👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 50% Now
Import Your Leagues
Props Tool
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

2017 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Shortstop

We're coming to the end of another spin around the sun. Christmas is just around the corner. You know what that means: Time for fantasy baseball rankings!

Today we'll cover shortstop. As a reminder, this first round of rankings features picks from Bill Dubiel, Brad Johnson, Nick Mariano, and yours truly.

If you missed the rest of the infield rankings, click the link below. Longtime readers will note that we've switched up the format a bit for this round to allow for a bit more insight into each writer's thought process.

Editor's note: Be sure to also check out our 2017 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. It's already loaded up with tons of great rankings articles and draft analysis. Aside from our tiered staff rankings for every position, we also go deep on MLB prospect rankings, impact rookies for 2017, and dynasty/keeper rankings as well. Bookmark the page, and win your drafts.

 

2017 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Shortstop

Ranking Tier Player Brad Kyle Nick Bill Composite
1 1 Manny Machado 1 1 1 1 1
2 1 Corey Seager 3 3 2 2 2.5
3 1 Xander Bogaerts 2 4 4 3 3.25
4 1 Carlos Correa 4 2 5 5 4
5 1 Trevor Story 5 5 3 4 4.25
6 2 Francisco Lindor 7 6 6 6 6.25
7 2 Jonathan Villar 6 7 7 9 7.25
8 2 Aledmys Diaz 9 8 9 7 8.25
9 2 Jean Segura 8 9 8 8 8.25
10 3 Addison Russell 13 10 11 10 11
11 3 Dansby Swanson 11 12 10 13 11.5
12 3 Troy Tulowitzki 12 13 12 11 12
13 3 Marcus Semien 14 11 13 12 12.5
14 3 Jose Peraza 10 14 14 16 13.5
15 4 Javier Baez 19 15 16 14 16
16 4 Brad Miller 16 16 15 17 16
17 4 Elvis Andrus 15 17 17 20 17.25
18 4 Brandon Crawford 18 18 21 15 18
19 4 Eduardo Nunez 20 19 20 18 19.25
20 5 Didi Gregorius 21 21 19 19 20
21 5 Jose Reyes 17 23 18 23 20.25
22 5 Zack Cozart 22 20 23 21 21.5
23 5 Tim Anderson 24 22 24 22 23
24 5 Asdrubal Cabrera 23 24 22 25 23.5
25 6 Jorge Polanco 28 25 25 24 25.5
26 6 Orlando Arcia 26 29 26 28 27.25
27 6 Ketel Marte 30 27 27 26 27.5
28 6 Matt Duffy 25 36 29 27 29.25
29 6 Alcides Escobar 31 28 32 30 30.25
30 6 Freddy Galvis 29 31 28 33 30.25
31 7 Chris Owings 27 35 30 31 30.75
32 7 Tyler Saladino 36 26 31 32 31.25
33 7 Jose Iglesias 32 32 35 29 32
34 7 J.P. Crawford 36 33 33 34 34
35 7 Stephen Drew 33 34 36 36 34.75
36 7 Jurickson Profar 35 36 34 35 35
37 7 Danny Espinosa 34 36 36 36 35.5

 

Which picks by others look overly bullish/pessimistic?

Kyle: Given the quality and depth at the position, I can't get on board with Brad putting Peraza in the top 10. We've said our respective pieces about the scarcity of stolen bases in the current landscape, so no need to rehash that here. I just don't see Peraza providing enough value elsewhere to justify that ranking. He doesn't walk much, doesn't hit for power, and even speed can only do so much to prop up your batting average if you don't hit the ball hard consistently.

Bill: Nick and Brad seem a bit high on Jose Reyes for my liking, mostly because we can't be sure what his role will be on the Mets this season. Right now the Mets infield looks like it'll be David Wright, Asdrubal Cabrera, Neil Walker and Lucas Duda. Wright's health will always be a huge question mark, and Jose Reyes would be the ultimate insurance policy. If he does wind up starting every day, he'll probably wind up in my top 15. As it stands now though, he looks like the utility infielder on a DH-less National League team. Talented though he might still be, I want more security in his role before I begin moving him up here.

Brad: Andrus is definitely a very boring veteran with almost no upside. For all the talk about shortstop being very strong, the talent level drops very quickly after the top of the pool. Andrus belongs in the mid-teens in this group. Bill was particularly rough, ranking him 20th. That said, I expect to own zero shares of Andrus.

Baez will play more in 2017 thanks to his defensive exploits during the postseason. However, he's still a likely bet to record fewer than 600 plate appearances. The Cubs have so much depth which will push Baez into a five days per week role. His five category production is partially offset by a low OBP. He should only be owned by very active owners.

Nick: I just do not like Crawford. My #21 ranking of him may be a little too harsh, but I simply don't want to sign up for his floor if I can grab a guy like Gregorius or Nunez ahead of him. We saw the 2015 power burst come back down to Earth, as his 16.2% HR/FB rate will surely stick out like a sore thumb on his player page forever and ever. He actually hit more fly balls in 2016, so I don't necessarily buy the jump in BABIP/average either even though his line-drive rate rose a few ticks to support it. The RBIs are nice with his steady spot in the San Francisco order, but I don't want to rely on just that or his going perfect on the basepaths again to help me out. I get that he's unlikely to hurt you, but I'm just not inspired.

Are there any picks you want to defend?

Bill: I'm a huge fan of Brandon Crawford and it's not because he's devastatingly handsome, I promise. Crawford broke out as a key part of the Giants' offense in 2015, making his first All Star team and setting career highs in homers, runs scored, RBI and stolen bases. He was a top-seven option that year, and was quietly a top-10 option in 2016 as well, trading some of his power numbers for a career-high .275 batting average. On top of the numbers, he's played in at least 143 games each year since his rookie season. While I understand the position is deeper than it has been in years, I still think Crawford merits a top-15 ranking given his durability and consistent productivity.

Brad: Not that they need defending, but the top five at this position are soooo good. They should all be off the board by the end of the second round. Villar might go by then too. Story is a tic behind the others in my book. He could easily be the top shortstop when all is said and done, but there's more risk to him than the others.

I expect Peraza to be a high average, top of the order hitter in 2017. Obviously, he won't provide juice in the home run or RBI department, but he should do just enough to not be a total blank. He'll hit at least five home runs at Great American Ballpark. Meanwhile, 100 runs, 55 steals, and a .300 average are all within one standard deviation of my median projection.

I don't know why I bothered putting a number by J.P. Crawford (You didn't, actually - Ed.). Last year, I correctly said he wouldn't reach the majors. This time, he'll eventually get the call, but he'll be the Arcia of 2017. In case you failed to notice, Arcia was not playable in all but the deepest formats.

Nick: There isn't much to hate here, but it looks as though I should go to bat for Story. My love for the kid is well documented at this point, but I would rather have him than Bogaerts, who was just a guy throughout the second half, and Correa, who raised some concern with more whiffs. Obviously, Story's own whiffing is something everyone loves to slap him for, but it was improving as his season progressed and I think he (and Colorado as a whole) runs more in 2017 as well. Coors for the win.

Kyle: What a difference a year makes, eh? Correa was going in the first round in the majority of 2016 drafts after winning Rookie of the Year honors. Now, after a "down" year, he's barely a top-five shortstop according to my colleagues, displaced by some of the other young guns at the position. I come here not to bury Corey Seager (a reigning Rookie of the Year himself), Trevor Story, or Xander Bogaerts, but instead to praise Correa. He was just 21 last year - younger than any of the aforementioned trio - and produced a .274-20-76-96-13 line despite playing through myriad injuries.

We're living in a glorious golden age for shortstops, and you really can't go wrong with any of the top guys - the fact that we have a consensus top five but no agreed-upon order bears that out. Just feel like Correa's being undervalued a bit.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 50% Now
Import Your Leagues
Props Tool
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Still Out Tuesday
Anthony Edwards

Active on Monday Night
Kevin Durant

a Game-Time Decision on Tuesday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Day-to-Day After Being Hit on the Hand on Monday
Mick Abel

Injury Described as "Not Too Serious"
Brendan Donovan

Mariners Place Brendan Donovan on Injured List With Groin Strain
NFL

Is Fernando Mendoza an Undisputed First-Round Pick in Rookie Drafts?
NFL

Omar Cooper Jr. a Top-Five Rookie Receiver in Fantasy Football?
Joel Embiid

is Officially Ruled Out for Game 2
Sonny Gray

Heading to the Injured List With Hamstring Injury
Victor Wembanyama

Wins Defensive Player of the Year
Puka Nacua

Present for Rams First Day of Offseason Program
Odell Beckham Jr.

Works Out for Giants on Monday
OG Anunoby

is Available to Play for Monday's Game 2
Onyeka Okongwu

is Cleared to Play During Game 2 on Monday
Brandon Aubrey

Cowboys Make Brandon Aubrey the Highest-Paid Kicker in the League
Immanuel Quickley

is Ruled Out for Game 2
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Expected to Miss Around Three Months
Edwin Uceta

Shut Down for 2-3 Weeks; Is he Still Stash-Worthy?
Charle-Edouard D'Astous

Doubtful for Game 2
Brad Keller

Will "Probably" Earn First Save Situation in Modified Phillies Bullpen
Roope Hintz

to Miss at Least Two More Games
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Placed on 15-Day Injured List with Elbow Injury
Ross Johnston

Won't Play in Game 1 Against Oilers
Artem Zub

Considered a Game-Time Decision Monday
Tyler Kleven

Remains Out Monday
Jason Dickinson

a Game-Time Call Monday
Leon Draisaitl

Expected to Return Monday
Tyler Reddick

Earns His Fifth Win of the 2026 Season at Kansas
Kyle Larson

Finishes as the Runner-Up at Kansas
Chase Briscoe

Rallies for A New Career-Best Finish at Kansas
Denny Hamlin

Leads the Most Laps at Kansas but Misses Out on Victory
Christopher Bell

Falls Out of Contention for Kansas Victory on Final Restart
NFL

K.C. Concepcion a Top-Five Rookie Wideout for Dynasty Managers?
NFL

Eli Stowers Offers Long-Term Dynasty Upside
Mike Malott

Scores Third-Round TKO Win
Sonny Gray

Leaves Monday's Start Early With Hamstring Tightness
Alec Pierce

Expected to Be Ready for Training Camp After Ankle Surgery
Gilbert Burns

Retires After UFC Winnipeg Loss
NFL

Jordyn Tyson Rising Up Rookie Draft Boards
Charles Jourdain

Extends Winning Streak
Mick Abel

Twins Placing Mick Abel on Injured List With Elbow Inflammation
Kayshon Boutte

Emerging as a Trade Candidate
Kyler Phillips

Drops Decision At UFC Winnipeg
NFL

Kenyon Sadiq Profiles as a High-Upside Dynasty Tight End
Mandel Nallo

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss In His UFC Debut
Jai Herbert

Scores First-Round TKO Win
Karine Silva

Gets Dominated at UFC Winnipeg
Jasmine Jasudavicius

Dominates Karine Silva
NFL

Carnell Tate Likely the Safest Rookie Receiver in This Year's Class
Trent Williams

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with 49ers
NFL

Where Does Denzel Boston Slot into Rookie Drafts?
Arizona Cardinals

Jeremiyah Love in Play for Cardinals at Third Overall
Aaron Rodgers

' Decision Not Expected Before NFL Draft
A.J. Brown

to the Patriots Considered Likely
Deni Avdija

Posts 30-Point Double-Double in Loss
Paolo Banchero

Leads Magic in Game 1 Win
Jalen Duren

Posts Quiet Line in Series Opener
Cade Cunningham

Erupts for 39 Points in Playoff Opener
Logan Cooley

Scores Mammoth's First-Ever Playoff Goal
David Pastrnak

Finishes Game 1 Loss With Three Points
Jalen Williams

Posts All-Around Line in Game 1
Tage Thompson

Bags Three Points in Postseason Debut
Devin Booker

Delivers in Tough Game 1 Loss
Victor Wembanyama

Drops 35 Points in Playoff Debut
Jake Guentzel

Records Three Assists Sunday
Juraj Slafkovsky

Nets Unique Hat Trick in Playoff Opener
Charle-Edouard D'Astous

Hurt in Game 1 Loss
Leon Draisaitl

Could Be Ready for Game 1 Against Ducks
Corbin Carroll

Expected Back Tuesday; Injury Concern Appears Minor
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Posts 25 Points in Series Opener
Paul George

