2024 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings, Tiers, Analysis - Roto League Drafts

January 22, 2024

RotoBaller's fantasy baseball shortstop rankings for 2024 drafts. Lauren's analysis of shortstop rankings and tiers for roto leagues (5x5 mixed league drafts).

MLB shortstops, often considered the defensive captains of the infield, play a crucial role in baseball's dynamics.

Renowned for their exceptional fielding skills and quick reflexes, shortstops prevent hits and turn crucial double plays. These players are typically versatile athletes who showcase a combination of speed, agility, and arm strength.

Offensively, many modern shortstops are potent contributors, adding power and consistency to their teams' batting lineups. Over the years, the MLB has witnessed legendary shortstops who excel defensively and leave a lasting impact with their offensive prowess. The position continues to evolve, with today's shortstops embodying a blend of traditional defensive excellence and the ability to make significant contributions at the plate.

Shortstop Fantasy Baseball Rankings - Roto Leagues

Tier 1 - Shortstop Rankings

Bobby Witt Jr. can do it all -- he can hit for power and average while also possessing great speed and commendable defense at the toughest position on the diamond. When Vinnie Pasquantino went down for the year with an injury, the 23-year-old carried an entire miserable Royals team on his back.

They finished 56-106 in 2023, but Witt Jr. displayed across 158 games why he was selected second overall in the 2019 draft -- slashing .276/.319/.495, blasting 30 homers, and driving in 96 runs. He also recorded a league-leading 11 triples and stole 49 bases -- but was caught stealing 15 times. Many players seem to go through a "sophomore slump," but Witt experienced the opposite of that last season. I wouldn't be surprised if he has even more in store for 2024, especially as Kansas City quietly had a successful offseason.

Bobby Witt Jr. becomes the first member of the Royals 30-30 club with 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases on the season! pic.twitter.com/6AVPiMtgyh

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 30, 2023

By now, we know how special of a player Mookie Betts is. He's expected to take over second-base duties for Los Angeles in 2024 primarily, but still has shortstop eligibility. He likely would've won his second MVP Award last season if Ronald Acuna Jr. did not exist. The 31-year-old logged 40 doubles, 39 home runs, and 107 RBI, along with a .987 OPS, in 152 games.

Tier 2 - Shortstop Rankings

Trea Turner headlined the 2023 rankings last year after his monster 2022 season, but fell to Tier 2 after somewhat of a disappointing campaign. Still, Turner compiled a solid first year with the Phillies, with 26 home runs, 76 RBI, and 30 stolen bags (without getting caught) to his name. His biggest dropoff in production was his hit tool, producing just a .266 batting average -- a career-low for the former batting title champion. Hopefully, the 30-year-old will feel more comfortable in his new home this year and return to the player he's become known to be across the league.

Francisco Lindor has finished within the top 15 of MVP voting in six out of nine seasons in his MLB career but has never won the award. Lindor has always been an elite fielder but has fallen a bit short offensively each time to be considered the MVP.

Still, he appeared in 160 games for the Mets last year and added 33 doubles, 31 home runs, 98 RBI, and 31 stolen bases. He batted .254 with an OPS of .806 and earned his third Silver Slugger Award. Lindor hasn't led New York to the promised land yet, and it's looking like he could be waiting awhile as they enter a semi-rebuild.

In honor of his 30/30 season on his 30th birthday, enjoy some of Francisco Lindor’s offensive highlights from 2023: #LGM🍎 pic.twitter.com/7IioPRwzpo

— Dan Bartels (@DanBartels2) November 14, 2023

Tier 3 - Shortstop Rankings

Bo Bichette batted .306 in 2023, but due to some nagging injuries, appeared in 135 games and saw a drop in runs and hits (91 in 2022 vs. 69 in 2023; 189 in 2022 vs. 175 in 2023, respectively). Although he's fallen to tier 3 in these rankings, he's still among the best shortstops in the game.

Most hits in the 2020s:

663 — Freddie Freeman
638 — Trea Turner
592 — Bo Bichette
580 — Vladimir Guerrero Jr pic.twitter.com/wZVs0Xzrkx

— StatMuse MLB (@statmusemlb) January 15, 2024

Tier 4 - Shortstop Rankings

Two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager knows a thing or two about performing on the big stage -- but what about in the regular season? Well, he can do that, too. And he probably would've had a better shot at AL MVP last year if he appeared in more games (and you know, Shohei Ohtani wasn't superhuman). In 119 games, the 29-year-old had 42 doubles (led AL), 33 home runs, 96 RBI, and 1.013 OPS. Thus far, he's been worth every penny of his 10-year, $325 million deal he inked with Texas in December 2021.

Still cannot believe this moment happened. Hope had gone, game 1 was going to be a L, and then Corey Seager reminded the world he’s the best SS on the planet.

