Nationals selects Texas A&M baseball IF Chris Hacopian No. 11 in 2026 MLB Draft
· Yahoo Sports
The Washington Nationals drafted Texas A&M baseball infielder Chris Hacopian on Saturday with the 11th pick in the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft.
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Hacopian spent the first two years of his career at Maryland before transferring to A&M last offseason, recording a .319 batting average, a .405 on-base percentage and a .578 slugging percentage. He was first-team All-SEC in 2026 after being named to the All-Big Ten second team last season.
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Texas A&M second baseman Chris Hacopian (8) at bat against Tennessee Tech on Feb. 14, 2026 at Blue Bell Park in College Station. (Texas A&M Athletic Department)There were other Aggies in the 2026 lineup with more power, better speed and sharper defense than Hacopian. But none showed the discipline and control of the strike zone that the infielder did. He walked more times than he struck out in college, drawing 25 free passes and striking out 21 times in 195 plate appearances as a junior. As a sophomore at Maryland, Hacopian walked 40 times and was retired on strikes 19 times in 249 plate appearances. All in all, he projects as one of the best overall hitters in the draft class.
Hacopian missed 15 games this past season with a variety of ailments. The Potomac, Md. native was out most of February with a back injury and played through a leg injury that limited him to a designated-hitter role in May. Before that, he alternated between DH and second base.
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