Getty Images
Examining the thought of the San Diego Padres trading for CJ Abrams.
Washington Nationals shortstop and former Padres top prospect, CJ Abrams, is coming off his best offensive season in the big leagues.
Despite that, he has found himself potentially on the trade block. This winter, the Nats traded starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore. With a new regime and new management in place in Washington, the Nationals are once again looking at a retooling of their roster.
The Padres need another infielder or designated hitter, and reuniting with a former top prospect might solve their problems. The Padres’ offensive struggles from 2025 are well-documented.
Although a traditional slugger fits the team’s needs in a more obvious way, the Nationals infielder presents a unique fit for the Padres’ offense. At just 25 years old, Abrams presents a bit of an antithesis to Luis Arraez with many of the opposite tools as the Venezuelan free agent. Abrams is a very fast player with some pop in his bat. A move to second base for Abrams can help improve his defense with his athleticism. This also allows current Padres’ infielder Jake Cronenworth to move back to first base.
The left-handed-hitting infielder has been exceptional against right-handed pitching in his career. Outside of an outlier 2024, he has struggled mightily against southpaws. Left-handed pitching struggles aside, Abrams does present a 40-point increase in slugging percentage over the aforementioned Arraez, which would be helpful for the team.
If Abrams hits anywhere near the top or middle of the Padres’ lineup, he would be protected by several former All-Star hitters.
That fact, combined with the fact that the organization is emphasizing contact hitting and walks. There is a lane for him to grow as a hitter. Abrams’ speed is also a tool that nobody on the Padres outside of Fernando Tatis Jr. possesses. He brings elite speed to the table. Abrams has 116 stolen bases in less than four full seasons in the big leagues.
Credit: USA Today Sports
This speed would not just be an asset in stealing bases but also in his 96th percentile baserunning value (per Baseball Savant). It would also help in stretching out infield singles and legging out extra base hits. That tool can create a more dynamic type of offense for the Padres. An extra arrow in the quiver of this offense is never a bad thing, as they try to overcome the shortcomings on offense from the past few seasons.
That being said, although Abrams is not an elite contact hitter, he is far from a liability. He’s improved his slash line every season of his career. He has cut down his strikeout percentage and has elite pull flyball percentages.
Abrams’ elite bat speed and ideal attack angle percentage also show that there may be even more power to unlock. Lack of protection in the lineup and swing decisions, with the added pressure of having to be “the guy” in D.C., may have worn on the infielder.
Still just 25 years old, it very well could be argued that he has not hit his prime yet, and there is so much more to develop in his game. With three years of team control, if the Padres decided they wanted to move Abrams out of the infield and convert him to left field in 2027, they could.
What will it cost?
MacKenzie Gore netted the Nationals five of the Texas Rangers’ top 20 prospects. A similar cost may be in store for the Padres. You can point to Gore’s potential ace-like stuff as the reason why he netted so much. You can argue that Abrams’ years of control may have a similar impact via trade.
Abrams is coming off a career year, but the 111 OPS+ he performed at is not elite and especially not at the shortstop position with his lack of defensive abilities.
The Nationals will value him as a young shortstop, where the Padres would be looking at an athletic second baseman. A trade here would likely involve three to five of the Padres’ top 20 prospects. Humberto Cruz, Kale Fountain, Jagger Haynes, and Kavares Tears are all names that potentially may be brought up in a potential trade. The Nationals are looking for younger prospects with upside.
Whether the Padres are willing to give up what’s left of their prospect capital is a decision they’ll have to make.
With a potential lockout looming, this is the kind of “all-in” move that general manager A.J. Preller may turn to for the Padres to reach their ultimate goals.
30
East Coast Based
Dominican
Continue Reading