CJ Abrams is a phenomenal player. He slugs. He steals bases. He provides energy at the top of the Nationals lineup. Abrams, though, should not be the Nationals’ shortstop of the future.
Abrams is a well-below-average defender, and the Nationals are doing their pitchers a disservice by having him start at the position every day. By shifting the infielder to a less crucial position, the team can dramatically improve their run prevention and improve the development of players across their roster.
Throughout Abrams' career, defensive metrics have graded him poorly. Outs Above Average, a Statcast-based statistic that accounts for the cumulative value a player is credited or debited for, has graded Abrams poorly for every season of his career.