Washington Nationals third baseman Brady House (55) participates in the Spring Breakout game against the New York Mets at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Jim Rassol, Jim Rassol / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Monster HR by Washington Nationals Top Prospect Leaves Opposing OF a Bit Confused

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI
By Jami Leabow | Last updated May 26, 2025 8:30 AM ET

All fans could do Sunday was feel for Drew Gilbert, the center fielder for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets.

He was in the outfield in the eighth inning Sunday night in a game against the Rochester Red Wings, the top farm club of the Washington Nationals. Mets right-hander Justin Hagenman delivered a 3-2 pitch that Red Wings third baseman Brady House hit so hard that Gilbert was left wondering what happened to the ball.

Brady House PUNISHES this baseball

The @Nationals' No. 3 prospect sends it 458 feet with a 112.4 mph exit velocity off the batter's eye for the Triple-A @RocRedWings. pic.twitter.com/pJe7msJWdp
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 26, 2025

House, rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 95 prospect in baseball – and the Nationals’ top position prospect – slammed the ball 458 feet with an exit velocity of 112.4 mph. It hit off the batters’ eye in dead center field, and it left the field at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse so fast that Gilbert appeared to have no idea where the ball was until it ricocheted back on the field.

The solo blast evened the game at 3-3; the Red Wings went on to win 9-5 in 11 innings. House finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs. His fifth-inning RBI single left his bat at 106.5 mph.

Gilbert is no slouch in the outfield. The No. 10 prospect in the New York system, he was the No. 28 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros following his college career at Tennessee. He was shipped to the Mets at the 2023 trade deadline as part of the deal that sent future Baseball Hall of Fame member Justin Verlander to Houston.

But on Sunday, not even a Hall of Fame outfielder could have done a thing about House’s blast.

On the season, the 21-year-old House is hitting .282 (53-for-188) in 48 games. He has 10 doubles, nine home runs and 28 RBIs.

The Nationals selected the 6-foot-4 infielder with the No. 11 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft out of high school in Georgia.

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: