MLB: Is It Fair Or Foul To Call Robert Hassell III A Top-10 Prospect?
I’m not going to start the debate over who the best hitting prospect in the MLB is. I’ll gladly stand on my soapbox and proclaim Robert Hassell III is in the conversation. I will not be swayed by that opinion. We are talking about a player who’s going to hit 40+ home runs in the majors. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. Hassell is a stud.
Hassell is a special prospect. While the stats don’t jump out at you as of yet, notice how he’s continuing to get better all across the field. This is a player who was viewed as not having any real plus tools outside of his bat. I’ll argue that’s a real stretch now. Bobby Barrels has greatly increased his stock as a player.
The San Diego Padres are no strangers to finding gems. RHIII wasn’t a hard pick to make in 2020. The Padres took him 8th overall in the draft. A high school bat that was simply too powerful to let slip away, it’s been a fairly smooth transition for Hassell, despite the Covid issues of the 2020 minor league season.
We can go on about the bat of Robert Hassell, that will be his bread and butter. Let’s talk a bit about his fielding. Scouts were unsure if he’d be able to handle the rigors of the CF position. For all intents and purposes, RHIII did pretty well for his first pro season. He’s a far cry away from an impact defensive CF, however, look at how he compares to Robert Grisham, the Padres current starting CF.
On the 2021 season, Grisham tied for the 2nd most errors at the position (4). Hassell produced 7 errors at the CF spot. Grisham posted a .986 fielding percentage as a CF, while Hassell posted a .962. Hassell wasn’t as efficient, but comparing a prospect in his first taste of affiliated ball, playing a position many think he’s not suited for, to an everyday starter at the major league level, there’s some validity that Hassell could remain a CF for San Diego.
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We all know that Hassell’s main calling card is his bat. He didn’t disappoint in that aspect of his game. Of course we all want to see more HR’s (11 in 443 AB’s over Hi-A and Lo-A), the power is there, evident by his 33 doubles and 4 triples. It’s also worth noting Hassell’s patient approach to the plate. He’s outside the top-40 in K’s(74) through the Lo-A West. For reference, fellow 2020 1st round standout, Zac Veen (Colorado), had 126 K’s, 7th highest in LO-A West.
Between the patient approach at the plate and developing defensive game, Robert Hassell III is one of the names to really keep an eye on. While the thought was just a guy who is a pure power hitter and nothing else, Hassell could end up being a relatively low K player with plus power and a plus hit tool. Not to mention, he racked up 34 stolen bases in 2021. While the SB’s might not even amount to much at the major league level, the tools he is starting to flash indicate RHIII might be a bit better than advertised.
Can we call Robert Hassell III a top-10 MLB prospect? I truly believe he is right now. If we base on how much he’s grown and defied what scouts have said, we are going to see a player who continues that upward trend and is a consensus top prospect. There will be no debate about RHIII. The Padres have a stud in the making.
Image Source: Jerry Espinoza
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
