Hassell and Wallace headline Nats prospects in AFL

With the minor league season over, the Nationals player development staff has turned its attention to the various offseason leagues and which young prospects will participate in the coming months.

The official rosters for the Arizona Fall League were announced yesterday, with seven Nationals prospects set to play for the Salt River Rafters: outfielder Robert Hassell III, third baseman Cayden Wallace, catcher Maxwell Romero Jr., right-handers Michael Cuevas and Chase Solesky, and left-handers Matt Cronin and Dustin Saenz.

Hassell is the highest-rated player of the group, ranked as the Nats’ No. 9 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 14 by Baseball America. The 23-year-old returns to the AFL for the third straight season after only playing in two games before breaking the hamate bone in his right hand in 2022 (the same year he was acquired by the Nats in the blockbuster Juan Soto and Josh Bell trade with the Padres) and impressing in 20 games last year.

Finally healthy as a non-roster invitee to spring training, Hassell entered this season with high hopes. He started the year strong at Double-A Harrisburg, but another hand/wrist injury limited him to 85 games between the Senators, High-A Wilmington and Triple-A Rochester.

Across the three levels, he slashed .241/.319./.328 with a .647 OPS, five home runs and 28 RBIs in just 362 plate appearances. So the Nats want him to get more at-bats this fall before spring training next year.

“That'll be good for him to keep playing,” said Eddie Longosz, the Nationals assistant general manager for player development and administration. “And he's good with it. He wanted to do that. He needs to get the at-bats, get the time in the field, both in center and right.”

Wallace was acquired from the Royals in the Hunter Harvey deal before the MLB Draft, but played only 15 games in the system due to rib and oblique injuries. Over 11 games with Harrisburg, he only hit .186 with a .432 OPS in 45 plate appearances. But the Nats are also excited about his glove at third base.

“He's great defensively at third,” Longosz said. “I think that's going to kind of be the spot to send him there next year starting. And it's an impact bat right away. Doesn't chase a lot, works the count. There's power in there, too. So we're excited about him.”

The 2022 second-rounder has a strong arm at the hot corner with upside at the plate to possibly be a regular at third base. Wallace is the Nats’ No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 10 per Baseball America. He’ll compete with Brady House to be the Nats’ third baseman of the future.

Meanwhile, Romero also needs more at-bats after only making 308 plate appearances over 82 games with Wilmington. And the four pitchers need to rack up more innings before taking a break for the winter.

The Arizona Fall League opens play on Oct. 7 and runs through Nov. 14, followed by a play-in semifinal game between the second- and third-place finishers Nov. 15 at Scottsdale Stadium. The championship game will be held Nov. 16 at Salt River Fields.

Other events on the league’s calendar include a home run derby on Nov. 8 and the annual Fall Stars Game on Nov. 9, both at Sloan Park.

* Here are the probable pitching matchups for the final series of the season this weekend between Nats and Phillies:

* Friday — RHP Trevor Williams vs. LHP Ranger Suárez
* Saturday — LHP MacKenzie Gore vs. RHP Zack Wheeler
* Sunday — RHP Jake Irvin vs. RHP Aaron Nola

The Nats enter Thursday’s finale against the Royals needing three wins in their last four games to surpass last year’s 71-win total. The Phillies, who are off today, start the day already as National League East champions with a first-round bye in the postseason, but trailing the Dodgers by a half-game for home-field advantage throughout the National League playoffs. The Dodgers can clinch the NL West and increase their lead over the Phillies to a full game with a win against the Padres tonight.