Last night, Robert Hassell III led the Rochester Red Wings to their second consecutive victory for the first time since April 1. Hassell went 3-4 at the plate, hitting two doubles, knocking in two RBIs, and scoring a run, beating the Syracuse Chiefs 9-3.

After the game, Hassell received the call that he had been waiting his whole life to hear: “Report to Washington immediately, you are now a major leaguer!” Robert Hassell III was traded to the Nationals from the San Diego Padres organization for Juan Soto and Josh Bell (Bell is now back in Washington), and the trade that just keeps on giving to Washington is adding the fourth piece to the team. He will join CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, and James Wood, who were also part of what may become known as the best and most productive trade in the history of the Washington Nationals.

Due to an injury Hassell received after the 2022 season in the Arizona Fall League, it slowed, but did not deter, his ascension in the Nationals organization. Robert’s perseverance has earned him this promotion to Washington. Robert Hassell III, aka “Bobby Barrels,” was having a good year at AAA Rochester. He’s played in 43 games in Rochester this season. He’s hitting .288 with an OBP of .337 and an OPS of .742. What impressed me the most about Hassell was that on April 10 against Scranton Wilkes Barre, Robert started the game with a double and a single, and at that time, his batting average was .351. He went into a slump and did not get another hit for the next seven games when he finally hit a single against Worcester, and his batting average had dropped 120 points to .231 in that period. Watching this young man battle through that slump showed growth as a player, and he drew upon one of his greatest attributes, which is his willingness to persevere. Hassell persevered through a 2-year recovery from his hamate bone injury, and he also persevered and worked his way out of his hitting slump to raise his batting average once again over 50 points to where it stands today at .288. I believe that when a player must search to find a way out of a frustrating slump, it takes character, and Hassell showed that, along with perseverance, he is a man of character.

Hassell will have to make an adjustment again as he progresses to his lifelong desired dream of the major leagues. His defense in centerfield is and will be stellar. Out of 100 total chances in centerfield, he has only made one error. He will have some “growing pains” at the major league level, just like all new major leaguers experience offensively.

In time, with those adjustments he needs to make, he will succeed. Look up the word perseverance in the dictionary, and you should see a picture of Robert Hassell III. Tonight, I am going to make some popcorn, grab a beverage and at 6:45 sit in my recliner and join all of Rochester and root for the Nationals and Robert Hassell III! Good luck, Robert!