🖥 CYBER WEEK - TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE CYBER
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

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2017 Shortstop: Top MLB Prospects for Fantasy Baseball

Welcome back, RotoBallers. I've already looked at the top 10 prospects for each MLB team, and now I'll be breaking down impact prospects by position. Today I'm bringing you my top 10 shortstops - MLB prospect rankings for the 2017 fantasy baseball season.

Over the past two seasons, we have been gifted with some insanely fun shortstop rookies debuting in the big leagues. Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa burst out onto the scene in the second half of 2015 while Addison Russell began to establish himself right from the beginning of the season. Last season, we got to watch dynamic youngsters like Corey Seager and Trea Turner turn in NL ROY and MVP-caliber seasons while Jose Peraza emerged as a talented speedster for the Reds.

This season, there are a couple guys at the top who could reach the big leagues, but no one looks quite as dynamic as the names we have seen in recent years. Dansby Swanson is a solid bat and he will be a franchise shortstop for Atlanta, but he is no Corey Seager or Francisco Lindor. In 2018, when guys like Gleyber Torres (who may see some time at the end of this season) and Brendan Rodgers debut will be a much more exciting season for rookie shortstops. But for now, there are still a couple names fantasy owners should familiarize themselves with so they can have a leg up on opponents in redraft leagues for the 2017 season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Top 10 Shortstop Prospects for 2017 Fantasy Baseball

1. Dansby Swanson (ATL, MLB)
Stats: 145 PA, .302/.361/.422, 3 HR, 3 SB, 9.0% BB rate, 23.4% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
This is really quite the no-brainer. Swanson is the clear guy to own here in fantasy leagues. The Vanderbilt product has flown through the minors and has now reached the point in his career where he is ready to take over as the franchise shortstop for the Braves. His best skill from a fantasy perspective is his ability to consistently hit for a high average and his likely placement at the No. 2 spot in the Braves’ lineup this season. He does have a chance to post a 15/15 season as well, making him a very enticing buy for fantasy owners. If you are looking for a rookie shortstop to own, this is your guy.

2. Franklin Barreto (OAK, AAA)
Stats: (from AA) 507 PA, .281/.340/.413, 10 HR, 30 SB, 7.1% BB rate, 17.8% K rate
ETA: Early May
Barreto has put up some dazzling numbers throughout his minor-league career. He has twice now posted double-digit home run totals and has twice posted 25+ stolen bases in a season. He not only flashes an outstanding combination of power and speed, but he has also proven to be a consistent hitter, capable of making consistent contact and avoiding the punchout. He will not be pushing Marcus Semien out of shortstop just yet, but he may come up and move Jed Lowrie out of second base as early as this April. My money is on a May debut, but regardless of when he reaches the big leagues, he will be a fun one to watch and a worthy own in fantasy leagues.

3. Amed Rosario (NYM, AA)
Stats: 237 PA, .341/.392/.481, 2 HR, 6 SB, 8.0% BB rate, 21.5% K rate
ETA: Mid-May
Rosario’s name has shot up prospect lists and it’s easy to see why. He has turned himself into one of the most consistent hitters in the minors and still has a big frame that scouts see potentially developing some more power and speed. Evaluators already love his speed, particularly after he totaled 19 stolen bases in 110 games played this season. Rosario looks like the franchise shortstop for the Mets and with the struggles they have endured with finding consistent bats in their lineup lately (and the fact David Wright is almost guaranteed to get injured again), a spot in the infield could very easily open up for Rosario and he could begin to assist both fantasy owners and the Mets alike in the early goings of this 2017 season.

4. Willy Adames (TB, AA)
Stats: 568 PA, .274/.372/.430, 11 HR, 13 SB, 13.0% BB rate, 21.3% K rate
ETA: Early June
Much like Rosario, Adames’ name has started to emerge at the top of prospect lists. He put together the best season of his professional career at the highest level he’s ever reached and finally starts to be putting everything together as he lowered his strikeout rate, increased his walk rate and increased both his power and speed output. The Rays’ middle-infield depth might slow his path down to the majors just a tad, but he should be able to force his way into their lineup if he continues to rake at Triple-A to open up the season.

