The Nationals young shortstop was the talk of the first day of town at the first day of camp
While position players don’t need to show up to camp until February 18th, many decided to come today to join the pitchers and catchers. The most notable of the group was shortstop CJ Abrams, especially considering how last season ended.
Abrams 2024 season was ended prematurely when he was demoted after an all-nighter in Chicago where he was seen at a casino deep into the night. The 2024 season had so much promise for Abrams, peaking with an all star berth. However, his second half struggles and his suspension left a sour taste in everybody’s mouth.
He seems to have taken things well in the offseason, and has come to camp early ready for 2025. Abrams has reportedly added weight in the offseason, going from around 190 pounds to 200 pounds. Sometimes adding mass can have negative, like what happened with Victor Robles in 2020. However, it is obvious to anyone who has seen him that Abrams has room to fill out. He also said most of that weight came from strengthening his lower half, unlike Robles, who was seemingly doing bicep curls all of COVID lockdown.
Davey Martinez was also singing Abrams praises in his media availability, saying he showed up to camp in a great place. Abrams was working hard this offseason in his hometown, reportedly having a one-on-one workout with hitting coach Darnell Coles. There has not been a ton of noise around Abrams this offseason, which feels like a good thing. You get the sense that he has been in the lab and avoiding the outside noise.
This is a massive year for Abrams. While it is not quite make or break, it is pretty close. He has all the ability in the world, but needs to put it all together. Abrams is an elite athlete, with a rare power/speed combination. However, he is also maddeningly inconsistent, looking like a world beater one month and lost the next. He also needs to show strides defensively if he wants to be counted on as a shortstop. The defensive metrics are not kind to him, and despite his athleticism, his range can be suspect.
All the tools are there, but it is up to him to solve the puzzle. It seems like he is taking all the right steps to maximize his ability. Like Luis Garcia Jr. last season, maybe the demotion was the best thing that could possibly happen to him. All of the talent is there, and 2025 could be the year the 24 year old Abrams puts it all together.