Nationals' Robert Hassell: Gets spot on 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Nationals selected Hassell's contract from Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Hassell's star has faded since he was viewed as a top-100 prospect a year ago, as he managed just a .241/.319/.328 batting line over 85 games covering three levels during the 2024 minor-league season. However, the 23-year-old is still viewed highly enough that the Nationals didn't want to expose him to the Rule 5 Draft.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Heading to Triple-A
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The Nationals promoted Hassell from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Rochester on Monday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Hassell missed nearly two months of action earlier this summer with a right hand injury and had struggled to shake off the rust upon returning from Harrisburg's injured list Aug. 20. Though he slashed just .238/.306/.381 with two home runs and one stolen base in 11 games following his return to the Double-A lineup, Hassell will nonetheless be awarded his first promotion to the Triple-A level for the final three weeks of the season. Rochester likely had an opening in its everyday outfield for Hassell after the Nationals recently called up prospects Dylan Crews and Darren Baker from Triple-A.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Raking at Double-A
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Hassell was named the Eastern League Player of the Week on Monday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
The 22-year-old outfielder has been on a heater longer than just one week, however. Hassell has nine multi-hit performances in the last 14 games for Double-A Harrisburg, slashing .434/.508/.585 over that stretch with two homers, nine steals in 10 attempts and a 7:12 BB:K. The improvement in his plate discipline is especially noteworthy -- in 106 games for Harrisburg last season he had a 31.9 percent strikeout rate, a number he's cut down to 19.3 percent through 24 contests in 2024. A promotion to Triple-A for Hassell should be coming shortly, but the Nationals might be waiting to bump James Wood up to the majors to open up a starting job in the outfield at Rochester.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Will get another crack at AFL
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Hassell will play in the Arizona Fall League this October, Jonathan Mayo and Sam Dykstra of MLB.com report.
The 22-year-old has seen his prospect status dim significantly in 2023 after he stumbled to a combined .221/.324/.321 slash line over 121 games between High-A and Double-A, and Hassell's decline began when he broken the hamate bone in his wrist in last year's AFL. He has shown signs of life at the plate late in the season for Double-A Harrisburg however, slashing .281/.349/.351 in September with a marginally improved 25.4 percent strikeout rate, and a strong showing in Arizona could get his career back on track.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Struggling at Double-A
Rotowire
Hassell is hitting .227 with three home runs, nine steals and a 32.2 percent strikeout rate in 52 games for Double-A Harrisburg.
Hassell's 27.9 percent hard-hit rate and 14.3 percent soft-hit rate are solid marks for a player who projects as a leadoff or No. 2 hitter. Unfortunately, his plate skills appear to have really backed up since his 2022 run at High-A, before he was included in the package San Diego sent to Washington for Juan Soto.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Reports to Double-A
Rotowire
Hassell (wrist) was reinstated from Double-A Harrisburg's 7-day injured list Tuesday.
Hassell played in 14 rehab games with Single-A Fredericksburg while completing his recovery from a wrist injury that first popped up in early March. The 21-year-old outfielder entered the 2023 campaign as a consensus top-100 prospect after posting a .763 OPS with 11 home runs and 24 stolen bases in 112 games last season between High-A and Double-A.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Starts up rehab assignment
Rotowire
Hassell (wrist), who was placed on Double-A Harrisburg's 7-day injured list April 6, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Fredericksburg on Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Hassell missed much of spring training with a wrist issue that's apparently unrelated to the broken hamate bone he suffered in the Arizona Fall League, but he looks to have just about made a full recovery from the injury. He'll likely appear in at least a couple games with Fredericksburg to get his timing back at the plate before he reports to Harrisburg.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Sidelined with new wrist issue
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Hassell is currently sidelined in Nationals camp with a new wrist injury, Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post reports.
It is apparently unrelated to the right hamate bone fracture that Hassell sustained in the 2022 Arizona Fall League. There is no timetable as to when the 21-year-old top outfield prospect might begin appearing in live games. He had been ticketed for Double-A Harrisburg to open the 2023 regular season.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Recovered from hamate injury
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Manager Dave Martinez said Thursday that Hassell is fully recovered from surgery to remove the hamate bone from his right wrist, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Hassell broke his hamate bone while playing in the Arizona Fall League in October, and he wasn't invited to the major-league side of Nationals camp so that he could ease back into workouts at his own pace. The 21-year-old top outfield prospect is expected to open the 2023 season at Double-A Harrisburg. He could feasibly make his MLB debut in the second half.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Struggles with new organization
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Hassell hit just .222/.312/.296 with one home run and one steal across 27 games after being promoted to Double-A Harrisburg in mid-August.
