Nationals' First-Round Pick Chris Hacopian Draws Comparison to Former Batting Champ

The Washington Nationals decided to go with a local kid with pick No. 11 in the 2026 MLB Draft, as Gaithersburg, Md. native Chris Hacopian was selected with the team's first-round pick.

The Texas A&M infielder had been linked to the Nationals throughout the draft process, but with everything now in the rearview mirror after teams put pen to paper when it came to their picks, the high-ceiling hitter will now officially join the organization as someone who could be the next piece of this franchise's long-term puzzle.

And based on the comp that Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report handed out to Hacopian, the 21-year-old could have a bright future in The Show whenever that time comes.

Chris Hacopian Gets Comped to Jeff McNeil

Athletics second baseman Jeff McNeil | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Reuter didn't give out a reason why he sees Jeff McNeil -- a two-time All-Star, one-time Silver Slugger and former NL batting champion -- in Hacopian, but it could have something to do with both of their hitting abilities, as well as the possible defensive versatility.

When it comes to the offensive side of things, it's well-documented at this point that hitting is Hacopian's best tool. He was remarkable during his three years in college, where he slashed .339/.449/.604 with 40 homers, 32 doubles and 144 RBIs to go along with 95 walks drawn to 66 strikeouts. Ideally, his bat-to-ball ability translates and he's able to hit the way McNeil did during his early years in the bigs.

From 2018-2022, McNeil had a batting average above .300 in four out of those five seasons. That culminated with a National League batting title in 2022, when he posted an average of .326 to go along with nine home runs and 62 RBIs. McNeil, who is now with the Athletics after spending the previous eight years with the New York Mets, saw his numbers dip after the 2022 campaign compared to what they used to be. But during his prime, he was one of the most consistent hitters across Major League Baseball.

If that's what Hacopian can turn into, that would be a huge plus for Washington. He has that type of hitting ability, but he also has more power upside than McNeil, which could make Hacopian an elite all-around hitter if he's able to put the ball in play and over the fence on a consistent basis. However, offense isn't the only similarity on paper between Hacopian and McNeil, as the latter's ability to play across both the infield and outfield has made him a valuable commodity during his career.

McNeil has gotten the majority of his work at second base with over 5,100 innings there. But he has also accrued 1,420 1/3 innings in left field, 833 2/3 innings in right and even 225 in center. That versatility -- along with limited action at first base, third base and shortstop -- allowed McNeil to stay in the lineup on almost a daily basis, and it's something Hacopian could do as a professional since evaluators believe he could either be a second baseman or a corner outfielder.

There's a long way to go before Hacopian arrives in the bigs, but if he is able to hit and have the defensive versatility that McNeil possesses by the time he gets there, then that would be a huge boost for the Nationals.

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