After a few rough AB’s to start the spring, I was getting a little antsy about CJ Abrams. Obviously he had a rough second half on and off the field after his first All-Star appearance. Some of the first pitch outs late in February were giving me flashbacks to what he looked like post-ASB.
However, Abrams has heated up and is hitting the ball with authority. He has looked more like his first half self the past couple weeks. Abrams is now hitting .333 with a .989 OPS this Spring. He is 6 for his last 6 with a homer, double, triple and three singles. It is a reminder of how good Abrams can be when he is seeing the ball well.
Streakiness seems like it will always be a part of Abrams game. Whether it is due to concentration or his propensity to chase, he will always blow a bit hot and cold. The key will be preventing those cold weeks turning into cold months. It is a long season, so slumps are inevitable, but Abrams slumps have dragged on for too long early in his career.
This offseason, Abrams put in work to get bigger and stronger while keeping his speed. Just by looking at him, you could see he had room to add muscle to his slight frame. He has gone from 191 pounds to 200 pounds this Spring. All indications are that the weight is good weight.
2025 is a big season for Abrams. I wouldn’t call it make or break, but it is not far off given how last season ended. He has shown so many flashes, but has not put it all together on either side of the ball. I have more faith in him offensively than defensively, but he has his warts on both sides. He also has his moments of magic.
The goals for Abrams this season should be to prove he is a legit shortstop defensively, and stop the bad offensive weeks to turn into bad offensive months. He was an all star, so we have seen some extended periods of dominance, but the second half was discouraging.
Abrams is capable of carrying a lineup when he is on his game. However, there will be less pressure on him to do so with guys like Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe in the fold. Youngsters like Dylan Crews and James Wood will also help take some pressure off of him. Abrams doesn’t have to be the face of the franchise this year. He can just do his job and refine his game.
He has had an up and down career so far, but I bet CJ Abrams takes a step forward in 2025. In the end, he is probably closer to Ian Desmond than Trea Turner, but Desmond was a great player, and I believe Abrams will be too.