Take your mind back to July. It feels like years ago, but it was actually six months ago. C.J. Abrams was seen as not only the shortstop of the future, but also the face of the franchise. He had an .832 OPS, 15 home runs, and 15 stolen bases, and was poised to play in his first All-Star Game. At only 23 years old, Abrams looked like one of the most dynamic power-speed threats in baseball.
But the coming months have brought more questions than answers about the young shortstop’s future. Abrams struggled on and off the field in the second half. His season ended in vain when he finished. demoted Hours before the Nationals’ day game against the Cubs, he was caught gambling all night in Chicago and was demoted to Triple-A. For Abrams to become the star the Nationals were looking at when they were part of the Juan Soto trade, he will need to make moves off the field as well.
Abrams has a lot of areas he needs to improve on the field as well. His form deteriorated dramatically in the second half, and after the All-Star break he had a batting average of .203 and an OPS of .586. Abrams was chasing too much and hitting too many pop-ups. Spreading the zone has been a consistent challenge for young shortstops, with Abrams posting a tracking rate of just over 35% in each of the past two seasons. His 35.4 Chase% is 11th percentile Among all batters in MLB. For Abrams to maximize his offensive potential, he must reduce his chasing hands and keep the fly in the air while mitigating pop-ups.
Abrams’ offense has had its ups and downs, but his glove has always been a question mark. his -13 Defensive run value He was by far the worst shortstop in 2024. his distance is questioned both by indicators and evaluators. At the beginning of the season, he mostly avoided mistakes, but in the second half, he started making more mistakes. 2025 will be an important year for Abrams to prove that he can stick as a shortstop. It will be interesting to see what the Nationals do if he continues to struggle defensively. The team, which has second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. and a talented young outfield staff, will have to make a decision.
Despite those concerns, Abrams remains one of the most talented players in the organization. He has great upside at the plate and on base. If Abrams can play average defense as a shortstop, he could be an impact player for the organization. Abrams was one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball in the first half and was deserving of an All-Star berth. Despite all the growing pains, Abrams has shown plenty of bright spots. He looks more like Ian Desmond than Trey Turner now, but Desmond was still a really good player. Abrams is also young enough to fulfill his star potential and write his own story in Nationals history.
