In recent years, many of the beloved teams in Washington have been linked with mediocrity, and even failure. Since 2021, the city only has 3 playoff appearances from its major four sports teams – all of which were eliminated in the first round. The Capitals were sent home early in the 2021 and 2022 NHL Playoffs, and the Wizards were nearly swept in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Fortunately, for Washington fans everywhere, that may change very soon.

CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals is looking to be the next face of the franchise. Abrams was acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent Juan Soto (OF) and Josh Bell (1B) to the San Diego Padres in exchange for James Wood (OF), Mackenzie Gore (LHP), Robert Hassell III (OF), Luke Voit (1B), Jarlin Susana (RHP), and finally, CJ Abrams (SS). At the time of the trade, Abrams was only 21 years old, and was just beginning to see action in the major leagues. However, as Nationals fans can attest, we are watching the young shortstop blossom into a superstar right before our eyes.

Through 19 games in 2024, Abrams is batting .295 with 11 RBI’s. He also boasts an OPS (on base percentage plus slugging) of 1.014, which ranks 9th in the MLB among all qualified players. He has shown the ability to consistently make solid contact, fly around the bases with his speed, and make dazzling plays with his glove on defense. These qualities truly make CJ a General Manager’s dream. Abrams is also excelling in several advanced batting metrics via Statcast. Here are a few of his 2024 ranks in certain categories amongst all MLB players: Batting Run Value (91st percentile), xwOBA (91st percentile), xBA (96th percentile), xSLG (93rd percentile), Sweet Spot % (95th percentile). While some people may not be familiar with these kinds of metrics, they are very telling, useful, and accurate. Statcast does a phenomenal job of calculating these incredible statistics. 

This year is not the first time we’ve seen a surge in Abrams’ performance. In the second half of the 2023 season, he was putting up very similar numbers. CJ had a stretch spanning almost a month where his batting average was over .300 in those games. We have watched him carry over this hot streak into the 2024 season which is very promising for Washington fans. Also in 2023, he broke the Nationals franchise record for stolen bases in a season (47) which was previously held by Trea Turner. Holding a franchise record at the age of 22 is incredibly impressive, and it makes you wonder what this kid will be able to accomplish as he gains more experience in the league. 

Something else that has caught my eye in the last 12 months, is the power he has displayed at the plate. At 6’2” and 191 lbs, Abrams was never expected to be a homerun hitter. When we first acquired him, he was viewed as a speedy contact hitter with elite defensive ability. However, he finished the 2023 season with 18 home runs and 52 extra base hits. He has carried over this display of power into the current season with 11 extra base hits and 5 home runs (tied for 11th in the MLB). In my opinion, these power numbers will only increase as he gets older and stronger. 

Right now, you might be saying something like “Who cares! It’s just one player!” The Nationals have had a superstar before (Juan Soto), and the team still had a very bad record from 2020-2022, even with Soto playing incredible. The intriguing thing about Abrams is that he has a supporting cast of other young players and prospects that will most likely enter their primes right as he does. On the current roster, we can take a look at Keibert Ruiz (age 25), Luis Garcia Jr. (23), Mackenzie Gore (25), and Josiah Gray (26). All of these players have shown the ability to produce at a high level and will likely only get better as they continue to develop. These four young men will be crucial pieces to the future of the Washington Nationals. Even more exciting, are some elite players in Washington’s farm system who will soon be called up to the major leagues.

(OF) James Wood has the highest ceiling of the group. Standing at a whopping 6’7”, he has an incredible ability to hit for power and contact, as well as steal bases. He is just 21 years old, and is ranked as the #13 prospect in all of baseball (MLB.com). Wood has dominated the minor leagues and is expected to make his MLB debut in the coming weeks. Next on the list is (OF) Dylan Crews, the #2 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Crews has looked the part in the minor leagues. While he has had some off games, he has also had some incredible ones. Crews is a true 5-tool player, with very few flaws in his game. He is ranked as the #6 prospect in the MLB (MLB.com) and is expected to make his debut late in the 2024 season. Last of the bunch is (3B) Brady House, the National’s first round selection in the 2021 Draft (11th overall). House has excelled in the minor leagues and is looking to be a very promising piece of the National’s future. He is currently ranked as the #44 prospect in the MLB (MLB.com) and likely won’t debut until 2025. 

Taking all of this into consideration, the Nationals have the ability to be an elite playoff team for years. I expect them to reach this caliber in 2026, but if some of these players really live up to their expectations, we could see this team in the postseason as early as 2025. The lineup would consist of the core pieces – CJ Abrams, Luis Garcia, Keibert Ruiz, James Wood, Dylan Crews, and Brady House. Something else to consider is that as the Nats become more talented, the team’s owner will be more willing to spend big on free agents – something that hasn’t been done in recent years due to the team’s talent level and poor record. If you take the homegrown talent that has been previously mentioned, and pair them with one or two big time free agents, this team could be incredibly scary. 

To close things out, things are very much on the upswing in the nation’s capital. Since the 2019 World Series Championship, things haven’t looked very promising. However, GM Mike Rizzo has done a fantastic job of rebuilding this franchise so that they will be able to compete for championships for years to come. Even though it has been painful for a few years, National’s fans will soon realize that suffering through these last few seasons was absolutely worth it. I am excited to watch this team over the next decade, headlined by future superstar CJ Abrams. Nationals fans, get ready. This team is closer to competing than most people think. The rest of the league better look out, because if you blink, you might miss it. 

Photo Credit; Sports Illustrated, MLB.com, Federal Baseball

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