There is no more exciting and rapidly developing position in the game today than shortstop. It has become a new beast over the past few years across MLB. By all indications, it's a wave that is just getting underway. In each of the past two seasons, a Rookie of the Year selection has been a shortstop, and in last year’s All-Star Game, of the six shortstops selected, each made his ASG debut.
It is a position on the rise with a stunning level of immediate production. Of the players who made the cut for this list, six of the ten are in their first two years in the majors. Of those who are slightly more seasoned, there are the past four NL Gold Glove winners and the National League’s leader in hits. This could very well be one of the best eras of shortstop play that has graced the game in many years.
10. Aledmys Diaz, St. Louis Cardinals
One of the bigger (and most timely) surprises of the 2016 season was Diaz. The 26-year-old made the most of the opportunity that was presented by a spring wrist injury to Jhonny Peralta and parlayed it into an All-Star appearance as a rookie.
Overall on the year, he finished with an impressive .300/.369/.510 split line, along with 17 home runs and 3.5 wins above replacement (WAR). While his glove has a ways to go, manager Mike Matheny has no questions about whom he will send out to the keystone every day.
9. Andrelton Simmons, Los Angeles Angels
The reigning wizard of shortstop glove work, Simmons has produced a whopping 17.8 defensive WAR since making his debut in 2012. Despite playing in only 124 games last year, he still finished just a hundredth of a point behind Francisco Lindor’s AL-best 2.7 dWAR — in 34 less games.
His glove work alone is enough to keep him annually among the best at the position, however his production at the plate also kicked up a notch in his first year in the American League. Simmons hit for a full-season career-best .281 average and .324 OBP last season, showing some signs of continuing to develop a few new tricks after six years in the game.
8. Trea Turner, Washington Nationals
Turner will return to his natural position after the Nationals’ acquisition of Adam Eaton this offseason, and he stands to instantly become one of biggest threats at the position in the game. Despite not making his MLB debut until June and not becoming a full-time starter (and making the move to center field to do so) until July, Turner tore in to MLB pitching. He followed a .317 July by hitting .366 in August and .358 in September. Overall, he finished with 105 hits, 33 stolen bases and a .937 OPS in 73 games.
7. Jean Segura, Seattle Mariners
In what ended up being his final season in Arizona, Segura produced a relentless assault on opposing pitchers, hammering out an NL-best 203 hits. After spending the season at second base with the Diamondbacks, Segura will move back to his natural position of shortstop in Seattle this year. If he can once again post numbers that approach the career-high levels of 41 doubles, 20 home runs and 102 runs that he registered last season, he could be the final piece in the Mariners’ ascent in the AL West.
6. Addison Russell, Chicago Cubs
Russell gets lost in the shuffle of his more famous and higher-paid teammates, but he played an indispensable part in the Cubs’ championship run. He connected for 21 home runs and drove in 95 runs, tops among NL shortstops by far. And while he turned in an impressive offensive showing, it was his work in the field that opened eyes the widest most often. Russell tied two-time Gold Glover Brandon Crawford with a 2.7 defensive WAR, due in part to saving more runs in the field than any other shortstop in the game (14).
5. Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox
Over the past two seasons, Bogaerts has been the top overall offensive producer in MLB at the position, taking home a pair of Silver Slugger awards in the process. He has topped 30 doubles and 80 RBI in each season, while averaging a .307/.355/.434 split line along the way.
He began to grow into his power potential a year ago, popping 21 home runs as well. Along with Mookie Betts and top prospect Andrew Benintendi, Bogaerts projects to be a longstanding part of Boston's next era.
4. Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants
Crawford continues to be perhaps the most well-balanced player at the position in the game, combining high-end defensive prowess with a continually expanding repertoire at the plate. He took home his second Gold Glove in as many seasons last year while posting a defensive WAR of at least 2.0 for the third time in the last five years. Crawford finished just outside of the top 10 of the NL MVP race, as he reached double digits in doubles (28), triples (NL-best 11) and home runs (12), while batting a career-best .275.
3. Carlos Correa, Houston Astros
Compared to the rapid rate that he took to the game in his 2015 debut, his outcome last season could be seen as a slight disappointment. It was an up-and-down year for Correa as he made his way through his first full MLB season, however the body of work when it was all said and done was still a clear showing of how unquestionably talented the 22-year-old is. Correa drove in 96 runs to lead all MLB shortstops, while posting a .361 on-base percentage. Even in a year when he still was figuring out the ropes, he posted the highest WAR of all AL shortstops.
2. Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers
He did not skip a single step from his excellent cup of coffee showing in 2015 during his full rookie campaign, as Seager was not only named unanimous NL Rookie of the Year, but finished third in the MVP vote as well. He was the driving force behind the Dodgers not only hawking down the Giants’ NL West lead in the second half, but flying past them to win the division and ultimately reach the NL Championship Series. He hit .345 across June and July and had a three home run game against the Braves in June. At the end of it all, Seager posted the fourth highest WAR in the NL with a 6.1 figure, tops by a rookie since Troy Tulowitzki in 2008.
1. Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians
Topping the list is the gear that makes the Indians’ machine move. Lindor hit .301 while scoring 99 runs and stole 19 bases as well, as he was a key part of the Tribe reinventing itself as a speed-led, base-running production monster last year. He added a higher-than-expected power rate as well, with 15 home runs and 30 doubles, which contributed to his .794 OPS. He was particularly damaging at home, as he hit .344 within the confines of Progressive Field. He posted the highest dWAR in the American League, leading the AL in total runs saved at the position with 24, netting himself his first Gold Glove in the process.
Overall, this effort lifted the Indians to a 94-win campaign and to within a grasp of a World Series title, during which he hit .310 in the postseason.
Just a bit outside: Trevor Story, Elvis Andrus, Troy Tulowitzki
Up & Comer: Dansby Swanson, Atlanta Braves: The future is now for the Braves, as they prepare to break in a new ballpark with their franchise cornerstone ready for full-time duty in the majors. The Braves shocked the baseball world when they acquired 2015’s top overall pick prior to the season, and he delivered on promise once reaching the show by hitting .302 over 38 games. He now slates to fit in just ahead of Freddie Freeman and to be a (if not the) front-runner for National League Rookie of the Year honors. Pressure? Sure, but he could easily meet the calling.
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