Getty Trae Turner of the Washington Nationals, who sits atop our list of the best fantasy baseball shortstops.
Similar to second basemen, shortstop is no longer a position dominated by crafty defensive wizards and useless fantasy players. With some of the most exciting young talents in the game occupying the position, just about every player in the top ten can contribute across every category. Despite lacking the roster versatility that fantasy second basemen have, the top tier of shortstops produces some of the best offensive stat lines in the sport.
The State of Fantasy Baseball Shortstops in 2019
Heading into 2019, there is the most talent at the position since the 1990s when Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Nomar Garciaparra took the baseball world by storm. As the young crop of star shortstops works their way towards their athletic prime, there is actually room for improvement nearly across the board.
That isn’t to say that shortstops aren’t producing as is, most of the top options are expected to be off the board by either the fourth or fifth round. Given the production that the top tier of shortstop is capable of putting out, figuring out where and when to grab one is paramount, especially in 12 team leagues (as the quality drops off hard after the top 10).
As with the other position player rankings, players are only eligible for the rankings if they project to play the most games in the field at that position (in this case shortstop) on the season.
Fantasy Baseball 2019 Shortstop Rankings
10. Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 144 H, 81 R, 19 HR, 67 RBI, 22 SB, .252 avg
What Anderson Lacks in the average department, he makes up for with a well-rounded stat line and tons of upside. Still fairly young and just entering the beginning of his athletic prime, Anderson’s time in the big leagues has showcased some positive trends heading into 2019.
Able to cut down on his strikeouts and increase his walks, Anderson saw his OBP, Slugging, and OPS all go up despite seeing his average decrease last season. With the development of other players in the White Sox lineup, it should likely result in more chances for Anderson to produce with runners on base heading into 2019 and he has a good shot to exceed his projected stats.
9. Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 175 H, 81 R, 11 HR, 61 RBI, 20 SB, .282 avg
Long known mainly as a player that plays solid defense and puts the ball in play, 2017 saw Andrus take a big step forward with regards to his power stroke as he picked up a career-high 20 homers.
August 19th :: Mitch Moreland, Mike Napoli, and Elvis Andrus hit back to back to back Home Runs vs. the Mariners.
2018 saw Andrus slowed down by injuries, but with a clean bill of health and in the midst of his prime, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility to see Andrus meet or exceed the strong numbers he put up in 2017. Even if he can’t, he should be good for a decent number of hits, steals, and runs ensuring that he at least remains fantasy relevant.
8. Jose Peraza, Cincinnati Reds SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 159 H, 79 R, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 25 SB, .281 avg
Peraza enjoyed a breakout season in 2018 and heading into his age 25 season and potentially has the room to grow even more.
Similar to Andrus, Peraza has shown that he can rack up hits at an effective clip, score runs, and steal bases effectively. Even if he doesn’t take the next step forward, he possesses the natural skillset to at least keep himself in the picture for a reliable fantasy option in 2019.
7. Carlos Correa, Houston Astros SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 143 H, 84 R, 23 HR, 92 RBI, 6 SB, .272 avg
In terms of raw talent, Carlos Correa is probably a top-five player at the shortstop position. However, Correa’s inability to stay on the field is a big red flag and something that has severely capped his production.
After a phenomenal, yet injury-laden 2017, Correa had his worst season to date in 2018. He is still one of the youngest players on this list and could prove to far exceed his ranking should he stay healthy. Unfortunately, until he proves so, he’ll be on the outside looking in for the top five fantasy options.
6. Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 158 H, 87 R, 20 HR, 87 RBI, 11 SB, .284 avg
While Bogaerts’ stats won’t blow you away, he offers one of the most reliable fantasy options at shortstop. Hitting for decent power and average in a loaded Red Sox lineup, Bogaerts gets more than his fair share of opportunities to do damage with runners on.
Despite his steal numbers taking a step back in 2018, the rest of his production was on the rise and the five-year veteran is only turning 26 this year. Bogaerts is a high-floor option with the possibility to improve on his strong 2018 numbers heading into this season.
5. Jean Segura, Philadelphia Phillies SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 184 H, 93 R, 15 HR, 66 RBI, 22 SB, .306 avg
Over the past three seasons, Segura has proven himself to be one of the most reliable hitters for average at the position. Although his power numbers took a hit when he went to Seattle, he showed he had pop in Arizona and gets to play half his games in the friendly confines of Citizens Bank Ballpark.
JEAN SEGURA FOR THE LEAD.
The @Mariners‘ star CRUSHES a 3-run homer
Segura is definitely a question mark given his new scenery but should be expected to at the very least keep hitting above .300. His power numbers should increase as well given the new ballpark which makes Segura one of the more intriguing options at shortstop on the year.
4. Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 181 H, 95 R, 23 HR, 87 RBI, 3 SB, .296 avg
Seager is arguably the best talent in the game at shortstop but is coming off Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss nearly all of 2018. Although it may take a bit of time to brush the rust off and get back to game speed, Seager should still put up one of the strongest stat lines in the game.
Although Seager projects to offer the least in terms of steals this season on our rankings, he offers an above average number of hits, runs, home runs, and RBI. The Dodgers have a loaded lineup with Seager in the middle, so he has the protection to force pitchers to give him opportunities. Given his talent level and history, Seager has a chance to far exceed the number four ranking at shortstop this season.
3. Trevor Story, Colorado Rockies SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 154 H, 78 R, 31 HR, 98 RBI, 17 SB, .272 avg
Although many analysts credit Story’s gaudy stat line with the fact that he plays half his games at Coors Field, the fact remains that the man is a run-producing machine the likes of which we haven’t seen at shortstop since Alex Rodriguez.
Hitting 37 home runs and driving in over 100 runs in the middle of a dangerous Rockies order, Story has shown he is more than capable of coming through with runners on base. Most importantly, Story cut down his strikeouts dramatically in 2018 and showcased the type of production he can put out when he puts the ball in play more frequently.
2. Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians, SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 175 H, 105 R, 33 HR, 86 RBI, 17 SB, .285 avg
The other premier power hitter at the shortstop position, Lindor doesn’t offer the RBI count that Story does, but dwarfs him in the runs department.
Lindor is a true five-tool player and puts up excellent numbers in every major offensive category. Still, only in his age 25 season, it is scary to think that Lindor could actually improve and put up better numbers moving forward.
1. Trea Turner, Washington Nationals SS
Yahoo Fantasy Sports Projected Stats: 177 H, 106 R, 20 HR, 84 RBI, 43 SB, .283 avg
While he lacks the home run production of Story and Lindor, Trea Turner offers unmatched value in the steal department. Likely to go toe to toe with Whit Merrifield for the major league lead, Turner also puts up very solid stats in every other department.
The Terrific Trea Turner.
While his runs may take a slight hit with the departure of Bryce Harper, Turner should still be able to get on base and swipe bases at a fantasy season-altering rate. While the big home run totals may be alluring at the shortstop spot, Turner projects to nearly double his next closest contemporary’s total in steals.