Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, one of the National League’s hottest hitters, is on pace for a 30/30 season. Last season, Abrams showed a glimpse of his offensive potential, but his skills are on full display in 2024. While Washington sits two games under .500 through 22 games, their 23-year-old shortstop is playing at an All-Star caliber level.
Abrams is not just a good hitter, he is one of the best in the majors. He ranks third in the majors with a .671 slugging percentage and fifth with a 1.043 OPS. He is tied with Alex Kirilloff and Bobby Witt Jr. for the major league lead with three triples. Abrams is tied for fourth in the National League with six home runs, a significant improvement from his 18 homers last season. In fact, he hit his sixth homer this year in just 73 plate appearances, a testament to his offensive prowess.
Considered one of the top prospects in the 2019 MLB Draft, the San Diego Padres drafted CJ Abrams sixth overall. In 2022, the Padres selected Abrams’ contract and added him to their Opening Day roster. He made his major league debut on April 8th and hit his first career home run just days later. Abrams was one of the six players traded to the Washington Nationals in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade. He finished the season batting .246/.280/.324 over 90 games between the Padres and the Nationals.
Nationals’ Shortstop CJ Abrams Is Off To A Hot Start for Washington
Abrams got off to a slow start to the 2023 season, but his numbers soared over his final 88 games. The young shortstop slashed .265/.325/.442 with 24 walks and 41 stolen bases over that 88-game stretch. He finished his first full season in Washington batting .245/.300/.412 with six triples, 18 homers, and 64 RBI. Abrams stole 47 bases, breaking the Nationals’ single-season steals record for shortstops set by Trea Turner in 2017 (46).
The 23-year-old has excelled at the plate and has seen significant improvement in his defense. At this point last year, Abrams had already committed seven errors at shortstop; this year, he has significantly reduced that number to just one. By the end of last season, Abrams had become one of the most reliable shortstops in baseball, committing just eight errors in his final 71 games.
CJ Abrams has his power on full display to start the new season, exceeding expectations and ranking among the best in baseball in multiple categories. He’s looked more comfortable batting leadoff this year and can use his speed on the basepaths to more significant effect. With his current performance, a 30/30 season, a feat achieved by only a few players in baseball history, seems well within reach for Washington’s future shortstop.
Main Photo Credits: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