He was even worse with the Nats' High-A affiliate after coming over at the trade deadline (.211/.311/.237), so the latter half of 2022 represented an inauspicious start for Hassell with his new franchise. That said, it's reasonable to consider the real Hassell to be the guy who batted .299/.379/.467 with 10 homers and 20 steals in 75 High-A games before being moved. It's also worth remembering that he's just barely 21 years old. Hassell is still on track to develop into a table-setting top-of-the-order bat and Washington's center fielder of the future.
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Nationals' Robert Hassell: Arrives at Double-A
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The Nationals promoted Hassell from High-A Wilmington to Double-A Harrisburg on Tuesday.
Of the six players the Nationals acquired in the Aug. 2 blockbuster deal that sent Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the Padres, perhaps none exudes more long-term upside than Hassell. Between High-A stops in Wilmington and Fort Wayne this season, Hassell produced a .289/.371/.442 slash line with 10 home runs and 23 stolen bases over 391 plate appearances. In addition to hitting for average and providing some pop and speed from the left side of the plate, the 20-year-old is also expected to stick in center field over the long haul. He'll now get a stiffer test in the Eastern League to end his 2022 season, but even a more modest statistical showing shouldn't dramatically change his long-term outlook.
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Padres' Robert Hassell: Thriving in High-A ball
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Hassell is slashing .397/.455/.638 with four home runs, 15 RBI and eight stolen bases through 15 games with High-A Fort Wayne.
Hassell struggled a bit during his first stint at the High-A level late last season, but he has taken off with Fort Wayne to begin the 2022 campaign, flashing his considerable hit tool while displaying more power and succeeding on all eight of his stolen-base attempts. The vaunted prospect struck out in nearly one-third of his at-bats in the High-A stint in 2021 but has reduced his strikeout rate to just 13.6 percent so far this season. Hassell's tangible progress could earn him a promotion to the Double-A level before long.
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Padres' Robert Hassell: Sees minimal spring action
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Hassell got into just two games for the Padres in spring training, going 1-for-3 with a single and two strikeouts.
Obviously, he wasn't a candidate to break camp with the big club, having only reached High-A -- and that for just 18 not-so-great games -- last season, but the experience will be good for Hassell as he attempts to move forward. It's likely that he'll open 2022 with a second shot at High-A, where he'll look to carry forward his 2021 Low-A success (.323/.415/.482 with seven homers and 31 steals in 92 games). There's every reason to expect great things from the 2020 draft's No. 8 overall pick -- he's one of the best base thieves in the minors, and his hit tool is already pretty good. At just 20 years old, he's among the crown jewels of the Padres' farm system.
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Padres' Robert Hassell: Promoted to High-A
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Hassell was promoted to High-A Fort Wayne on Saturday, Bill Center of the Padres' official site reports.
Hassell's promotion follows an excellent run in which he hit .455/.529/.727 over his last 11 games. He's been excellent throughout his first professional season, slashing .323/.415/.482 with seven homers and an impressive 31 steals over 92 games. The 20-year-old may still be two years away from reaching the majors, but he's quickly proving to be one of the most exciting prospects in the minors.
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Padres' Robert Hassell: Power showing up more
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Hassell has pounded out five extra-base hits -- two homers and three doubles -- in his last six games for Low-A Lake Elsinore.
He's looked better than ever in August, as this month has seen Hassell put up a .348/.427/.565 batting line with three homers, five steals, 15 RBI and 18 runs in 19 games. He's now 31-for-37 on the basepaths this season -- a rock-solid 83.7 percent success rate. It looks like Hassell will at minimum be an excellent leadoff hitter in the majors, and if his power keeps coming along, there's no telling what his ceiling might be. The sky's the limit.
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Padres' Robert Hassell: Off to strong start in pro ball
Rotowire
Hassell is hitting .282/.371/.453 with four home runs and 18 steals across 44 games for Low-A Lake Elsinore.
The No. 8 pick in the 2020 draft, Hassell is off to a strong start in pro ball, especially considering that he's two years younger than the average player in the Low-A West league. He's 18-for-19 on the basepaths, and his 12.4 percent walk rate is indicative of a quality approach at the plate. The only thing missing is big-time power, as Hassell is more of a line-drive hitter, but that'll still play in fantasy if he continues stealing bases.