Delivers 17 Points Against Boston
Tyrese Maxey

Leads 76ers in Game 1 Defeat
Jaylen Brown

Scores 26 Points in Game 1 Victory
Jayson Tatum

Posts Double-Double in Game 1 Win
Peyton Watson

Still Sidelined for Game 2
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Dynasty Value at All-Time Low
NFL

David Bailey Visits Several Teams Leading Up to the NFL Draft
NFL

Oscar Delp Takes Several Visits Ahead of Draft
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Talking With Cardinals About the No. 3 Pick
Juan Soto

is on Track to Return Next Homestand
Corbin Carroll

Exits Sunday's Game with Back Tightness
Artem Zub

Uncertain for Game 2
Karel Vejmelka

Makes Playoff Debut Sunday
Carter Hart

in Vegas Crease for Playoff Opener
Jeremy Swayman

Begins Fifth Postseason Campaign
Alex Lyon

Available for Game 1
Dominic James

Activated From Injured Reserve
Tarik Skubal

Fans 10 in Win Over Red Sox on Saturday
Raisel Iglesias

Dealing With Shoulder Issue
Kyle Larson

Should not be Underestimated for the Win at Kansas
Denny Hamlin

Can Denny Hamlin Dominate at Kansas Again?
NASCAR

Christoper Bell Should Contend for First Win at Kansas
Joel Eriksson Ek

Powers Minnesota Past Dallas in Opening Game
Tyler Reddick

Fastest in Practice and Qualifying for Kansas Race
Ryan Blaney

Could Score another Top-10 Finish at Kansas
Ty Gibbs

Poised to Continue Hot Streak at Kansas
Chris Buescher

Always Consistent, Has Speed Heading Into Kansas
William Byron

is A Solid DFS Option for Kansas Lineups
Carson Hocevar

Poised for Career-Best Run at Kansas
Chase Briscoe

Is Chase Briscoe Worth Rostering for DFS at Kansas?
Chase Elliott

Is A Favorable DFS Option for Kansas Lineups
Joey Logano

Could Joey Logano be Considered Playable In DFS This Week at Kansas?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Favorable Driver to Consider for Kansas Lineups
Ross Chastain

Is Ross Chastain A Worthy DFS Option for Kansas?
Brad Keselowski

Could Brad Keselowski be A Sneaky DFS Option for Kansas?
Daniel Suarez

Should DFS Managers Roster Daniel Suarez at Kansas?
Jhoan Duran

Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Kyle Stowers

Will be Activated on Sunday
Max Muncy

has Another Multi-Homer Game at Coors Field
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Expected to Make Season Debut on Saturday
Austin Riley

Hits Two Home Runs in Shutout Win Over Phillies
Daulton Varsho

Removed Early on Friday With Knee Discomfort
Mike Malott

A Favorite At UFC Winnipeg
Gilbert Burns

Set For UFC Winnipeg Main Event
Kyler Phillips

Set UFC Winnipeg Co-Main Event
Charles Jourdain

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Jai Herbert

An Underdog At UFC Winnipeg
Mandel Nallo

Set For His UFC Debut
Karine Silva

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Jasmine Jasudavicius

Looks To Bounce Back
CFB

Michigan Lands Commitment From Quarterback Kamden Lopati
Sahith Theegala

Brings Strong Form Into Harbour Town
Wyndham Clark

Needs Putter to Show Up at RBC Heritage
Jacob Bridgeman

Looks to Return to Elite Form at Harbour Town
J.J. Spaun

a Volatile Option at RBC Heritage
PGA

Sungjae Im Offers High-Upside Value at RBC Heritage
Matt Fitzpatrick

Set for Another Strong Showing at RBC Heritage
Jason Day

Eyes Bounce-Back After Sunday Struggles at the Masters
Akshay Bhatia

Looking to Rebound at Harbour Town
Cameron Young

Hoping to Secure Second Win of Season at RBC Heritage
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Win Again at RBC Heritage
Shane Lowry

Has Disappointing Final Round at Masters
Viktor Hovland

Hoping to Build on Final Round at Masters
Brian Harman

Struggling For Consistency Heading to RBC Heritage
Chris Gotterup

Putting Together Outstanding 2026 Season
Justin Thomas

Looks to Defend in Hilton Head
Jordan Spieth

in Search of Improved Putting at RBC Heritage
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF