Nats snag Texas A&M second baseman Hacopian with No. 11 pick in '26 Draft

With the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, the Nationals selected second baseman Chris Hacopian out of Texas A&M.

MLB Pipeline's No. 14 Draft prospect, Hacopian was the highest-ranked second baseman by a wide margin due to his bat, considered by some evaluators to be the best in his class.

Not currently boasting standout power -- although he did hit 11 home runs in 42 games in his junior season -- Hacopian makes a lot of hard contact and has great command of the strike zone. He’s a particularly good fastball hitter, and scouts have praised his barrel control and bat speed, which both serve to make him more projectable at the plate if he can hit the ball in the air more regularly.

In addition to those 11 homers, Hacopian hit .319/.405/.578 with 10 doubles and 41 RBIs in his junior season, his first at Texas A&M.

Hacopian posted those strong numbers despite dealing with a flood of injuries during the 2025-26 school year. He broke his hand during his fall semester, limiting his preseason training. He would miss time early in the season due to a lower back strain. A hit-by-pitch on April 17 grazed his mouth, an issue that didn't cost him any playing time but did necessitate some dental work. He later suffered a left leg injury that limited his ability to run.

Likely influenced both by those injury issues and his below-average range and arm strength, the Aggies, having originally committed to playing Hacopian at short, shifted him to second base for the majority of his junior season. Evaluators largely believe that if he is to remain in the infield long-term, it will be at second, although he has also seen time at first and third in college and summer ball and a move to left field would also suit his skillset.

If he signs, Hacopian will be a second-generation professional; his father, Derek, the 1992 ACC Player of the Year and Triple Crown winner at the University of Maryland, was a 23rd-round pick by Cleveland and spent four seasons in the Minors, although he never rose above High-A.

The younger Hacopian played his first two collegiate seasons at his father's alma mater (alongside his older brother, Eddie, who went undrafted and is now an infielder for the Québec Capitales of the independent Frontier League) before transferring to Texas A&M ahead of the 2025-26 season.