2026 MLB Draft

[Slateman]

Must have been the 4th. Took a SS in the third.

Luke Williams in the 3rd. They probably move him to CF

[nats2playoffs]

Nussbaum: “Chris Hacopian said the Nats presented him with the most organized development plan of any team he met with.”

Hacopian was on the Nationals pre-game show Sat July 11. He said he was a Nationals fan and his highlight was, of course, the 2019 World Series win.
 
"Hacopian played four years at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac MD, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection. His father, Derek, was drafted by Cleveland in the 1992 Draft and went on to play five seasons (1992-96) in their Minor League system."

[zimm_da_kid]

Nussbaum: “Chris Hacopian said the Nats presented him with the most organized development plan of any team he met with.”

The big thing for tapping into hacopian
Is getting him to pull the ball in the air to tap into his power. This regime has shown they can do that

[blue911]

He played for the Big Train.

[aspenbubba]

He played for the Big Train.

Walter Johnson HS? Not from what I read.

[imref]

Chase Brunson (OF): 42nd (#50 on MLB pipeline)

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

The Blue Jays took a flier on Brunson in the 18th round of the 2023 Draft, but the California prep prospect couldn't be dissuaded from attending Texas Christian. He became an immediate starter for the Horned Frogs in center field, displaying average-to-solid tools across the board. His all-around ability should land him in the top two rounds, even if being a right-handed hitter without a true plus tool limits his ceiling.

A steady if unspectacular hitter, Brunson reached base in his first 43 games as a sophomore in 2025. He's an aggressive swinger but makes consistent contact and drills line drives from gap to gap. He translates the strength in his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame into high-end exit velocities and 20-homer power that plays to all fields.

Brunson has solid speed and will find spots to steal an occasional base. He doesn't have classic centerfield quickness but his instincts help him to track down balls in the gaps. If he can't remain up the middle in pro ball, his solid arm strength will fit nicely in right field.

Luke Williams (SS): 78th (mlb pipeline #90)

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

The Pittsburgh area high school ranks have produced some solid bats over the years, from Neil Walker back in 2003 to Alex Kirilloff in 2016 and, most recently, Cole Young in 2022. All three of those hitters were first-round picks, and Williams, who plays for Franklin Regional High School just east of the city, doesn’t appear to be joining that trio that high on Draft boards. But after missing the summer showcase circuit with an ankle injury, Williams’ ability to show off his premium athleticism this spring had him popping up in early-round conversations.

While he’s a bit raw all-around, Williams is as twitchy an athlete as there is in this class. He’s not without tools, with elite bat speed and some definite raw power that he’s still learning how to tap into from the right side of the plate, though it remains to be seen if he can handle premium pitching. Some scouts put the maximum 80 grade on his speed, and it was completely back this spring with no ill effects from the injury. He runs with reckless abandon, with singles and walks quickly turning into triples.

It remains to be seen if Williams can slow the game down enough to play shortstop long-term. He has more than enough arm, showing the ability to crank throws in the 90s across the diamond, and his speed and athleticism help him cover a lot of ground. He plays with his hair on fire at all times, largely a good thing, but he’ll need to show he can stay within himself. He gets high marks for his passion for the game, gaining kudos from the scouting industry for showing up to DH at fall events even though he wasn’t at full strength just because the Vanderbilt commit wanted to compete.

Cooper Harris (RHP): 106th (mlb pipeline #76)

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

When several heavy hitters came to Texas in February to scout college tournaments and some high school games, Harris dazzled them by striking out 17 in six no-hit innings. That outing was the first step in surpassing several more famous names to emerge as the consensus top mound prospect among Lone Star State prepsters. While he doesn't have the loudest stuff, he has feel for four pitches and has dominated all spring.

Harris operates at 90-94 mph and reaches 96 with his fastball, displaying the ability to create carry, sink or cut while commanding it well. It could develop into a plus offering once it adds more power, as could his low-80s slider with high spin rates and flashes of two-plane depth. He lands a mid-70s curveball for strikes and has begun work on a mid-80s changeup.

Harris has a projectable 6-foot-3 frame and, as one of the youngest pitchers in the Draft, plenty of time to add strength. The Texas recruit is athletic and moves well down the mound, creating good extension while easily repeating his delivery and pounding the strike zone. Assuming he turns pro as a top-two-rounds talent, he should advance quickly for a high schooler.

[blue911]

Walter Johnson HS? Not from what I read.

The Big Train is a team in the Cal Ripken League. Named after Johnson of course.

[imref]

Day 2 recap: https://www.mlb.com/press-release/nationals-complete-2026-first-year-player-draft

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Day 2 recap: https://www.mlb.com/press-release/nationals-complete-2026-first-year-player-draft

Heavy on college pitchers on the second day.

Rounds 5-10, the Nats grabbed players  from 4 year colleges, including 3 RHPs.
Rounds 11-15 the Nats went for 4 more pitchers, one a lefty.
Rounds 16-20, back to position players fro 4 picks.

