The Nationals shortstop needs to find consistency on and off the field after an up and down 2024
Set your minds back to July. It feels like ages ago, but in fact, it was less than six months ago. CJ Abrams looked like not only the shortstop of the future, but the face of the franchise. He was poised to make his first all star game, with an .832 OPS to go along with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases. Abrams looked like one of the most dynamic power-speed threats in all of baseball at just 23 years old.
However, the coming months have provided more questions than answers for the future of the young shortstop. Abrams struggled massively in the second half, both on and off the field. His season ended unceremoniously when he was demoted to Triple-A after being caught gambling all night in Chicago, hours before the Nationals played a day game against the Cubs. For Abrams to become the star the Nationals saw in him when he was part of the Juan Soto trade, he will need to get his act together off the field.
Abrams also has plenty of areas he needs to improve on the field. He regressed dramatically in the second half, with a .203 batting average and .586 OPS after the all star break. Abrams was chasing too much and hitting too many pop ups. Expanding the zone has been a consistent issue for the young shortstop, with Abrams posting chase% numbers just over 35% in each of the last two seasons. His 35.4 chase% ranked in the 11th percentile of all MLB hitters. For Abrams to maximize his offensive potential, he has to cut back on chase, and continue to pull fly balls in the air while mitigating pop ups.
While Abrams offense had peaks and valleys, his glove has been a consistent question mark. His -13 fielding run value was by far the worst of any shortstop in 2024. His range has been called into question by both the metrics and evaluators. The errors also began to mount in the second half, after mostly avoiding mistakes early in the season. 2025 will be a massive year for Abrams to prove he can stick at shortstop. If he continues to struggle defensively, it will be interesting to see what the Nationals do. With Luis Garcia Jr. at second base, and a talented group of young outfielders, the team will have a decision to make.
Despite the concerns, Abrams is still one of the most talented players in the organization. He has immense upside at the plate and on the bases. If Abrams can even play average defense at shortstop, he can be an impact player for the organization. Abrams was one of the best offensive shortstops in all of baseball in the first half, and was deserving of the all star berth he received. Despite all the growing pains, Abrams has shown plenty of flashes. Right now he looks more like Ian Desmond than Trea Turner, but hey Desmond was still a really good player. Abrams is also young enough to live up to his star potential, and write his own story in the annals of Nationals history.