Nationals to Promote Top Prospect C.J. Abrams
After trading superstar Juan Soto nearly two weeks ago, the Washington Nationals are expected to recall one of the top prospects they received in return for their former franchise icon.
Shortstop C.J. Abrams, who made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres earlier this season, is being promoted to the majors ahead of Washington’s three-game series versus the Chicago Cubs. The 21-year-old has played eight games with triple-A Rochester since being acquired in the Soto trade.
The timing of Abrams’ promotion is likely related to infielder Luis Garcia’s groin injury, which could require an injury list stint. The 22-year-old infielder has logged 237 plate appearances with the Nationals this season, hitting .289/.301/.417 with four home runs.
Washington opted to scratch Abrams from Rochester’s lineup prior to Sunday’s contest, signalling that the team was promoting him to the big leagues.
As part of trading Soto to the Padres, the Nationals received six players in return: Abrams, OF Robert Hassell, RHP Jarlin Susana, OF James Wood, LHP MacKenzie Gore and 1B Luke Voit.
Most experts consider Abrams the centrepiece of that blockbuster deal, suggesting he features the highest ceiling amongst the group. The 6’2” lefty posted a pair of home runs, 11 RBIs and a .232/.285/.320 slash line over 46 contests with San Diego earlier this season.
Though the talented youngster hasn’t excelled in the majors yet, he shined at triple-A El Paso, hitting .314/.364/.507 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs in 151 plate appearances. He also registered a 115 wRC+ score, placing him 15 percent above league average.
With Garcia injured, Abrams now possesses a clear path to an everyday role at the highest level of competition – something that wasn’t available in San Diego – allowing him to improve his defensive ability.
At the moment, Washington’s top prospect is considered a far more developed hitter, with his defense still needing refinement. But given his elite quickness, however, most believe there’s plenty of room to grow in that department.
For now, the former sixth overall selection from the 2019 Draft owns a pair of fielding errors, -1 DRS and -2 OAA across 252.2 innings at shortstop in the majors. He’s also briefly spent time at second base and in the outfield.
Abrams will likely receive plenty of opportunities to remain at the big-league level through the remainder of 2022, especially with the Nationals in last place of the NL East Division, with a 38-78 record.
If successful, Abrams could potentially secure his position as the franchise’s full-time shortstop heading into next season. As things currently stand, Garcia would likely be shifted to second upon his return from the IL.
While 2022 has been a miserable campaign for the Nationals, they’re about to receive an up close look at one of the key pieces from the blockbuster trade that shocked the baseball world.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @ThomasHall85
Photo: Jeffrey Hyde. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.