Went. And. Took. It. pic.twitter.com/gjYzh3jkE0

— Texas Rangers Fans UK (@TexasRangers_UK) January 19, 2024

Tier 4 also includes Elly De La Cruz, Gunnar Henderson, CJ Abrams, Matt McLain, and Oneil Cruz. This is a fairly stacked group and a testament to some young stars.

In 2023, Henderson won Rookie of the Year, Abrams stole 47 bases, De La Cruz hit for the cycle in just his 15th career game, and McLain put together a 15-homer, 50-RBI rookie campaign, which surprised many pundits but was cut short due to injury.

And then there's Oneil Cruz, who suffered an ankle fracture on April 9, 2023, sidelining him for the remainder of the season. Per Pirates manager Derek Shelton, "He’s healthy. He’s moving around. That’s a really encouraging sign for everybody who’s a Pirates fan." Now, the Pirates will hope the towering 6-foot-7 shortstop can use his incredible power and improve his BB:K ratio.

Tier 5 - Shortstop Rankings

Much like Tier 4, Tier 5 boasts a few veterans that have tapered off offensively in recent years -- at least compared to their once elite production. I'm talking about Xander Bogaerts and Trevor Story, who were once considered superstars in their positions. There's also Dansby Swanson, whose defensive prowess keeps him on the map but doesn't quite possess the offensive numbers of a former first-overall draft pick.

For Story, injuries have limited him to 137 games with the Red Sox since Boston signed him in March 2022. The 31-year-old has managed a measly .685 OPS and .227 average in that span but hopes a fully healthy 2024 can compensate for lost time.

How many homers will Trevor Story hit in 2024? 🤔

I’ll go first: 24 💣pic.twitter.com/IgS3ig1RMD

— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) January 15, 2024

Both Ha-Seong Kim and Thairo Estrada experienced somewhat of a breakout campaign in 2023. Kim, the third-year shortstop, earned his first Gold Glove and even finished within the top 15 of the NL MVP voting with 23 doubles, 17 home runs, and 60 RBI. Estrada, 27, didn't have as successful of a year but got off to a hot start in April (.922 OPS, four HRs, 10 RBI), keeping him on the radar of fantasy managers throughout the season.

And then there's Hoerner, who's entering his sixth season with the Cubs and earned his first Gold Glove Award in 2023 after moving to second base upon the free-agent signing of Dansby Swanson, who subsequently took over shortstop duties and won a Gold Glove of his own. Hoerner also put together a solid offensive showing, hitting a respectable .283 with 27 doubles and 68 RBI, but the 26-year-old's biggest accomplishment came on the basepaths. He stole 43 bases, becoming the first Cub since Juan Pierre in 2006 to nab at least 40. The 2018 first-round pick also became just the fourth Cub in the last 100 years to steal 40 bases and have 60 RBI. The three-year, $35 million extension he signed with Chicago in March 2023 wasn't looking too shabby anymore.

Anthony Volpe surprisingly made the Yankees' 2023 Opening Day roster and struggled mightily in his rookie year. Despite slashing a paltry .209/.283/.383, the 22-year-old completed a 20/20 season, with 21 home runs and 24 stolen bases, joining Julio Rodríguez and Bobby Witt Jr. as the only three rookies to go 20/20 since 1995.

Tier 6 and Below - Shortstop Rankings

Oh, how far have Carlos Correa, Tim Anderson, and Javier Baez fallen? They are featured here in Tier 6 and a shortstop who hasn't even made his MLB debut yet in Orioles prospect Jackson Holliday. Plenty of former top prospects are waiting to break out, former All-Stars, World Series champions, and...well, the rest.

To make this quick and efficient, let's divide them into categories.

Former All-Star: Carlos Correa, Tim Anderson, Javier Baez, Chris Taylor

Jackson Holliday: Jackson Holliday

First Triple-A homer for MLB's No. 1 overall prospect, 19-year-old Jackson Holliday!@Orioles | @NorfolkTides pic.twitter.com/qpetpdrrvm

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 14, 2023

Future All-Star: Willy Adames, Ezequiel Tovar, Luis Rengifo, Jeremy Pena

Too early to tell: Vaughn Grissom, Zach Neto, Jordan Lawlar, Maikel Garcia, Brice Turang, Ezequiel Duran, Masyn Winn, Oswald Peraza, Liover Peguero, Ceddanne Rafaela, Joey Ortiz, Marco Luciano, Jackson Merrill, Nick Gonzales, Brayan Rocchio, Josh Smith, Orelvis Martinez, Brooks Lee, Luisangel Acuna, Darell Hernaiz, Gabriel Arias, Matt Shaw, Casey Schmitt

"What you see is what you get": Tommy Edman, J.P. Crawford, Amed Rosario, Luis Garcia, Orlando Arcia, Jorge Mateo, Adalberto Mondesi, Mauricio Dubon, Gio Urshela, Geraldo Perdomo, Jon Berti, Zach McKinstry, Taylor Walls, Kyle Farmer, Kiké Hernandez, Nicky Lopez, Andruw Monasterio, Paul DeJong, Elvis Andrus, Miguel Rojas

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