ESPN's bizarre in-division trade sending star to Braves doesn't stand up to scrutiny

Intradivisional trades are relatively uncommon in Major League Baseball, and they are even rarer when they involve former All-Stars in the prime of their careers. Nonetheless, ESPN’s David Schoenfield recently floated an intriguing hypothetical trade between NL East rivals. The proposal centers on Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams being sent to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for a significant prospect haul.

The Braves have long struggled to produce consistent shortstop production, but trading top-tier organizational prospects for Abrams seems uncharacteristic for Anthopoulos. The package suggested by Schoenfield includes Braves' top prospect Cam Caminiti, No. 7 prospect Didier Fuentes, and young infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. This proposal feels particularly odd considering the Braves invested $20 million in Ha-Seong Kim to anchor shortstop in 2026.

Why CJ Abrams does not fit what the Braves value in a shortstop

Despite spending the past four seasons with a struggling Nationals team, Abrams has established himself as a quality major leaguer. The former sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft posted a career-high 107 wRC+ and 3.1 fWAR in 2025. His plus speed, combined with respectable power, has made Abrams a consistent contributor at the top of Washington’s lineup.

However, with a new front office in D.C., the Nationals appear motivated to pursue another rebuild, as evidenced by the MacKenzie Gore trade earlier this offseason. Abrams has three years of team control remaining, which has sparked interest from multiple teams across Major League Baseball.

Abrams’ trade candidacy, combined with the Braves starting the season without Ha-Seong Kim, gives this hypothetical proposal some superficial plausibility. However, the alignment of factors appears to end there. In the Alex Anthopoulos era, the Braves have consistently prioritized shortstops who grade out positively on defense—and Abrams is far from a strong defensive option at the position.

In fact, Abrams has ranked among the poorest defenders in all of baseball over the past three seasons. Last year, he finished with a -11 Outs Above Average (OAA), placing him in the 2nd percentile via Baseball Savant. His consistently strong .700+ OPS, while respectable, is insufficient to offset the defensive value Atlanta demands at a premium position.

While the idea of acquiring Abrams from a division rival may seem intriguing at first glance, the realities make it highly improbable. The cost in top prospects is steep, his defensive limitations clash with the Braves’ long-standing priorities, and Atlanta already has a significant investment in Kim at shortstop for 2026. Taken together, the trade may make for an interesting hypothetical discussion, but it is unlikely to materialize in practice.