Nationals’ Prospects: The Future of Hassell and House

JUPITER, Fla. – The inclusion of Robert Hassell III and Brady House on the Nationals’ Opening Day roster was never a consideration. Their promotion would require not only outstanding performances but also unfortunate events affecting the roster of established players.

Assessing Readiness for the Majors

The main focus has been on determining how prepared Hassell and House are for the major leagues and how soon they might get called up for their debuts. After both players were assigned to the minors, team officials refrained from giving a clear timeline, but hints suggest they are part of the team’s future plans for 2025.

Manager’s Confidence

“Every year that I’ve seen them, they continue to grow on me. They continue to get better,” stated manager Davey Martinez. He emphasized that both players need to start strong in the minors and continue to refine their skills, noting their youth and ongoing development. He is optimistic about their contributions to the team’s future.

Hassell’s Strong Spring Performance

Hassell demonstrated greater readiness for the majors this spring compared to House. The 23-year-old outfielder impressed with a .370 batting average over the last month, alongside six extra-base hits and several excellent defensive plays. While he may not overshadow players like James Wood or Nasim Nunez in specific areas, his all-around performance makes a case for him in center field. However, he still must prove himself at the Triple-A level first.

House’s Development and Challenges

Although House, at 21, has more Triple-A experience than Hassell, he faced challenges last season with a batting average of .250. His high strikeout rate poses a concern for making it in the big leagues. Nevertheless, House has shown improvement this spring, batting .333 with a better walk-to-strikeout ratio. Development in his power hitting is still ongoing, but time remains on his side.

Shifting Positions and Roles

The Nationals are particularly impressed by House’s successful transition from shortstop to third base. Martinez noted his physical progress and stressed the importance of continued development, particularly in his approach at the plate. House’s performance has positioned him for potential advancement, although the current third-base role is held by Paul DeJong, with other players filling in as needed.

Looking Ahead

As the season begins, it remains to be seen when House might break into the majors—whether that will happen in May, July, or September. Both Hassell and House need to maintain their strong performances to expedite their paths to the big leagues, bringing the Nationals closer to finalizing their rebuild from 3½ years ago.