Washington Nationals’ GM and President of Baseball Ops Mike Rizzo talked about Robert Hassell III as “a five-tool expertise” after buying the outfielder as one in all 5 high-end San Diego Padres’ prospects (together with CJ Abrams, James Wooden, MacKenzie Gore, and Jarlin Susana) included within the return for Juan Soto on the commerce deadline in 2022.
Hassell III, Rizzo mentioned, is a, “… man that may hit, hit with energy, play protection, throw, run, and steal bases, and his ceiling is excessive.”
A damaged hamate bone suffered within the Arizona Fall League late in ‘22 set the outfielder again, and he struggled in 2023, with a mixed .221/.324/.321 line, 16 doubles and 9 homers over 121 video games and 545 plate appearances between Excessive-A Fredericksburg and Double-A Harrisburg, however he adopted up on the powerful season with a robust run within the AFL, placing up a .290/.366/.348 line, a double, and a house run in 20 video games and 82 PAs.
Hassell III bounced again some in 2024, with a .271/.357/.371 line, six doubles and 5 house runs in 60 video games and 260 PAs at Double-A earlier than he made the bounce to Triple-A Rochester, for 17 video games to finish the season. He posted a mixed .241/.319/.328 line, 9 doubles, a pair of triples, and 5 house runs between Class-A Wilmington, Double-, and Triple-A.
Again within the AFL this fall, Hassell III hit seven doubles and 4 house runs in 22 video games and 100 PAs (one homer shy of his whole from 362 PAs whole this season).
Hassell III advised Sportscasting’s Kyle Odegard earlier this month he was cautious along with his swing after the hamate bone damage, however began to get comfy once more and began to point out some energy once more and regained confidence:
“‘I’ve been assured my entire life,’ Hassell mentioned … ‘… after which for a 12 months and a half – I can’t imagine it lasted that lengthy – it was a extremely bumpy highway.’
“‘I used to be simply attempting to not damage something,’ Hassell mentioned. ‘I wasn’t even actually apprehensive at occasions about what I used to be doing on the sector, how I used to be performing.’”
His hope, the outfielder mentioned throughout his newest AFL run, is to remain wholesome this winter, and go into Spring Coaching and make an impression:
“I’d like to complete all of Spring Coaching in massive league camp and carry out – create some alternatives for myself and make it a tough resolution for them,” Hassell mentioned. “Apply that strain on them early, as a result of Spring Coaching is lengthy sufficient that I can actually open some eyes. If I’m again to what I often do, I can open some eyes.”
Hassell III, (presently ranked thirteenth within the group by MLB’s Pipeline scouts), and righty Andry Lara (presently ranked seventeenth), have been each added to the Nationals’ 40-Man roster this week, defending each from choice within the 2024 Rule 5 Draft subsequent month.
The Nationals added OF Robert Hassell III and RHP Andry Lara to the 40-man roster on Tuesday.
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) November 19, 2024
Lara, 21, signed out of Venezuela in 2019, and the right-hander pitched at Excessive-A and AA in 2024, posting a mixed 3.34 ERA with 44 walks and 132 Ks in 25 begins and 134 2⁄3 IP.
Lara, “… paced Washington’s system in wins (11) and WHIP (1.16), ranked second in innings pitched (134.2 IP) and third in strikeouts (132) in his fourth skilled season in 2024,” because the Nationals famous in a press launch on the 40-Man roster additions.
“Lara is 23-30 with a 4.40 ERA in 82 video games (80 begins),” they famous,” and, “he’s posted a .239 opponents’ batting common, a 1.28 WHIP, and eight.35 strikeouts per 9.0 innings alongside the best way.”
