Nationals Starting 2026 First-Round Pick Chris Hacopian at Notable Affiliate Level
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The Washington Nationals have seen an influx of talent get inserted into their pipeline in short order.
Going back to last year's trade deadline, then-interim general manager Mike DeBartolo sold off some of the team's best assets to acquire some high-end prospects. New president of baseball operations Paul Toboni kept things rolling this past offseason with the blockbuster trade of MacKenzie Gore. He then added more premium minor leaguers to the mix with the 2026 draft and this year's deadline.
Where exactly everyone falls in the updated prospect rankings from MLB Pipeline will be interesting to see. But in the meantime, 2026 first-round Chris Hacopian at least knows where he's going to begin his professional journey.
Nationals Starting Chris Hacopian in High-A
Per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, they are promoting Hacopian to High-A Wilmington. He's been with the Florida Complex affiliate after he was drafted, but because that season has already ended, he'll officially begin his pro career with the Blue Rocks.
The insider added that Hacopian's debut will come on Sunday, which makes for an intriguing lineup whenever gameday arrives. That's because Hacopian is set to join the likes of No. 1- and No. 5-ranked prospects Eli Willits and Ronny Cruz with Wilmington. That duo was promoted from Single-A Fredericksburg earlier in the year, and that should give this fanbase a glimpse into the future when it comes to what the infield might look like at the major league level in the coming years.
What position Hacopian plays will be interesting to see. Projections have him as a second baseman in the professional ranks, but there's also a chance he could move to a corner outfield spot. It should be noted that Cruz has gotten more work at the hot corner with Wilmington (18 games) than he did with Fredericksburg (seven games), so that could allow Hacopian to slot right into second base if that's the direction the Nationals want to take.
The most notable thing about Hacopian being sent to High-A immediately is the fact that the organization seems confident in his ability to hit that level of pitching. Hacopian's hit tool is his clear strength, and by starting out at this affiliate level to begin his career, he could have a rapid rise up the ranks if he is able to continue hitting at a high level.
Beyond Willits and Cruz, other top 30 prospects Hacopian will be joining at Wilmington are right-handed pitcher Miguel Sime Jr., outfielder Yeremy Cabrera and infielder Angel Feliz, who are ranked Nos. 9, 19 and 22 in Washington's farm system, respectively.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai