Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Shortstop has been a position that has been looking for a boost around MLB for some time. Superstars at the shortstop position, aside from Derek Jeter, have been absent for years. The ones that were perennial All Stars included Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez and Jimmy Rollins. The early part of this decade included All Star slots being filled by the likes of J.J. Hardy and Jhonny Peralta.
Since 2000, there have only been three MVP shortstops: Oakland’s Miguel Tejada in 2002, Texas’ Alex Rodriguez in 2003 and Rollins for Philadelphia in 2007. It has been a tough position to build around for teams, and had usually been filled by someone with not much pop and a lot of glove. Throughout that time, teams have been developing some big time talent in their farm systems to fill the void between second and third base and it seems to be paying off.
There has been a youth movement at the position and its more than just a few guys to plug into the lineup; they are potential MVPs. We are seeing young players who are fun to watch with an array of different skill sets, from power, to dazzling defense, to a winner’s hunger. The game has been clamoring for a new wave of young talent and we have to look no further than the number 6 on the fielding chart.
We have been introduced to young stars that have been putting up eye-popping numbers at the shortstop position, similar to when Nomar Garciaparra, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez came into the spotlight in the late 1990s and early 2000s. With a position so loaded with talent, there is a lot of debate over who is the best. There is a wide range of talented players who have incredible bats, great gloves and amazing speed, but ranking them is difficult. Here are the five best shortstops heading into the 2017 season.
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
5. Trevor Story, Colorado Rockies
Trevor Story showed a lot of promise last season before a thumb injury cut it short in August. Although he didn’t play a full season, his numbers were quite impressive offensively.
His power numbers (27 home runs, 72 runs batted in) were similar to National League Rookie of the Year Corey Seager‘s, and Story played almost 60 fewer games. While he was second among shortstops in home runs, his batting average was a modest .272. Story’s numbers on the field weren’t anything special, making it hard to put him higher on the list with just power numbers alone.
He is young, heading into the 2017 season at age 24, and is playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark. With those two factors, his production should keep increasing at the plate. If his defense improves, his ranking among the best shortstops is sure to be on its way up.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
4. Carlos Correa, Houston Astros
Carlos Correa is one of the best slugging shortstops in the American League. Since making his MLB debut with the Astros in June of 2015, Correa has 42 home runs, 164 runs batted in and a .475 slugging percentage. He ranked first in the league for runs batted in by a shortstop with 96, second among AL shortstops in slugging percentage at .451 and he had the second best Wins Above Replacement for a shortstop in the league (16th in the league overall).
The 2015 Rookie of the Year’s stats have been good, for the most part. When it comes to other statistical categories, like average (.274) and strikeouts (139), he is average. His fielding is also middle of the pack, with a .978 fielding percentage, 14 errors in the field and a 0.6 Defensive Wins Above Replacement.
Correa saw a slight dip in production from 2015 to 2016, but he is still one of the game’s best. At age 22, it is hard to look past how high his ceiling can be, especially after two very good offensive seasons to start his career.
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
3. Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox
The scariest part of this list is finding out Xander Bogaerts is the oldest one on it. He is only 24 years of age. Bogaerts has accomplished quite a bit in just over three seasons in the majors. He is a World Series champion, two-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a one-time All Star. There is still more to come.
Bogaerts possesses durability, missing only 11 total games the past two seasons and leading all shortstops with 652 at bats in 2016. The Boston shortstop has shown incredible offensive ability, ranking among the top five shortstops with 115 runs scored (1st), 192 hits (2nd), 89 runs batted in (3rd), and a .294 batting average (4th). He ranked 8th in home runs with 21.
While the production at the plate is there, Bogaerts needs a little help in the field. His fielding percentage was .977, while committing 13 errors. His Defensive Wins Above Replacement was a poor -0.1.
What helps put Bogaerts high up on this list, besides his offensive contributions, is his ability to win. Stepping into a pressure-filled role in 2013 as a key part of a championship team is just the start. He was a productive part of an explosive offense that made the playoffs in 2016 as well. 2017 could prove this even further.
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports. MLB.
2. Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers have the best offensive shortstop in the majors. Corey Seager put up incredible numbers at the plate, leading all shortstops in batting average (.308), hits (193), slugging percentage (.512), on-base plus slugging percentage (.877), and Wins Above Replacement (6.1).
He also ranked in the top 5 at his position with a .365 on-base percentage (2nd) and 26 home runs (4th), en route to becoming the unanimous winner of the National League Rookie of the Year. He also came in third in the National League Most Valuable Player voting.
While dominant at the plate, the 2016 All-Star was sub-par in the field, with a .968 fielding percentage (21st in the league for shortstops) and 18 errors (3rd most in the league at his position).
While his fielding is easily the worst on this list, there is no doubting how incredible his offensive production is. If he keeps improving his offensive production, while being on a winning team, he will be considered a great shortstop for years to come. The only way another player can top him on this list is with a combination of good defense and good offense.
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports. MLB.
1. Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians
Good offense paired with good defense is an understatement when talking about Francisco Lindor. His offensive production is good, with a batting average of .301 in 604 at bats to go along with 15 home runs, 78 runs batted in and 99 runs scored.
More from Call to the Pen
Along with his offense is his stellar defense. Lindor had a .982 fielding percentage to go along with 12 errors in the field. His 2.7 Defensive Wins Above Replacement was tops in the league for shortstops and definitely contributed to him winning his first Gold Glove Award in 2016.
What makes Lindor the best shortstop on this list, besides his mix of offensive production and defensive prowess, is what he brings to the game. He always plays hard and with a smile, making him one of the most exciting players to watch.
He is also a winner, helping the Indians make it to the World Series for the first time since 1997. His production didn’t stop in the playoffs. In 58 at bats, he hit .310 with two home runs and six runs batted in. Being the best means coming up clutch, and Lindor does just that.
This season is going to be a big year for shortstops, with most of the players on this list playing for contenders. On the other hand, baseball is not easy to predict by any stretch of the imagination. There could be surprises in 2017. We are just along for the ride.
