Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian is a local kid who also happens to be one of the best pure hitters in the 2026 draft
We are doing a series highlighting some of the top names the Nats could potentially take with their 11th pick in the 2026 draft. The first player we covered was UCSB pitcher Jackson Flora. Now we are going to cover a position player in Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian, who is one of the best pure hitters in the class.
Along with being a great player, something that intrigues me about Hacopian is his background. He is a DMV native, growing up in Gaithersburg. Hacopian went to Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, before transferring to a baseball-centric academy for his senior year. At Churchill, Hacopian was an absolute star, becoming one of the best 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 immediately a star, hitting .323 with a 1.009 OPS and 15 homers. As a sophomore, he got even better, batting .375 with a 1.158 OPS and 14 homers. In his sophomore year, his on base percentage was over .500 and he had 40 walks to just 19 strikeouts in 52 games.
This offensive profile is obviously very intriguing for scouts. Not many hitters have elite contact skills, great plate discipline and above average power. Hacopian looks to have that combination and it should make him a first round pick. Here is a good video breakdown on 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 validate his case as the best pure hitter in the class.
If you look at the metrics, you will see why Hacopian is so elite. His chase rate was under 20%, his whiff rate was around 15% and his exit velocities were elite. That is the full package for a hitter really. There are not many prospects in this class that have all of those tools at the plate.
Despite his obvious ability at the plate, Hacopian is not a perfect prospect. There are not many holes in his offensive profile, but if you were to nitpick, the one concern would be his swing. Hacopian’s setup is a bit unusual with a big leg kick and a barrel tip. However, he has hit at every level, so that is not a concern for now. As a hitter, he is as complete as they come.
The bigger question marks come on the other side of the ball. Hacopian plays shortstop right now, but he does not have the athleticism to stick there. He is expected to move to third base in pro ball, though there are concerns if he can even stay on the infield. If he cannot, Hacopian would have to move to left field or first base.
He is a below average runner as well, so there is a lot of pressure on the bat here. The bat is really good though, so even if he does slide down the defensive spectrum, it would not be the end of the world. Ideally, Hacopian would be a third baseman. He would not be the defender that Brady House is, but he is a much more well rounded offensive player.
It is always fun to see a player be on his hometown team. If Hacopian was drafted by the Nats, he would be a hometown hero, much like James Wood. The Nats need well rounded hitters, and that is what Hacopian provides. He has a chance to be a near .300 hitter with 25 home run power if things go according to plan.
That would easily be worth the 11th overall pick. However, you have to have absolute 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 just how elite he is. If Paul Toboni wants a safe college hitter with contact and power, Chris Hacopian is his guy. Being a DMV guy is the cherry on top.
Category: General Sports
