Washington Nationals star prospect impresses in week one of the Arizona Fall League

Before the offseason really gets going, the Washington Nationals have a chance to see some of their best talent compete in the Arizona Fall League.

Headlining the group of eight the Nationals sent to the event are third baseman Cayden Wallace and outfielder Robert Hassell III, both players acquired in trades at some point.

Wallace, who is ranked No. 11 in their pipeline, was acquired by the Kansas City Royals this year and Hunter Harvey was released from the roster. After suffering injuries that limited him to 15 games during his first stint with the organization, this time in the AFL will help him get action before spring training.

As for Hassell, this is his third time suiting up for Washington in the Arizona Fall League after playing a key role in the Juan Soto deal, but this time he wants to remind everyone how talented he is after no more than one of them is considered elite prospects.

The 23-year-old is currently ranked 13th and was only second to James Wood last season.

Injuries have contributed to his decline in popularity. He was limited to 85 games in 2024, where he struggled in the promotion to the Triple-A level, but that could change with a good performance in the AFL.

In the first week he did exactly that.

Hassell was named a standout player by Joe Trezza of MLB.com because he hit 7 for 13 with a home run, seven RBI and a steal.

“Hassell did a little bit of everything last week: he hit for average, he showed some power, he stole a base. His seven RBIs ranked second in the first week of the Fall League,” he wrote.

This is a great sign for the young player looking to make a name for himself within the organization.

Going forward, it will be interesting to see how the Nationals view him, as their outfield is firmly in place with James Wood and Dylan Crews at the corners and Gold Glove-caliber centerfielder Jacob Young in the middle.

Maybe Hassell converts to the fourth outfielder and creates a platoon situation with Young since he’s a left-handed hitter, or maybe he performs so well that Washington uses him as a trade this winter to add another hitter to their areas of need fetch .

Whatever the case, the former standout is off to a great start in the Arizona Fall League, which is a great sign for the direction of his career.