Why Chris Hacopian Is the Perfect First-Round Pick for the Nationals

The Washington Nationals answered the question regarding who was going to be the first draft pick of the new Paul Toboni era.

With pick No. 11, the Nationals selected Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian. They had been linked to the Maryland native throughout the process -- along with other college bats -- and now the high-end hitter is going to join the organization and add to the staple of top infield prospects already in Washington's farm system.

Based on that fact, there are likely plenty of fans out there wondering about the decision to draft Hacopian since the pitching staff is still a clear need and there are some questions about the depth of the outfield.

However, this was the perfect pick for the Nationals, and there are three reasons why.

High-End Hitter

Washington Nationals draft pick Chris Hacopian | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The clear strength of Hacopian as a prospect is his ability to hit. Across three collegiate seasons -- two with the University of Maryland and one with Texas A&M -- he slashed .339/.449/.604 with 40 home runs, 32 doubles, a triple and 144 RBIs in 149 games played. Add in his 95 walks drawn compared to 66 strikeouts, and it's clear that the 21-year-old has a high ceiling at the plate.

Teams can never have too many elite hitters in their midst, and it appears like Washington has added another one to their farm system to go along with Eli Willits, Gavin Fien, Ronny Cruz, Devin Fitz-Gerald, Ethan Petry and Seaver King.

And because Hacopian is coming from college, his timeline to get to The Show should be sped up if he is able to translate his hitting ability to the professional ranks. That would mean the Nationals could have another one of their top prospects arriving to the majors at the same time as the others, which would create an exciting window full of top, young talent.

Could Turn Into an Outfielder

While Hacopian has only played across the infield during his college career -- first beginning at third base before getting moved to shortstop and then finishing at second base -- there's a chance that he could become a corner outfielder as a professional due to his limited athleticism, which would resolve the concern about drafting an infielder.

If that does happen -- and if Hacopian can hit like he did in college -- then that might turn into a plus for Washington considering Jacob Young continues to lack offensive upside and Dylan Crews still hasn't put everything together in the majors.

Where the Nationals put the 21-year-old early on during his minor league career will be something to keep an eye on. But even if he does remain as a second baseman, there are worse things than having too much infield depth.

Grew Up a Nationals Fan

Washington Nationals logo | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This doesn't matter much when it comes to Hacopian's on-field play, which is ultimately what matters. But if he can become a starring player for this franchise, then the fact that he was born in Gaithersburg, Md. and was a fan of the team would be a massive bonus.

According to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, Hacopian grew up "idolizing Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa" until their magical World Series run in 2019 when he said, "I was probably 14 years old, and Howie Kendrick was my hero, man."

That would be a great story if Hacopian eventually was involved in bringing back a championship to the nation's capital. And if he is able to become a star player, who better to have be a face of the franchise than a local kid?

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