2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings - Top 30 Shortstops
2019 Fantasy Baseball Rankings - Top 30 Shortstops
We are currently in the golden age of shortstops. Not since the days of A-Rod and Jeter have we seen so much talent at this position. There are several shortstops that can hit for power and swipe a ton of bases. Shortstop is deeper than its been in years, so it is likely that every team in your league will be content with whoever they end up with. These rankings will feature a surprise choice at #1. They will put an emphasis on the following:
- Triple slash: AVG/OBP/SLG
- BB%
- K%
- wRC+
- wOBA
- Exit Velocity
- FB%
- GB%
- HR/FB
- ISO
- Ballpark Factors
- Lineup & Lineup Slot
We are currently in the golden age of shortstops. Not since the days of A-Rod and Jeter have we seen so much talent at this position. There are several shortstops that can hit for power and swipe a ton of bases. Shortstop is deeper than its been in years, so it is likely that every team in your league will be content with whoever they end up with. These rankings will feature a surprise choice at #1. They will put an emphasis on the following:
- Triple slash: AVG/OBP/SLG
- BB%
- K%
- wRC+
- wOBA
- Exit Velocity
- FB%
- GB%
- HR/FB
- ISO
- Ballpark Factors
- Lineup & Lineup Slot
- Motivation for Bounce back
- Top Prospect Pedigree
DISCLAIMER: One of the issues I have with some fantasy writers is that they tend to rank players in a similar range in order to take the safer option, particularly players in the upper-to-elite tiers. My rankings are different because some players are ranked much higher than their ADPs. I base them entirely on my own criteria of statistics as well as my personal intuition, which has led me to several years of success in fantasy sports. Here you will find players grouped into tiers along with tidbits of useful information. Keep in mind that these rankings are for OBP leagues. Hopefully they stimulate discussion and debate. I hope you enjoy them.
Tier 1 - Another Surprise At the Top
1. Carlos Correa
2. Trea Turner
3. Alex Bregman
Correa broke into the big leagues at 20 years old, where he smacked 20+ home runs in the 2015 season. He has more power upside than any other player at this position. Health has been the only factor that has held him back, and a couple of injury-plagued seasons has caused the fantasy community to overlook Correa. He's shown that he is healthy this Spring and I'm going on a limb here - he will have a massive 2019. Turner has huge SB upside, with the ability to steal 50+ bases. He hit a career-high 19 HRs in 2018. He also increased his BB% from 6.7% to 9.3%. The hope is that he keeps his SBs above 40 because he does not have the same power as others on this list. Bregman broke out in a big way in 2018, slashing .286/.394/.532 with 31 HRs, 103 RBI, and 10 SBs. He walked more than he struck out in 2018 - this kind of plate discipline bodes well for the future. Bregman is an elite bat and belongs in the top tier. It would not surprise me to see him put up the most valuable season at SS in 2019.
Tier 2 - A Breakout Story
4. Xander Bogaerts
5. Trevor Story
Bogaerts put up a career-high .238 ISO and increased his Hard hit rate from 31.4% to 37.9%. He was healthy in 2018 and started to put the ball in the air more (FB% increased from 30.5% to 35.6%). Like Correa, Bogaerts is still a young player (26 years old), with elite prospect pedigree who has not had a career year yet. His improvements in 2018 point to a monster season ahead. Story exploded in 2018, especially in the 2nd half, where he slashed .298/.352/.750 in the month of September. He has the benefit of hitting in a great lineup in Coors Field. Story stole 27 bases in 2018 after only 7 in 2017, so there's some concern that those totals dip back towards career norms. However, only Correa has similar power upside to him. He cut his K% from 34.4% to 25.6%, which is highly encouraging, but we have seen his floor: .239/.308/.457 in 2017.
Tier 3 - Injured & Risky
6. Francisco Lindor
7. Manny Machado
8. Javier Baez
Lindor would be in the Top 3 were it not for his injury. I prefer to ignore players that come into the season already banged up, because there's always the risk of aggravation, as well as longer than expected absences. Lindor has great power but it is unlikely that he steals bases at the same rate due to the calf strain. He needs to improve on his 9.4 BB%. Machado had a great 2018, slashing .297/.367/.538 with 37 HRs. However, he was not the same player in LA, as he struggled a bit to adjust to the NL, slashing .273/.338/.487. He'll now hit in a pitcher's park in San Diego. I think that we can expect a bit of a down year for Machado. Baez finally put it together last year, hitting 30+ HRs and stealing 20+ bases. But he's still a free-swinger (4.5 BB%), which lowers his floor in OBP leagues. His career high in OBP is .326.
Tier 4 - Young & Flashy vs Young & Stable
9. Gleyber Torres
10. Corey Seager
Torres smacked 24 homers in only 123 games a year ago. He also showed solid plate discipline, as evidenced by his .340 OBP. Torres can conceivably hit 30+ HRs with a full season in 2019. If he can get hot and force his way up in the Yankee lineup, then you're looking at fantasy gold. Seager is coming off a season where he only played 26 games due to injury. He has terrific plate discipline, which makes him more valuable in OBP leagues. His lower rank is due to the risk as he returns from injury, but he should be able to provide .360+ OBP with 20+ HRs and a handful of stolen bases. Still entering his age-25 season, the best is yet to come for Seager.
Tier 5 - Stable vs Flashy 2.0
11. Jean Segura
12. Adalberto Mondesi
Segura will likely be hitting at the top of the Phillies' lineup, which projects to be one of the best in baseball. His BB% of 5.1% is concerning though, especially in OBP leagues. The Phillies can easily decide to hit him lower in the order due to his poor plate discipline, which would obviously devalue him a bit. But he has proven to be a consistent option at shortstop, so his longer track record puts him ahead of the flashier Mondesi. Mondesi also has terrible plate discipline (3.8 BB%), which significantly lowers his floor in OBP leagues. He also stole bases at a much higher rate in 2018 than he ever did in the minors (he never stole more than 24 bases there). It's quite possible that the crazy pace was due to the fact that it was near the end of the season and the Royals just let him run wild.
Tier 6 - Speed Kills
13. Jonathan Villar
14. Jurickson Profar
15. Amed Rosario
16. Elvis Andrus
17. Jose Peraza
18. Dee Gordon
19. Garrett Hampson
Villar could be a discount version of Mondesi, but that means he has similar faults: poor plate discipline & weak lineup. We have also seen him post great numbers only to follow it up with disappointment. He's another guy that I'm avoiding. Profar is a post-hype target who finally put together a good season last year. He now has a stable role in Oakland after years of fighting for a starting job and moving positions. He will be more comfortable; I think he will continue to improve in 2019. He's only lower on this list due to a worse track record than those ranked above. Rosario has prospect pedigree, entering his age-24 season, hitting in a much-improved Mets' lineup. He has intriguing power/speed upside, hitting 5 HR with 15 SBs from August to September. Andrus is ripe for a bounce-back after an injury-riddled 2018 season. He is only 1 year removed from a 20 HR/25 SB season. Peraza had a power surge towards the end of the year in 2018, hitting 9 of his 14 HRs in August & September. The improved Reds' lineup increases his upside, but he has to improve on his 4.2 BB%. Gordon is a guy to avoid given his poor plate discipline (1.5 BB%). I prefer to ignore players with zero power, so he is much lower on this list. I am lower on Hampson than most because he has not secured the full-time job in Colorado yet. I have also seen the Rockies mismanage their young talent, as evidenced with Ryan McMahon last year, where they used one of their top prospects as a bench player. If Hampson can win the job over McMahon, he will move up this list.
Tier 7 - Late-Round Flyers
20. Paul DeJong
21. Andrelton Simmons
22. Jorge Polanco
23. Willy Adames
24. Chris Taylor
25. Eduardo Escobar
26. Jonathan Schoop
27. Tim Anderson
28. Marcus Semien
29. Marwin Gonzalez
30. Niko Goodrum
DeJong has solid power for a SS and hits in a strong Cardinals' lineup. He increased his BB% from 4.7% to 7.3%, which is a promising sign. Simmons is a high-floor, late-round option who has a proven track record of .330+ OBP combined with 10-12 HRs/10-12 SBs. Polanco has intriguing power/speed upside - he tore it up in September in 2018, slashing .310/.361/.460 with 3 HRs and 3 SBs. Adames has prospect pedigree. He hit 10 HR with 6 SB and a .348 OBP in only 85 games in 2018. Taylor is one year removed from a
.288/.354/.496 with 21 HRs and 17 SBs. While that's likely his ceiling, it still makes him an intriguing late-round option. Escobar is a nice bench bat because he is also eligible at 3B. He slashed .272/.334/.489 in 2018. He has an opportunity to improve on his numbers with a full season in Arizona. Schoop is also one year removed from a good year, where he slashed .293/.338/.503 with 32 HRs and 105 RBIs. He's still only 27 and that power definitely plays at 2B, but the lack of plate discipline (.266 OBP last year) keeps him lower on this risk. Anderson has the ability to hit home runs and steal bases (20 HR, 26 SBs), but his poor walk rate (5.0 BB%) keeps his OBP low (.281). He did improve it from 2.1 to 5.0, which is a positive sign. Semien has better plate discipline but higher injury risk and lower home run/speed upside than Andersen. He should be good for .310 OBP with 15 HRs/15 SBs. Gonzalez posted .303/.377/.530 with 23 HRs and 90 RBIs in 2017. His multi-position eligibility makes him a solid bench hitter for your team. Goodrum is eligible at every position in Yahoo leagues, making him a valuable bench hitter. He showed solid HR/SB upside with 16 HRs and 12 SBs, but with limited plate discipline: .315 OBP. He's hitting well this Spring, which is always a positive sign.
