No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their careers while playing for that club.
Here is Jessica Camerato’s ranking of the top five shortstops in Nationals/Expos history.
1. Trea Turner, Nationals (2015-22)
Key fact: Turner was a key member of the 2019 World Series team
It didn’t take long for Turner to make an impact on the Nationals. In 2016, he placed second for the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
In seven seasons with Washington, Turner slashed .300/.356/.486 with an .842 OPS and 22.3 bWAR. In 637 games with the Nationals before being traded to the Dodgers in 2021, Turner tallied 135 doubles, 32 triples, 93 home runs, 306 RBIs and 192 stolen bases.
Turner showed his grit during the Nationals' 2019 World Series run, in which he competed with a broken right index finger. He sustained the injury in April, returned six weeks later and played hampered until undergoing surgery in November.
2. Ian Desmond, Nationals (2009-15)
Key stat: Ranks second among shortstops in club history with 16.4 bWAR
Desmond had been part of the franchise in the years prior to its relocation to Washington. The Expos selected him in the third round of the 2004 Draft, and he played parts of six seasons in the Minor League system before making his Major League debut with the Nationals on Sept. 10, 2009.
Desmond leads Nationals/Expos shortstops in games played (927), plate appearances (3,793), at-bats (3,480), hits (917), home runs (110) and RBIs (432).
He earned his first All-Star selection in 2012, the same season he began a streak of three consecutive Silver Slugger Awards.
For three seasons (2010, '14, '15), Desmond led the National League in defensive games played at the position. His 221 putouts in '10 also ranked best among NL shortstops.
3. CJ Abrams, Nationals (2022-present)
Key fact: Ranked first among NL shortstops in HRs (33), RBIs (106) and extra-base hits (67) in 2026
Abrams is the first Nationals shortstop to earn more than one All-Star selection. He received his first nod in 2025, and the following season he became the first Nats player since Bryce Harper (‘18) to start in the Midsummer Classic.
In 2026, Abrams became the first Nationals player since Alfonso Soriano (‘06) to post a 30-30 season. He was named to the All-MLB Team that year.
Abrams compiled 15.2 bWAR through five seasons with Washington after being acquired from the Padres at the 2022 Trade Deadline. He slashed .253/.314/.436.
4. Orlando Cabrera, Expos (1997-2004)
Key fact: The first Expos shortstop to win a Gold Glove Award (2001)
Cabrera played the first eight seasons of his 15-year Major League career in Montreal. He was named Expos Player of the Year in 2001 and '03, and he appeared in 62 games in both of those seasons.
In 2001, Cabrera won the NL Gold Glove Award at shortstop. Defensively, he led all NL shortstops in putouts (2001, '03), assists ('01), fielding percentage ('01) and defensive games played ('01, '03) during his time with the Expos.
5. Wil Cordero, Expos (1992-95, 2002-03) and Nationals (2005)
Key fact: Named an All-Star and won the Silver Slugger Award in 1994, one season after finishing seventh in NL Rookie of the Year voting
Cordero was a familiar face in the franchise, playing seven seasons for the Expos and Nationals over his 14-year career. He began in Montreal and made stops in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburgh before returning to the Expos for two seasons. He then played for the Marlins before finishing his career with the Nationals.
In total, Cordero played 649 of his 1,247 games with the franchise. He slashed .274/.338/.427.