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Nationals Trade Robert Hassell III to Pittsburgh Pirates
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- Nationals Trade Robert Hassell III to Pittsburgh Pirates
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The Washington Nationals have found a final resolution for one of its top former prospects.
Days after clearing waivers, the Nationals announced that outfielder Robert Hassell III has been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later.
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The trade to the NL Central partner comes 11 days after the team announced that Hassell had been designated for assignment, then clearing waivers on July 12 before being assigned to Triple A Rochester as a player with no prior outright assignments and less than the required big league service time.
Hassell III, 24, was a known name within the fanbase given he appeared in 70 games for the Nationals last season. It also marked the only season in the big leagues for the former eighth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Yet the athletic outfielder, who also stuck out at points in spring training, was also part of the logjam in the outfield where he's been stuck in Triple A Rochester to open the season. Washington turned to James Wood , Joey Wiemer and Jacob Young as its starting Opening Day outfield while Dylan Crews and Daylen Lile since stepping in at center and left field to close out the first half.
In 63 games with Rochester in 2026, Hassell is hitting .215 with a pair of home runs and 21 RBIs across nearly 260 plate appearances. Hassell also owns a concerning 25.9% strikeout rate in 2026 and has already eclipsed last season's strikeout total with the Nationals despite playing in seven fewer games so far in Rochester. Hassell arrived in Washington as a prized prospect in the six-player return haul for Juan Soto that also netted CJ Abrams , Wood and now Texas Rangers pitcher MacKenzie Gore .
Given Hassell was not on the Nationals' 40-man roster, he is not expected to count against Pittsburgh's roster while he looks ahead at a chance for a fresh start up north. The two teams are not on the second half of the schedule, avoiding a reunion the rest of the 2026 slate.
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Meanwhile, the Nationals are set to resume the second half of the 2026 regular season beginning with a six-game road trip on Friday against the Athletics in Sacramento. The team is also expected to announce the promotion of catcher Harry Ford, who will make his Nationals debut after being acquired back in December in a trade with the Seattle Mariners .
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