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

Alex Bowman

Delivers Bravura Performance After Michigan Injury
Tyler Reddick

Inexplicably Mediocre on His Once-Best Track Type
John Hunter Nemechek

Canny Strategy Gives John Hunter Nemechek Best Career Road Course Finish
Cole Custer

Earns Best Finish Since Cup Series Comeback at Mexico City
Grant Holmes

Punches Out 15 in Loss
Elly De La Cruz

Goes Yard in Fourth Straight Game
Will Vest

Dealing With Finger Injury
Jackson Merrill

Placed on Seven-Day Concussion Injured List
J.J. McCarthy

Looking "a Lot Stronger"
Shohei Ohtani

Will Be Dodgers' Starting Pitcher Monday
Roki Sasaki

Shut Down From Throwing
Garrett Wilson

Receives New Contract Offer
Jordan Hicks

Headed to Boston
Kyle Harrison

Traded to Red Sox
Travis Kelce

Slims Down During the Offseason
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Restart Contract Discussions
Brady House

Nationals Promoting Brady House to Major Leagues
Rafael Devers

Traded to San Francisco
Logan Gilbert

to Start on Monday
Jayden Higgins

Impresses During Minicamp
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Seattle Seahawks

DeMarcus Lawrence Making an Impression With his New Team
Isaiah Simmons

Being Used Exclusively as a Linebacker
Tyler Mahle

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Travis Etienne Jr.

the Jaguars Lead Back?
Luis Robert Jr.

Scratched with Thumb Soreness
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Byron Buxton

Scratched from Sunday's Lineup
Daniel Jones

the Favorite in Colts QB Competition?
Brendan Donovan

Returns to the Lineup
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Royce Lewis

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Shohei Ohtani

Blasts Two Homers in Win
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Michael King

Not Making Progress
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Jackson Merrill

Removed Early on Saturday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Riley Herbst

Surprisingly Outqualifies 23XI Racing Teammates at Mexico City
Cody Ware

a Very Experienced Road Racer but Still a Long Shot
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win in Mexico City
Christopher Bell

the Chalk DFS Play in Mexico City
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF