We at RotoBaller like rankings. In preparation for the 2016 fantasy baseball draft season, we will deliver four rounds of composite rankings. This is the fourth position of the first round - shortstop.

Rest assured, ever more detailed analysis lies ahead as we progress closer to draft season. Please note, value is somewhat fluid during the offseason. We originally submitted these rankings on December 6. Please excuse any recent changes that have not been incorporated. For example, the Mets have pushed Wilmer Flores into a backup role. That's not reflected here.

By the way - our 2016 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard is loaded with lots more rankings, all in one easy place. We have tiers for every MLB position, prospect rankings, and dynasty/keeper analysis. On that note, let's get started.

2016 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Shortstop

We've covered three positions and they've all been deep. Even catcher has mixed league viable options deep into the late rounds. Shortstop is the first position with serious scarcity. There are some exciting young names available, but the talent trails off quickly.

That said, there are still decent choices in all but the deepest leagues. Because second base has so many options, most middle infielders will come from there. Only the top 16 or so shortstops will be rostered in 12 team leagues. And I think we can easily scrape together 16 interesting names.

The top of the pool is better than it's been since the infamous Alex Rodriguez-Derek Jeter-Nomar Garciaparra triumvirate ruled the position (I was always a Miguel Tejada guy). Carlos Correa is the undisputed champion. My three co-rankers concur that Troy Tulowitzki is still second best. We'll get back to that. Xander Bogaerts takes home the third spot with Francisco Lindor and Corey Seager rounding out the top five.

You'll notice I like three of the young folk more than Tulo. His place in the potent Blue Jays lineup more than makes up for any lost Coors Field effect. And it's not like the Rogers Centre isn't also hitter friendly. However, scouts had a disturbing observation this season - his lower half explosiveness has deteriorated. The result is less power, less bat speed, and less contact. Less. Could Tulo, 31, rebound? Maybe. I'll still take Lindor or Bogaerts.

The last safe shortstop on the board is ninth ranked Jung-ho Kang. I was the most pessimistic with his ranking, listing him 13th. In general, I was much more sensitive to injuries that will linger into the season than my colleagues. A typical recovery time will have Kang sidelined until some point in May. The club is hopeful he'll return in April, but clubs are always hopeful in December. In addition to losing about a quarter of the season, Kang will also have to shake off the rust. The earlier he returns, the higher his value.

Following Kang is a clutch of upside plays. Some of Addison Russell, Eugenio Suarez, Brad Miller, Marcus Semien, Ketel Marte, and Trea Turner are bound to finish in the top 10 of the position. Some of them will be woefully disappointing. Turner has trended downwards since we compiled our rankings - the Nationals have indicated that Danny Espinosa will probably start at shortstop.

I'm strangely bullish about Miller even though he projects to only reach about 500 plate appearances. One of the biggest issues with his plate approach is passivity. He has the sort of skill set that benefits from aggression. The Rays have become a free-swinging club - applying principles they've seen succeed for the Royals. I'm expecting 10 to 15 home runs, 10 to 15 stolen bases, plenty of run production, and an improved .270 average.

Marte is the late-round wild card in this pool. The Mariners leadoff man is a high contact hitter with good plate discipline. The result is a high average, high OBP, and a chance for 100 runs scored. His ground ball oriented swing isn't geared for power, but I do expect five to 10 home runs. Stolen bases are his most reliable category with 20 to 30 steal upside. These projections could easily justify a top 10 ranking but there is also risk since he isn't established.

If you're reaching into the $1 bin, Didi Gregorius is my pick. Once he settled down in New York, he hit .282/.332/.397 over the final four months of the season. He added seven home runs, 44 runs, and 45 RBI over that period - roughly a 10 HR, 60 R, 60 RBI pace. A Gregorius breakout probably includes just 15 home runs, so there isn't much upside to rostering him. I like him because he offers a high floor for a free asset.

Shortstop Rankings for 2016 Fantasy Baseball

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