Honourable Mentions
Troy Tulowitzki
Asdrubal Cabrera
Joey Wendle
Tulo is highly motivated to prove to everyone that he can still play - keep an eye on him while he stays on the wire. Cabrera has some solid pop, hitting 23 HRs last year. He now moves to that bandbox in Texas. Wendle is eligible at every position but 1B. He slashed .300/.354/.435 with 7 HRs and 16 SBs. He's another decent option to have on your bench.
- Top Prospect Pedigree
DISCLAIMER: One of the issues I have with some fantasy writers is that they tend to rank players in a similar range in order to take the safer option, particularly players in the upper-to-elite tiers. My rankings are different because some players are ranked much higher than their ADPs. I base them entirely on my own criteria of statistics as well as my personal intuition, which has led me to several years of success in fantasy sports. Here you will find players grouped into tiers along with tidbits of useful information. Keep in mind that these rankings are for OBP leagues. Hopefully they stimulate discussion and debate. I hope you enjoy them.
Tier 1 - Another Surprise At the Top
1. Carlos Correa
2. Trea Turner
3. Alex Bregman
Correa broke into the big leagues at 20 years old, where he smacked 20+ home runs in the 2015 season. He has more power upside than any other player at this position. Health has been the only factor that has held him back, and a couple of injury-plagued seasons has caused the fantasy community to overlook Correa. He's shown that he is healthy this Spring and I'm going on a limb here - he will have a massive 2019. Turner has huge SB upside, with the ability to steal 50+ bases. He hit a career-high 19 HRs in 2018. He also increased his BB% from 6.7% to 9.3%. The hope is that he keeps his SBs above 40 because he does not have the same power as others on this list. Bregman broke out in a big way in 2018, slashing .286/.394/.532 with 31 HRs, 103 RBI, and 10 SBs. He walked more than he struck out in 2018 - this kind of plate discipline bodes well for the future. Bregman is an elite bat and belongs in the top tier. It would not surprise me to see him put up the most valuable season at SS in 2019.
Tier 2 - A Breakout Story
4. Xander Bogaerts
5. Trevor Story
Bogaerts put up a career-high .238 ISO and increased his Hard hit rate from 31.4% to 37.9%. He was healthy in 2018 and started to put the ball in the air more (FB% increased from 30.5% to 35.6%). Like Correa, Bogaerts is still a young player (26 years old), with elite prospect pedigree who has not had a career year yet. His improvements in 2018 point to a monster season ahead. Story exploded in 2018, especially in the 2nd half, where he slashed .298/.352/.750 in the month of September. He has the benefit of hitting in a great lineup in Coors Field. Story stole 27 bases in 2018 after only 7 in 2017, so there's some concern that those totals dip back towards career norms. However, only Correa has similar power upside to him. He cut his K% from 34.4% to 25.6%, which is highly encouraging, but we have seen his floor: .239/.308/.457 in 2017.
Tier 3 - Injured & Risky
6. Francisco Lindor
7. Manny Machado
8. Javier Baez
Lindor would be in the Top 3 were it not for his injury. I prefer to ignore players that come into the season already banged up, because there's always the risk of aggravation, as well as longer than expected absences. Lindor has great power but it is unlikely that he steals bases at the same rate due to the calf strain. He needs to improve on his 9.4 BB%. Machado had a great 2018, slashing .297/.367/.538 with 37 HRs. However, he was not the same player in LA, as he struggled a bit to adjust to the NL, slashing .273/.338/.487. He'll now hit in a pitcher's park in San Diego. I think that we can expect a bit of a down year for Machado. Baez finally put it together last year, hitting 30+ HRs and stealing 20+ bases. But he's still a free-swinger (4.5 BB%), which lowers his floor in OBP leagues. His career high in OBP is .326.
Tier 4 - Young & Flashy vs Young & Stable
9. Gleyber Torres
10. Corey Seager
Torres smacked 24 homers in only 123 games a year ago. He also showed solid plate discipline, as evidenced by his .340 OBP. Torres can conceivably hit 30+ HRs with a full season in 2019. If he can get hot and force his way up in the Yankee lineup, then you're looking at fantasy gold. Seager is coming off a season where he only played 26 games due to injury. He has terrific plate discipline, which makes him more valuable in OBP leagues. His lower rank is due to the risk as he returns from injury, but he should be able to provide .360+ OBP with 20+ HRs and a handful of stolen bases. Still entering his age-25 season, the best is yet to come for Seager.