[welch]

Spencer Nussbaum with a long-ish and encouraging article on how the Toboni group approached the draft. We've all read about the PPT presentation the Nats made to Hacopian. In addition, and a great thing: the Nats have been teaching their analytics to veteran scouts, and bringing the player development group to work alongside the scouts. No more silo, or "why didn't they develop this guy I scouted and suggested we draft?"

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7439289/2026/07/13/washington-nationals-mlb-draft-modernized-approach/?unlocked_article_code=1.xVA.p9Aa.BHbSc0qdLgU5&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Spencer Nussbaum with a long-ish and encouraging article on how the Toboni group approached the draft. We've all read about the PPT presentation the Nats made to Hacopian. In addition, and a great thing: the Nats have been teaching their analytics to veteran scouts, and bringing the player development group to work alongside the scouts. No more silo, or "why didn't they develop this guy I scouted and suggested we draft?"

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7439289/2026/07/13/washington-nationals-mlb-draft-modernized-approach/?unlocked_article_code=1.xVA.p9Aa.BHbSc0qdLgU5&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta

I found this interesting:

In previous seasons, the scouting department had no say over how the players they picked were developed, and those prospects often received different instruction as they climbed through the Nationals’ system. On the flip side, the player development group lacked sway in the draft room, preventing them from exercising any sort of control over the types of players they felt equipped to develop. Communication between the departments was sparse.

[varoadking]

I found this interesting:

In previous seasons, the scouting department had no say over how the players they picked were developed, and those prospects often received different instruction as they climbed through the Nationals’ system. On the flip side, the player development group lacked sway in the draft room, preventing them from exercising any sort of control over the types of players they felt equipped to develop. Communication between the departments was sparse.

...but not the least bit surprising...

[Slateman]

Hacopian signs for  $5.7 million

[zimm_da_kid]

any word on signings beyond hacopian? We saved about $400k on him.

Brunson has a slot value of $2.4million and I would imagine he'd be fairly close to slot.

pick 78 has a slot value of $1.08mil and #106 has a slot of $740k. 78 was williams and 106 was harris. Both, being highschoolers, will be getting over slot deals. I'd imagine both around $2mil. Would love some leftover money to sign murphy, but he might just be insurance and a place to pivot savings to if something comes up and theres a hiccup in signing williams or harris

[imref]

Haven't seen anything further, but some folks are expressing doubt that we can sign 16th round pick Anthony Murphy (a LSU commit).

[imref]

Todd Boss draft analysis:
Rounds 1-10: https://nationalsarmrace.com/?p=19742
Rounds 11-20: https://nationalsarmrace.com/?p=19754

[zoom]

Per natstalk, nats have signed (in addition to Hacopian) Brunson (2), Williams (3), Harris (4) and Rivero (15).

[imref]

Per natstalk, nats have signed (in addition to Hacopian) Brunson (2), Williams (3), Harris (4) and Rivero (15).

Callis says Brunson signed for $1.8 million (slot value was $2,388,800)

[zoom]

Callis says Brunson signed for $1.8 million (slot value was $2,388,800)

Yep, savings for the preps.  (Per Callis)
Williams (3): $2.5 million (slot 78 value = $1,069,600)
Harris (4): $1.5 million (slot 106 value = $740,500)

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Saved about a $1million on the top 2, spent $2.25 over slot for the next 2. I know you can exceed total slot money a bit and not get penalized, but that looks like they need more savings from other slots in the top 10.

[zimm_da_kid]

Saved about a $1million on the top 2, spent $2.25 over slot for the next 2. I know you can exceed total slot money a bit and not get penalized, but that looks like they need more savings from other slots in the top 10.

Hansmann, peterson, and allen are all likely pretty below slot. call it around $500K saved there (conservative, likely more) plus 5% of the total bonus pool which is what you can spend over your pool before any meaningful penalties. 5% of our roughly $12,000,000 bonus pool gives us an additional $600K there to spend. We're fine. Might even have enough to throw $500k-$750k at murphy and galason and see if that plus a stellar development plan is enough to get them to sign

[imref]

Nats announce that all have signed except 16th and 17th round picks.

16th was Anthony Murphy, OF a LSU commit. 17 was Isaiah Galason, SS, a Georgia Tech commit.

[zoom]

Per Nusbaum:
Why the Nationals signed and announced their picks this quickly, per source: All 18 signees went straight to Florida to sign and are going through a week of camp this week to get acclimated to the organization. First time they’ve done this.

Pretty cool they are doing a camp together.

[imref]

Going to unsticky this one since it appears that everyone who was going to sign has signed and as Zoom noted, they have all been assigned to the FCL.

[tomterp]

Like last year, Nats spent over their allocated slot and incurred a bonus pool tax as a result.  The final tally -

Bonus Pool   $12,278,300
Pool allocations (amt spent on bonuses)  $12,678,600
Spent over slot - $400,300
Bonus tax - $300,225

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/draft/_/year/2026/team/wsh/sort/pick