Nationals draft Maryland native Chris Hacopian of Texas A&M in first round

When the Nationals had Chris Hacopian visit Nationals Park on Monday, it was a surreal moment for the Maryland native who grew up a fan of the team.

It was the intersection of his childhood and his future throughout the visit. Now he was entering as a prospect the team was considering selecting in the MLB draft.

“I’ve been to that park countless amount of times growing up as a fan, but actually walking through the dugout where the players walk and onto the field, it’s just a different feeling,” said Hacopian, whom the Nationals drafted No. 11 overall Saturday in Philadelphia. “It’s a different view, and it’s just it’s so exciting. That’s exactly where I want to be.”

On his predraft visit, Hacopian — who went to Churchill High School — met numerous members of the baseball operations staff, including president Paul Toboni and director of hitting C.J. Gillman.

They walked Hacopian through a slideshow that illustrated the team’s development plan for him. They listed what they felt he did well — exit velocities and plus plate discipline — while also identifying areas where he could improve, namely pulling the ball in the air.

For Hacopian, it was reminiscent of his college recruitment process, when he was figuring out his next school after leaving Maryland following his sophomore season.

When he visited Texas A&M, coach Cliff Pennington had a video presentation of the 18 errors he recorded as a sophomore. That presentation sealed Hacopian’s decision to become an Aggie. He recorded 11 homers and posted a .319 batting average this season.

“When they did that, I had a little déjà vu from Texas A&M,” Hacopian said. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I would love it if I had the opportunity to work with this organization.”

He said other organizations weren’t as detailed as the Nationals were in their plans for him.

“It really did stand out how the Nationals presented their development plan,” Hacopian said. “And, I will be honest, it was different. I think it’s a testament to what the guys who are leading that [front] office and that organization are ready to do.”

MLB Pipeline said Hacopian has an advanced feel at the plate and control of the strike zone. The concerns with him are defensive. His lack of arm strength necessitated a move from third base. He also does not move well laterally, so if he stays in the infield it’ll likely be at second base.

Hacopian, who was born in Gaithersburg, said he’s ready to man any position the organization wants him to play. He also has the distinction of being the first pick of the Toboni regime. At his introductory news conference, Toboni said he wanted to create a “scouting and player development monster,” and this first draft will set the tone in that regard. The last time the Nationals picked No. 11 was 2021, when they selected third baseman Brady House.

The Nationals’ farm system has made strides since the midpoint of 2025, when MLB Pipeline ranked it 23rd among 30 major league teams. At the start of the season, the system had risen to 17th.

Since the season began, the organization has seen less heralded prospects such as infielder Devin Fitz-Gerald, shortstop Ronny Cruz and outfielder Gavin Fien make significant jumps in production. Seaver King, a first-rounder in 2024, has cut down on his chase rate, showcasing more in-game power than he has in past years.

Hacopian said his favorite Nationals growing up were Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa. But his enthusiasm came through when he discussed watching the 2019 World Series team.

“I was probably 14 years old, and Howie Kendrick was my hero, man,” Hacopian said. “When he hit that, when he hit the foul pole in Game 7, my household was going crazy.”

Now Hacopian is ready to leave his own imprint on the franchise he grew up watching.

“I want to become the best player possible,” Hacopian said. “I know I got a lot of things to work on, but at the end of the day, I love to work hard and I love winning. I’m looking forward to winning another World Series one day.”

The Nationals also have picks 42, 78 and 106 remaining in Saturday’s portion of the draft.

This article has been updated.