Washington Nationals Infield Prospect on Slow Burn to Replace CJ Abrams

The Washington Nationals may need a replacement for CJ Abrams at some point and last year’s second-round pick is on a slow burn to get there.

Morris Knoll's Luke Dickerson waits on the ball at 2nd base as Morris Knolls Baseball defeats Delsea 11-3 in the Group 3 final. | Larry Murphy/Correspondent for Asbury Park Press / USA TODAY NETWORK

When the Washington Nationals selected Luke Dickerson in the second round of last year’s MLB Draft, they knew it would take him time to develop.

They were snagging a toolsy prep shortstop, from Morristown, N.J., who was taken at No. 44 overall. But Washington liked him so much that they paid him a second-round record $3.8 million.

That’s a lot to throw down for a second-round pick that will likely need a few years to be ready for the Majors. The good news is they don’t need a shortstop in D.C. for a while. CJ Abrams has the position on lock down.

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Abrams, just one of the payoffs from the Juan Soto trade, won’t be a free agent until 2029. Sure the Nationals can work to get him into a long-term deal that helps him get through arbitration and keeps him in Washington for the long run. But what if he doesn’t bite?

Then Dickerson’s trajectory as a prospect becomes really important.

Washington Nationals Prospect Luke Dickerson’s Early Returns

Baseball America recently re-evaluated its Top 30 prospects for the Nationals and Dickerson was one of the risers. The other two were pitcher Alex Clemmey and outfielder Daylen Lile, who was called up to the Nats last week to make his MLB debut.

Dickerson is now No. 5 in the system, behind pitcher Travis Sykora, pitcher Jarlin Susana, third baseman Brady House and Clemmey.

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After he was drafted last July, the Nationals opted to hold Dickerson out of pro baseball until this season. It’s become a more common trend, especially with college pitchers.

When the minor league season started, Washington assigned him to its Florida Complex League team. That lasted six games. He slashed .273/.385/.409 with a .794 OPS, with one home run and 10 RBI.

That was enough to get him promoted to Class-A Fredericksburg on May 13. In 21 games he has slashed .267/.367/.453 with an .820 OPS, with two home runs and 13 RBI.

The Nationals must like how the slash and power numbers have translated from rookie ball to Class A ball in roughly two months.

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“Dickerson showed an intriguing blend of hitting ability, power, patience, athleticism and defensive acumen at Low-A Fredericksburg,” Baseball America’s scouts wrote.

It may end up working out that Washington can keep Abrams for the long-term and find a new place for Dickerson in the lineup once he’s ready. Finding a path to the Majors can be as easy as changing positions.

But, for now, Dickerson is a shortstop and he’s developing at a pace worth paying attention to in the Nationals’ minor league system.

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