Tier 5 - Stable vs Flashy 2.0
11. Jean Segura
12. Adalberto Mondesi
Segura will likely be hitting at the top of the Phillies' lineup, which projects to be one of the best in baseball. His BB% of 5.1% is concerning though, especially in OBP leagues. The Phillies can easily decide to hit him lower in the order due to his poor plate discipline, which would obviously devalue him a bit. But he has proven to be a consistent option at shortstop, so his longer track record puts him ahead of the flashier Mondesi. Mondesi also has terrible plate discipline (3.8 BB%), which significantly lowers his floor in OBP leagues. He also stole bases at a much higher rate in 2018 than he ever did in the minors (he never stole more than 24 bases there). It's quite possible that the crazy pace was due to the fact that it was near the end of the season and the Royals just let him run wild.
Tier 6 - Speed Kills
13. Jonathan Villar
14. Jurickson Profar
15. Amed Rosario
16. Elvis Andrus
17. Jose Peraza
18. Dee Gordon
19. Garrett Hampson
Villar could be a discount version of Mondesi, but that means he has similar faults: poor plate discipline & weak lineup. We have also seen him post great numbers only to follow it up with disappointment. He's another guy that I'm avoiding. Profar is a post-hype target who finally put together a good season last year. He now has a stable role in Oakland after years of fighting for a starting job and moving positions. He will be more comfortable; I think he will continue to improve in 2019. He's only lower on this list due to a worse track record than those ranked above. Rosario has prospect pedigree, entering his age-24 season, hitting in a much-improved Mets' lineup. He has intriguing power/speed upside, hitting 5 HR with 15 SBs from August to September. Andrus is ripe for a bounce-back after an injury-riddled 2018 season. He is only 1 year removed from a 20 HR/25 SB season. Peraza had a power surge towards the end of the year in 2018, hitting 9 of his 14 HRs in August & September. The improved Reds' lineup increases his upside, but he has to improve on his 4.2 BB%. Gordon is a guy to avoid given his poor plate discipline (1.5 BB%). I prefer to ignore players with zero power, so he is much lower on this list. I am lower on Hampson than most because he has not secured the full-time job in Colorado yet. I have also seen the Rockies mismanage their young talent, as evidenced with Ryan McMahon last year, where they used one of their top prospects as a bench player. If Hampson can win the job over McMahon, he will move up this list.
Tier 7 - Late-Round Flyers
20. Paul DeJong
21. Andrelton Simmons
22. Jorge Polanco
23. Willy Adames
24. Chris Taylor
25. Eduardo Escobar
26. Jonathan Schoop
27. Tim Anderson
28. Marcus Semien
29. Marwin Gonzalez
30. Niko Goodrum
DeJong has solid power for a SS and hits in a strong Cardinals' lineup. He increased his BB% from 4.7% to 7.3%, which is a promising sign. Simmons is a high-floor, late-round option who has a proven track record of .330+ OBP combined with 10-12 HRs/10-12 SBs. Polanco has intriguing power/speed upside - he tore it up in September in 2018, slashing .310/.361/.460 with 3 HRs and 3 SBs. Adames has prospect pedigree. He hit 10 HR with 6 SB and a .348 OBP in only 85 games in 2018. Taylor is one year removed from a
.288/.354/.496 with 21 HRs and 17 SBs. While that's likely his ceiling, it still makes him an intriguing late-round option. Escobar is a nice bench bat because he is also eligible at 3B. He slashed .272/.334/.489 in 2018. He has an opportunity to improve on his numbers with a full season in Arizona. Schoop is also one year removed from a good year, where he slashed .293/.338/.503 with 32 HRs and 105 RBIs. He's still only 27 and that power definitely plays at 2B, but the lack of plate discipline (.266 OBP last year) keeps him lower on this risk. Anderson has the ability to hit home runs and steal bases (20 HR, 26 SBs), but his poor walk rate (5.0 BB%) keeps his OBP low (.281). He did improve it from 2.1 to 5.0, which is a positive sign. Semien has better plate discipline but higher injury risk and lower home run/speed upside than Andersen. He should be good for .310 OBP with 15 HRs/15 SBs. Gonzalez posted .303/.377/.530 with 23 HRs and 90 RBIs in 2017. His multi-position eligibility makes him a solid bench hitter for your team. Goodrum is eligible at every position in Yahoo leagues, making him a valuable bench hitter. He showed solid HR/SB upside with 16 HRs and 12 SBs, but with limited plate discipline: .315 OBP. He's hitting well this Spring, which is always a positive sign.
Honourable Mentions
Troy Tulowitzki
Asdrubal Cabrera
Joey Wendle
Tulo is highly motivated to prove to everyone that he can still play - keep an eye on him while he stays on the wire. Cabrera has some solid pop, hitting 23 HRs last year. He now moves to that bandbox in Texas. Wendle is eligible at every position but 1B. He slashed .300/.354/.435 with 7 HRs and 16 SBs. He's another decent option to have on your bench.
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