The Nats need to clean up what was a sloppy defense in 2024
During Spring Training, it is very common to see an emphasis on defense, and this is certainly the case for the Nats. In their time in West Palm Beach, Davey Martinez and the Nationals staff have been laser focused on defense.
Last season, the Nationals were not a very good defensive team. Their 109 errors was the third most in baseball, and the team was weak in some notable spots. CJ Abrams was particularly disappointing on the defensive side of the ball. While he cut down on his errors, he graded out as a highly negative defender. Particularly after the All-Star break, Abrams focus didn’t seem to be there and he was making sloppy mistakes. This will be a big year for Abrams to prove that he is a true shortstop.
One thing that will help Abrams is the addition of first baseman Nathaniel Lowe. Lowe won a gold glove last season and recorded seven outs above average in 2024. If Abrams or any other infielder has to make a tough throw they will be comforted by the fact Lowe can bail them out with sweet scoops. While he was pretty brutal offensively, Joey Gallo did a lot of the same things and you felt his absence when he wasn’t at first base last year.
Even the pitchers were guilty when it came to the fielding woes. Nats pitchers combined for -7 defensive runs saved last year. Manager Davey Martinez made PFP’s a big focus early on in camp. Mitchell Parker was a primary culprit in the lack of pitching defense. Speaking to the Washington Post, he acknowledged that he had to be better.
The outfield is a more positive story. Jacob Young and Dylan Crews are plus defenders in center and right field. Young was particularly impressive, posting 19 outs above average, and arguably was robbed of a gold glove. Crews also looked fantastic defensively in his small big league sample size. While James Wood looked a little clunky out in left field, his bat is good enough to make up for that and he is athletic enough to become at least a solid defender.
For a team that does not have any proven stars, defense will go a long way in pushing the team up the standings. If Abrams can become a quality shortstop and some of the other young guys can build on their defensive success, it would help the Nats push towards .500.
Catcher is another interesting area on the defensive side. While Keibert Ruiz wasn’t as bad as he was in 2023 defensively, he still was below average. Backup catcher Riley Adams is also a negative defensively. This is why I would love to see Drew Millas be given a shot as the backup catcher. He is a fantastic athlete for a catcher and has a strong defensive reputation.
Doing the little things has always been a big focus for Davey Martinez. Last season, the Nationals did not do the little things well at all. For the Nats to make the strides they need to make, they will need to field better and run the bases at a higher level. The foundation for that starts in Spring Training when players have the time to sharpen their craft.