CJ

Abrams

The dynamic 24-year-old infielder smacked an RBI single off of Bryce Elder in the second inning that extended the Nationals’ early lead to 2-0. He also grounded out and popped out to third base in the contest. Abrams slugged a career-high 20 homers and swiped 31 bases during the 2024 season and could be poised for even greater heights in 2025 with a much improved supporting cast. There’s a reason that his average draft position currently sits inside the top 50 players overall in fantasy drafts.

There had been some rumblings given Abrams’ poor finish to last season that he could be at risk of moving down in the Nationals’ lineup, but Martinez quickly dispelled that notion at the outset of spring training contests. “The 3-4-5 will be kind of different. The 2-spot might be a little different at times. But we do know CJ’s going to lead off for us, and we’ll go with that for now,” Martinez added. The 24-year-old speedster appears poised to excel as the table-setter for what’s shaping up to be a very intriguing young lineup.

Abrams told reporters on Wednesday that he feels “faster, bigger and stronger” entering spring training following last year’s unexpected second-half slide (.538 OPS with five homers and 16 steals over his final 49 contests), which concluded with a highly public off-field incident that led to a late-September demotion to the minors for disciplinary reasons. The 24-year-old was a fantasy force during the first half, posting a robust .831 OPS with 15 round-trippers and 15 steals in his first 89 games before suffering a wrist injury in late June, which might’ve contributed to his late-season struggles. He projects as a likely 20-homer, 30-steal fantasy contributor moving forward and the fact that he spent the offseason focusing on his conditioning is an extremely encouraging development.

Abrams left the casino only hours before the Nationals game Friday against the Cubs and subsequently went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. He was informed of the demotion after the game Friday, according to sources. Abrams is being sent to the Nationals’ minor league complex in West Palm Beach. The demotion won’t impact his service time as he’s already reached the threshold of 172 days on the major league roster for a full year of service time. Abrams is eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter as he’s earned a Super 2 designation.

Well, that settles it. Martinez wouldn’t go into specifics, but it’s clear the organization is sending a message to Abrams with his demotion to the minor leagues as a wake up call of sorts.

It’s official. Maybe the most bizarre instance of a player being sent down this season. Abrams is 10-for-21 (.476) with one home run and three steals in his last six games, which opens the possibility that this move had to do with something off the field. With one day left in the minor league season, there won’t be any games for Abrams to play by the time he gets there. A strange move this late in the season.

Abrams made the All-Star team, but he hit .203/.260/.326 with five home runs and 17 RBI in the second half. It’s a tough way to end the season, but could be a wake up call for the 23-year-old. Abrams is always going to be on the fantasy radar. He still hit 20 home runs and stole 31 bases, which is a solid floor for his value. Abrams needs to hit better than .246 if he’s going to return second or third round value, though.

Abrams now has reached 30 steals on the season — 31 to be exact — and while that’s down from the 47 he picked up in 2023, it’s worth noting that’s in 14 fewer games. The 23-year-old has flashed star potential, and while the .247 average is a little lower than fantasy managers would like, the 20 homers on top of the aforementioned swipes are a reminder that he could be among the very best fantasy players in baseball in the coming seasons.

The Nationals had a nightmare series in New York as they were outscored 22-2 in three games. Abrams accounted for two of their three total hits in this one as they fell behind by nine runs early and dragged their feet for the rest of the game. It’s worth noting that Abrams has only stolen one base since tweaking his shoulder. Perhaps nursing that injury has dampened his aggressiveness on the bases.

Abrams is missing a fourth straight start because of the shoulder injury he suffered Saturday. Nasim Nuñez is filling in at shortstop.