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Pirates make interesting no-risk trade with Nationals for former top outfield prospect
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- Pirates make interesting no-risk trade with Nationals for former top outfield prospect
Pirates make interesting no-risk trade with Nationals for former top outfield prospect originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming out of the MLB All-Star break with a 50-47 record, and 9.5 games out of the NL Central lead, but only 2.0 games back in the NL Wild Card.
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Considering how close they are to contention, it wouldn't be a shocker if they were trade deadline buyers. While it's still a few weeks early, the Pirates have indeed already acquired a player to help their roster.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale , the Pirates are taking a "no risk" flyer on a former top prospect of the Washington Nationals who was part of the trade return for Juan Soto a few years ago, in outfielder Robert Hassell III .
Pirates trade for Robert Hassell II from Nationals as low-risk move
"The Pittsburgh Pirates take a no-risk flier on outfielder Robert Hassell III, who was designated for assignment last week by the Washington Nationals ," Nightengale reports. "The cost is only cash or a player to be named later."
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The Pirates are adding Hassell to the roster in a trade while only giving up a small return. It will either be a prospect or cash considerations, but it won't be a hefty return for the Pirates.
Hassell, the 2020 No. 8 overall draft pick by the San Diego Padres , who was later traded alongside James Wood , CJ Abrams , and MacKenzie Gore to the Nationals for Soto, is now coming to the Pirates.
He had a .593 OPS this season with a .215 batting average in 228 at-bats in Triple-A for the Nationals. He did have an .839 OPS last season in Triple-A, so there might still be something there with Hassell.
MORE: Why Astros are trading Lance McCullers to the Brewers
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But the Nationals designated him for assignment for a reason. Hassell just hasn't been good enough, as the 24-year-old proved during his 2025 MLB debut.
In 70 games, across 197 at-bats, Hassell posted a .223 batting average with a .572 OPS with three home runs, 18 RBIs, and eight walks to 62 strikeouts.
While Hassell might not figure things out for the Pirates, it's a worthwhile addition, as the outfield prospect might end up figuring things out in a new change of scenery.
It's a low-risk move for Pittsburgh, and while it might not be likely to work out, if it does, the Pirates would have made a very savvy move to land a high-upside outfielder who is still just 24 years old.
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