5. J.P. Crawford (PHI, AAA)
Stats: 385 PA, .244/.328/.318, 4 HR, 7 SB, 10.9% BB rate, 15.3% K rate
ETA: Early June
Frequent readers will know that I am no big fan of J.P. Crawford. I think he has done little to prove that he is going to be a productive fantasy shortstop in the majors outside of demonstrate an advanced, disciplined approach to the plate. And while Crawford appears to have one of the highest floors out there because of that approach, I just do not see him being a stud fantasy shortstop until he develops some more power and starts putting his speed to use on the basepaths. Regardless, this is not an overly deep season for rookie shortstops in baseball and if he does get a chance to debut, his high floor could be valuable to owners looking for at least a consistent batting average.

6. Kevin Newman (PIT, AA)
Stats: 268 PA, .288/.361/.378, 2 HR, 6 SB, 9.7% BB rate, 9.0% K rate
ETA: Early June
Think Diet Dansby Swanson. Newman is basically a step down from the Braves’ shortstop across the board, but he still looks to be a solid big-league regular for the Pirates in the near future. He is a consistent hitter who avoids striking out, commands the strike zone and can steal a base when the opportunity presents itself. He is not likely to hit .310 with 15 homers and 20 stolen bases like Swanson, but Newman could easily hit .280 with 5-10 home runs and steal 10-15 bases. It may not sound great, but like Swanson, he has a high floor which is always valuable for fantasy owners in search of reliable production.

7. Gleyber Torres (NYY, A+)
Stats: 581 PA, .268/.349/.413, 11 HR, 22 SB, 10.2% BB rate, 20.5% K rate
ETA: Mid-August
If you want the shortstop prospect with the highest upside, look no further than Gleyber Torres. The 20-year-old shortstop has demonstrated to scouts that he not only possesses a ton of speed and a disciplined approach, but that he has some untapped power that started to come out last season. Scouts now believe he has the potential to be a 20/20 threat at the big-league level. Now with a full season of Advanced Class-A under his belt, Torres is likely to open the 2017 season with Double-A Trenton and could find himself on the big-league roster by the end of the summer and having a major impact on fantasy teams in the midst of a playoff races.

8. Richard Urena (TOR, AA)
Stats: 132 PA, .266/.282/.395, 0 HR, 0 SB, 3.0% BB rate, 14.4% K rate
ETA: Early August
Urena has had better seasons in the past, and he hit well enough before arriving at Double-A, but for whatever reason he struggled when he arrived at New Hampshire. After blasting eight home runs and swiping nine bags at Class-A Advanced, Urena could not muster either in his 30 games played and also struggled to find consistent hits. But this is a guy who has hit 15 home runs in a season back in 2015 (in only 91 games as a 19-year-old) and who has shown before that he has plenty of offensive upside. Both Troy Tulowitzki and Devon Travis are prone to injury and should either of them find themselves on the DL for an extended period of time late in the season, Urena could receive the promotion. Fantasy owners will want to keep an eye on him because if either of the middle-infielders are hurt and Urena starts hitting like he did a season ago, he could be a valuable sleeper prospect to own.

9. Nick Gordon (MIN, A+)
Stats: 493 PA, .291/.335/.386, 3 HR, 19 SB, 4.7% BB rate, 17.6% K rate
ETA: Early August
Gordon is not the most dynamic prospect from a fantasy perspective, but he is a shortstop who may get a chance for solid playing time late in the 2017 season. The Twins aren’t exactly loaded with middle-infield depth and a possible trade of Brian Dozier at the deadline could move Jorge Polanco over to second and open up a spot for Gordon who will likely spend most of this season at Double-A. He should prove valuable enough to warrant owning in redraft leagues if owners are in need of some batting average and stolen base help in the playoffs.

