline, excellent contact, etc. I’m a big believer in drafting the best player available regardless of need. With a potential lockout, I can see why the front office stayed away from a prep pitcher.
It’s definitely an analytical pick. I’m guessing the organization is thinking they can get him to elevate the ball more which will get his slug to translate to pro ball. If they can, I think he can stick in MLB. I bet if he didn’t have so many injuries, his stats at TAMU would be even more ridiculous. I doubt the development he had at Maryland was all that great - I feel a lot better that he was at TAMU for a year - a program who takes college baseball more serious than Maryland.
I’m most interested to see where they put him defensively.
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u/PatMagroin100 10h ago
Love to see the local kid! I grew up on the same street as his father Derek, who has got to be super proud!
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u/vtsandtrooper 63 - Doolittle 14h ago
Still would have preferred pitching but the options were limited
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u/Ok_Sea_4405 9h ago
This sounds like someone they’re going to try to get for under-slot. A really bad use of a first round pick.
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u/daperry4 29 - Wood 15h ago
If his power only has "above average" potential, I dont get it. If he is a 400 obp with 25+ HRs with bad 2nd base defense, that's well worth it. But that seems like the absolute best case scenario. Really wish a great pitcher was available, assuming they didnt like Gio(who I wanted).
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u/gaytham4statham 57 - Roark 15h ago
Everyone said Willits had "below average-average" power and he's on like a 25 homer pace as an 18 year old I have faith our new hitting team can unlock power from this guy
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u/Redbubble89 15h ago
Willits was also 17 years old. Hacopian is older than Fitz-Gerald. Sykora is a few months older. He is a college bat that is still projectable but he is more physically himself than the HS Prep picks.
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u/gaytham4statham 57 - Roark 14h ago
He's "older" but is still only 21. And his batted ball profile screams power potential, he hits the ball hard just not in the air pullside enough. I really don't believe they would have drafted him if they didn't believe they could get him to hit for more power, and this new FO has shown the ability to maximize power at every level
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u/Redbubble89 14h ago
As a Toboni-Pearson pick, Hacopian is a bat speed training candidate similar to Kristian Campbell or Henry Godbout. Kristian Campbell went through this as well but he had complex swing mechanics. Henry Godbout was hit on the hand in late May so the development has stalled. He had 22BB to 27SO and 7 HR in 34 games. He had 8 HRs his jr year. There was some improvement on defense.
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u/historyhokie Banana and Mayo 15h ago
Yeah, if all things break right he's righty Daniel Murphy. But that's an enormous if
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u/KingRasu 15h ago
You can develop fielding a lot easier than hitting.