Nationals Unlikely to Move CJ Abrams Out of Shortstop Despite His Struggles

Don't expect the Washington Nationals to make this move.

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

CJ Abrams has been sensational at the plate for the Washington Nationals once again this season.

Amongst shortstops with 10 or more games of action, he leads in wRC+ (168), on-base percentage (.402), slugging percentage (.558) and RBIs (36), while he's also hit the second-most home runs with nine. There is no doubting what Abrams can do with the bat in his hands. But when he takes his place in the field, he becomes the worst player at his position.

Abrams made his major league debut in 2022. Since that time, he has committed 82 errors and has been worth minus-53 in outs above average. The Nationals have consistently worked with him to try and help him turn the corner defensively, but even with a new regime in place, nothing has worked.

Despite that, Washington has yet to move him out of shortstop. And according to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic (subscription required), Abrams is likely to stay at that position no matter what.

Nationals Could Bring Back More Assets for Trading High-End Shortstop

Washington Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The first thing that has to be remembered is Paul Toboni was hired to be the team's newest president of baseball operations to get their rebuild back on track. While winning in 2026 would be nice, that is not the goal of the organization. What they are looking to do is set themselves up for long-term success. And using Abrams to add even more high-end prospect talent is something that could take place in the future.

With that in mind, trading a shortstop who has the profile of Abrams is much more valuable than dealing a second baseman or corner outfielder. And with his 30-30 offensive upside, even turning the 25-year-old into an average defender at shortstop could net the Nationals a king's ransom if they were to deal him.

Of course, that's easier said than done. There was some hope that this coaching staff could find a way to improve Abrams' defense. But so far, he has still struggled with eight errors committed and values of minus-seven outs above average and minus-four defensive runs saved across 356 innings. Still, Washington is holding out that hope something will click for him. They continue to work with him and believe he's starting to turn the corner. Regardless if that's the case or not, Nusbaum reports there has been too much time and effort put into Abrams' development for them to give up now.

Position Change Could Affect CJ Abrams' Offense

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

What likely scares Washington to death when thinking about a possible position change for Abrams is the fact that it could negatively impact his performance at the plate. Everyone in baseball knows about his issues on defense, but he still has high trade value because of what he does with his bat.
If that goes away, there's no telling what his market might look like. And according to Nusbaum, that's a major reason why he likely will remain at shortstop.

"Teams that employ shortstops who have an OPS over .900 usually encourage those players to stick with their routine. ... Consider the alternative. Teaching Abrams a new position could alter his plans and take his focus away from the bat. There's a lot to learn at a new position, from reads off the bat to positioning on relay throws to his own throws. Asking him to focus less on his offense and significantly alter his pre-game preparation is a risk the offense can't afford," the insider wrote.

After trading MacKenzie Gore this past offseason, Abrams is now Toboni's best remaining chip. And if they decide to move him ahead of this year's trade deadline or in the upcoming offseason, the Nationals have to make sure Abrams is at his maximum value.

So far, that is the case on the offensive end with the way he's performed. And as Washington continues to work with him to try and improve his defense, they are not going to hurt themselves by changing his position and potentially causing his performance at the plate to crater.

Because of all that, don't expect Abrams to be moved out of shortstop even if that's the best thing for the team in the short term.