10. Mauricio Dubon (MIL, AA)
Stats: 269 PA, .339/.371/.538, 6 HR, 6 SB, 4.1% BB rate, 13.4% K rate
ETA: Early August
Dubon’s Double-A numbers don’t really do him justice as his whole season numbers looked quite a bit better. Between Class-A Advanced and Double-A, Dubon combined for 30 stolen bases and hit well over .300 with only 17 more strikeouts than walks. He is a speedy prospect who could provide owners with a fair amount of steals and a solid average if he is given playing, which is possible given his ability to play multiple positions and solid bat. He could be a solid bat to own for teams in slightly deeper leagues.

 

More Top MLB Prospects & Rookies




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jaylen Wright

Runs Wild in Week 14 Win
Chase Brown

Scores Two Touchdowns in Week 14 Loss
Nico Collins

Leads Texans in Receiving in Sunday Night Win
San Francisco Giants

Jeff Kent Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
Ketel Marte

Red Sox Interested in Trading for Ketel Marte
Kyle Schwarber

Pirates Make Four-Year Offer to Kyle Schwarber
Travis Etienne Jr.

Scores Two Touchdowns in Week 14
Christian Watson

Continues to Find the End Zone in Week 14
Blake Corum

Leads Rams Backfield With Phenomenal Week 14 Showing
Michael Wilson

Enjoys Heavy Involvement in Week 14
Puka Nacua

Enjoys Best Game of the Season in Rout of Cardinals
Harold Fannin Jr.

Eclipses Century Mark, Scores Touchdown Sunday
CFB

Mississippi State, Rice Accept Bowl Bids as 5-7 Teams
CFB

Auburn, Florida State, Baylor Among Teams to Decline Bowl Bids
Paul George

Available on Sunday Evening
Joel Embiid

Available Against Lakers
Lauri Markkanen

Ruled Out Versus OKC
Geno Smith

Doesn't Return to Week 14 Game Against Broncos
DK Metcalf

Totals Almost 150 Yards in Big Win Over Ravens
Jimmy Butler III

Officially Active on Sunday Night
CFB

Rob Aurich Set to Become Nebraska's Defensive Coordinator
LeBron James

Available Versus Philadelphia
Geno Smith

Questionable to Return With Shoulder Injury
Joe Burrow

Throws Four Touchdowns in Snowy Conditions
Tee Higgins

Finds the End Zone Twice in Loss to Bills
Tony Pollard

Stuns Browns, Breaks Off Two Huge Touchdowns
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Scores Twice in Victory Over Falcons
Shedeur Sanders

Racks Up Four Touchdowns in Narrow Loss to Titans
Josh Allen

Totals Four Touchdowns in Win Over Bengals
MON

Samuel Montembeault Ruled Out for Sunday
Carter Hart

Available Against Rangers Sunday
Ryan Leonard

to Miss "Extended Period of Time"
De'Von Achane

Avoids a Broken Rib in Week 14
John Carlson

a Game-Time Decision Sunday
Zach Ertz

Feared to Have Torn ACL
Jordan Kyrou

Unavailable Against Canadiens
Daniel Jones

Could be Done for Season with Achilles Injury
Matt Duchene

Set to Return Against Penguins
Pyotr Kochetkov

Back for Hurricanes Sunday
Evgeni Malkin

Won't Play on Sunday
CFB

Notre Dame Opting Out of Postseason Amid College Football Playoff Exclusion
Karl-Anthony Towns

Ruled Out Against Orlando
Draymond Green

Remains on the Shelf Versus Chicago
Jimmy Butler III

Expected to Return on Sunday
Immanuel Quickley

Now Probable Versus Boston
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Will Miss First Game of the Year on Sunday
Joel Embiid

Upgraded to Probable Against Lakers
Ja Morant

Doubtful Against Portland
Robert Williams III

Now Questionable Versus Memphis
Donovan Clingan

Questionable Versus Grizzlies
CFB

Kendal Briles a Candidate for South Carolina Offensive Coordinator Job
CFB

James Madison Playoff-Bound After Duke Wins ACC Title?
CFB

Notre Dame, Miami, Alabama on College Football Playoff Bubble
CFB

Brent Pry Could Return to Virginia Tech as Defensive Coordinator
Darcy Kuemper

Ends Losing Streak With Shutout Performance
Nikolaj Ehlers

Collects Three Points in Saturday's Win
Ilya Sorokin

Ties Franchise Record With 25th Shutout
Sam Bennett

Bags Season-High Four Points Saturday
Jordan Kyrou

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Saturday
Dominic James

Hurt on Saturday
LaMelo Ball

Won't Suit Up Against Denver
Immanuel Quickley

Questionable for Sunday Afternoon
Klay Thompson

Downgraded Versus Houston
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Out Again on Saturday Evening
Tyler Herro

Will Miss Another Game on Saturday
Jimmy Butler III

Out Again on Saturday Night
Draymond Green

Ruled Out Versus Cleveland
Jose A. Ferrer

Mariners Acquire Jose A. Ferrer from the Nationals
Mason Marchment

Expected to Return Saturday
Danila Yurov

Returns From Two-Game Absence Saturday
Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Available Saturday
Harry Ford

Traded to the Nationals
Shane Pinto

to Miss Two Weeks
David Pastrnak

Misses Fifth Consecutive Game Saturday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Remains Out Saturday
Nikita Kucherov

Out on Saturday
Cody Bellinger

Drawing Interest From the Phillies
MacKenzie Gore

Will the Nationals Trade MacKenzie Gore?
Byron Buxton

Twins Not Planning to Trade Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton
Petr Yan

Looks To Reclaim Bantamweight Belt
Merab Dvalishvili

Set For His Fourth Title Defense
Joshua Van

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fifth Title Defense At UFC 323
Tatsuro Taira

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Brandon Moreno

Searches For His Third Win In A Row
Payton Talbott

A Favorite At UFC 323
Henry Cejudo

Set For His Retirement Fight
Jan Blachowicz

Set To Open Up UFC 323 Main Card
Bogdan Guskov

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
CFB

Emmett Johnson Leaving Nebraska for 2026 NFL Draft
CFB

Jam Miller Unlikely to Play in SEC Title Game
CFB

Penn State Expected to Hire Matt Campbell from Iowa State
CFB

Arkansas Targeting Ron Roberts for Defensive Coordinator Job
Jhostynxon Garcia

Pirates Acquire Jhostynxon Garcia From Red Sox
Cody Bellinger

Yankees Pushing Hard to Re-Sign Cody Bellinger
CFB

Penn State Eyeing Iowa State Coach Matt Campbell For Coaching Vacancy
Alex Bregman

Cubs Have Renewed Interest in Alex Bregman
CFB

Billy Napier Finalizing Deal to Become James Madison's New Head Coach
CFB

Buster Faulkner Set to Become Florida's New Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Joe Sloan Expected to be Kentucky's New Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Lane Kiffin Working to Keep Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker at LSU
CFB

Brian Daboll a Candidate for Penn State Head-Coaching Job?
Kyle Tucker

Visits With Blue Jays
Emilio Pagán

Reds Bring Back Closer Emilio Pagan on Two-Year Deal
Cedric Mullins

Rays Agree on One-Year Deal
Freddy Peralta

Brewers Considering Trading Freddy Peralta
Kyle Schwarber

Reds Serious About Adding Kyle Schwarber in Free Agency?
CFB

Brent Key Signing Five-Year Deal to Remain at Georgia Tech
CFB

Brian Hartline Expected to Land USF Head-Coaching Job
CFB

Collin Klein Expected to be Top Target for Kansas State if Head-Coach Job Opens
Kyle Schwarber

Giants Have Checked in on Kyle Schwarber
Willson Contreras

Willing to Waive his Full No-Trade Clause?

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP