Washington Nationals rookie Robert Hassell played on a big stage long before he reached MLB.
As a youngster, he competed in the Little League World Series.
He was there in 2014, when Mo'Ne Davis stole the show for the team from Pennsylvania. And the first time the future big leaguer faced her, he struck out.
Hassell did redeem himself in his second at bat with a single up the middle.
"It was crazy, but it was really fun," Hassell told MLB on social media. "... She was really good."
Robert Hassell III faced Mo’Ne Davis in the 2014 Little League World Series 👀 pic.twitter.com/XHh1T5r7Il
— MLB (@MLB) June 13, 2025
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Davis went on to play college softball as an infielder at Hampton University.
Hassell originally was with the Padres' organization, but he cam to the Nats as part of the Juan Soto trade.
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More than a decade ago, this D.C. rookie clashed with the biggest story in baseball that summer.
Now he's hoping he can write a cool story of his own in the major leagues.
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