Nationals Moving CJ Abrams to Second Base Could Have Massive Ramifications
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Before Friday's series opener against the New York Mets, the baseball world was sent into a frenzy when Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera revealed that CJ Abrams would start getting work at second base.
This sets the table for a position change for Abrams, who has earned two All-Star selections during his career at shortstop despite being one of the worst defenders in the sport. The hope was that the new coaching staff would be able to transform Abrams' poor defense this season. But that has not been the case, as he's on pace to have his worst performance in the field to date.
Now, with the Nationals set to move Abrams out of shortstop, there are going to be some clear ramifications for the organization that could be both positive and negative.
Will the Relationaship Between CJ Abrams and the Nationals Sour?
While Washington seems to be looking forward to this move since they've described this decision as doing what is best for the team, it doesn't seem like Abrams shares that sentiment right now. According to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic (subscription required), team officials approached Abrams about the possibility of this move "last week" to let him think about things and voice his opinion on the matter.
Well, his response on Friday when he was asked about getting shifted to second base was described as less than enthusiastic, with him stating, "We'll see how it goes."
Butera said Abrams handled things like a "total pro." However, Abrams later came out and said that he still views himself as a long-term shortstop, which could complicate matters when it comes to whether or not he believes Washington is the permanent place for him in his career.
Because of that, there's a chance this sours Abrams' view of the organization. After all, he's essentially been told that they don't believe he's good enough to play the only position he's ever known in the majors, and that is a hard pill to swallow for a lot of players. While this decision could ultimately be what's best for his career, it could spoil the relationship between the two sides.
CJ Abrams Has Less Earning Potential as Second Baseman
After this season, Abrams has two more years of club control remaining before he becomes a free agent. While he could sign an extension before that happens, he previously turned one down from the Nationals, and it seems like he's more than willing to hit the open market when that time comes. With that in mind, it's necessary to look at the contracts between shortstops and second basemen.
High-end shortstops get paid in Major League Baseball. Four current players have inked deals of over $300 million. Two more are over the $200 million mark, and 12 total shortstops -- excluding Bo Bichette, who now plays third base -- are playing on deals above the $100 million plateau.
Meanwhile, there isn't a single $300 million second baseman. The highest-paid one -- Xander Bogaerts at $280 million -- was initially signed as a shortstop. So, in reality, the $175 million deal that Marcus Semien signed back in 2021 was the most lucrative contract for a second baseman. In total, only seven second basemen are playing on deals over $100 million, and that's including Bogaerts.
Simply put, there is a massive difference between playing shortstop and second base when it comes to earning potential.
From the Nationals' perspective, making this change now is a smart move. They can start to convince Abrams that he is truly a second baseman, which would allow them to value him as such. That could potentially save them $100 million or so on a contract, which gives them a higher percentage chance of holding onto one of the best offensive infielders in the sport based on their financial constraints.
However, it's easy to see why Abrams wouldn't be happy with this move from his perspective. While there are rumblings out there that his defense would prevent teams from giving him a top-of-the-market contract if he hits the open market, the earning potential at shortstop compared to second base is still much higher.
Opens Up Nationals' Infield
The benefit of Washington making this decision now is that it opens up their infield for the long term. Eli Willits appears like he's going to be a star. And while the Nationals don't seem keen on rushing their top prospects up the minor league ranks, they have shown that they are not afraid to promote them if they feel they need to be challenged further.
With that in mind, if Willits continues to perform at a high level, then it might not be long until he's manning shortstop in The Show.
Before then, fellow top prospect Seaver King looks poised to make his major league debut this year. Following a tough showing last season, he's bounced back and looks like a first-round talent. So, with Abrams now getting shifted over to second base, King could play his natural position of shortstop as the backup to Nasim Nunez to close out the year.
If Washington believes they can work out an extension with Abrams to keep him part of this roster going forward, then third base becomes a much more important position to develop. From Ronny Cruz and Devin Fitz-Gerald to Coy James and Angel Feliz, there are tons of talented middle infielders in this farm system who could be impacted by everything regarding this change.
How they and the Nationals adjust will be interesting to monitor.
CJ Abrams Trade Rumors Will Ignite Again
Finally, this fanbase should gear up for another round of Abrams trade rumors and speculation, because it's going to be coming all winter now that he's going to get experience at second base.
Like mentioned earlier, there are front offices that do not view Abrams as a shortstop. That either limited their interest in him altogether or reduced what they would be willing to pay to acquire him. But as he gets set to finish this season playing at the keystone, that might attract other suitors and reignite interest from organizations that previously had their sights set landing him.
Either way, the trade stuff featuring Abrams is going to run rampant as soon as the season ends. And after holding onto him this past winter and through the trade deadline, Toboni might just be willing to make a deal this time around.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai