Updated Shortstop Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

Our updated fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis rolls on with the shortstop position. With the 2019 MLB season technically underway in Japan, RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel have given their rankings a final update. Check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for a current list any time.

Shortstop is always a focal point for fantasy players, as some of the most talented athletes on the diamond reside there. You'll want to roster at least two of these players, possibly three or four if your league uses an MI spot or you use one at a different position. Speaking of, check out our analysis for first base, second base, third base and catcher when you're done here.

Without any more delay, let's break down the 2019 shortstop rankings for March.

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Shortstop Tiered Ranks - 5x5 Mixed Leagues (March)

In case you missed it, our very own "Big Pick Nick" Mariano was recently named the #1 overall most accurate industry expert ranker for the 2018 season. You can see his secret sauce below! Additionally, industry legend Scott Engel recently joined the RotoBaller team and provides his insights as well. Scott is an FSWA Hall Of Famer and award winner.

Rankings Analysis - Top Tiers

Tier One

Trea Turner - either you love him as a first-rounder and are willing to pin your team's hopes and dreams on him, or you're Bill. I'm in the camp that not only is a believer in Turner's ability to swipe 40 bags and deposit 20 or more balls over the fence this year, but is willing to pay for it with a top-six pick. Turner will not fall outside the top 10 in any 5x5 league, so if you want him you need to strike early.

Francisco Lindor had been the only SS drafted ahead of Turner but that changed over the last few weeks. Still, his injury hasn't affected his ADP too terribly. While he was going on average as the fifth overall pick in January, he is now 15th overall, which is one spot above where we have him as a consensus. The concern lies less in the amount of games he'll miss than in his effectiveness on the basepaths once he returns.

Lindor is running the bases already at "almost, pretty much" full speed, which is pretty much a good sign that he should return by early April. Calf strains can resurface, however, and make him less prone to pushing his luck to earn an extra base or two through thievery. Lindor set a career-high with 25 SB last season, so it would be safe to assume he'll be under 20 this season. That's perfectly fine if he drops another 30+ bombs this year. Pay for the power more so than the speed.

Tier Two

A ranking of 23 for Carlos Correa may seem overly optimistic. He finished last season in the 30th percentile for xWOBA and 26th percentile for xSLG. It wasn't just the time he missed due to injury that affected his overall stat line; he simply struggled the whole year. I'm betting on a healthy (fingers crossed tightly) Correa reverting to his All-Star form and giving fantasy owners a big advantage at shortstop.

Tier Three

The announcement that Andrew McCutchen will bat leadoff for the Phillies certainly hurts Cesar Hernandez's run-scoring potential but it may be a good thing for Jean Segura, who likely sticks at the #2 hole for the majority of the season ahead of Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins. Sources tell me that's a pretty good spot to be in. Segura managed to cross the plate 91 times for the Mariners last year and could reach the 100 mark this year. Put 20+ steals (something he's done six straight seasons) and an average north of .300 (three straight seasons) on top of that and you've got a top-10 SS.

Corey Seager's spring training numbers aren't too impressive. That's mainly due to the fact he's only played one game, debuting on March 21. He promptly smacked a two-run shot in two official at-bats. Manager Dave Roberts has sworn that Seager will be full go once the season begins and he didn't seem to be exaggerating. Seager also holds down a choice spot in a stacked lineup, albeit slightly less so than the Phillies. You'll get no speed here, though, so a choice must be made for those who pass on the first group of shortstops. You can either target a player with 20-homer upside like Seager, Torres or Bogaerts, or chase speed with Segura or Mondesi.

Rankings Analysis - Middle Tiers

Tier Four

It's a recurring theme that JB feels it's worth prioritizing speed early, which is why he's the only one to place Jose Peraza and Jonathan Villar in the 80s whereas nobody else have them within the first 100 picks. I lean more toward the other end of the spectrum, preferring players who can contribute across multiple categories. The main question is why Tim Anderson seems to be the exception, ranking between 118-128 for everyone? His stolen base total jumped to 26 last year, on top of 20 homers. His .289 BABIP should see some positive regression as well. I can see why an xWOBA in the fifth percentile can scare people away but he actually improved on his walk and strikeout rates last year and there's room for growth if fellow youths Yoan Moncada and Eloy Jimenez prove ready for Major League pitching.

Tier Five

If there's one (and only one) reason to target Amed Rosario, it's pure speed. His 24 steals as a rookie are supported by elite sprint speed in the 96th percentile. Among batters with at least 50 baserunning opportunities, labeled "competitive runs" by Statcast, only 12 players were faster. The downside is limited power, a middling average, and a spot at the bottom of the Mets order which currently has J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith ahead of him. The counting stats other than steals will be lacking, so he can't qualify as a breakout candidate or anything other than cheap speed.

Andrelton Simmons is a points league darling but in roto, his appeal is all about floor. If you want a safe, boring MI option, he can give you double-digit HR and SB while helping your average. Don't expect him to approach .300 again though, as his .281 xBA should see a slight decline if anything. I don't hate Simmons, but I'd rather chase upside elsewhere in this format, which is why I'm lowest on him of our crew.

Who's on the Paul DeJong hype train? It's clear that Dave Emerick is on board. Sabermetrics expert Rick Lucks calls him an ADP champ and I'm in agreement. DeJong missed a chunk of time due to injury and wasn't quite himself immediately after returning from the DL and he still nearly managed 20 bombs in his rookie season. If he sticks at the top of the order ahead of Paul Goldschmidt with Matt Carpenter setting the table first, he'll be an R+RBI monster too.

Tier Six

If nothing else, Marcus Semien is consistent. Over the last four years as Oakland's primary shortstop, his average has resided between .238-.255 and his stolen base total has fallen between 10-14. His 2016 power surge of 27 home runs is a clear outlier, so a reasonable expectation is something in the neighborhood of 17 as THE BAT projections suggest. There's something to be said for knowing what to expect but at the latter portion of the draft, I prefer to chase upside with someone like Jorge Polanco or Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Mr. Dubs loves him some Joey Wendle, as he outlined in his bold predictions. I'm not doubting the ability, I'm skeptical of the playing time. With talented young players like Willy Adames and Brandon Lowe ready to occupy the middle infield, Wendle becomes a third baseman. This is where he belongs, evidenced by his 2.6 UZR at third compared to a -1.6 UZR at shortstop. I have a feeling the Rays will want to make use of Yandy Diaz, seeing as how they gave up Jake Bauers to acquire him, so Wendle could fall into a utility role, limiting his mixed league value.

The signing of Adam Jones in mid-March seemed to push Ketel Marte out of a job but there are rumblings that rather than playing a utility role, Marte may split time in the outfield as well as the occasional day at shortstop. If so, it doesn't make him any more exciting in fantasy. JB is the only one that's got him inside the top 200 overall but I'm way down closer to 300. I'm not paying for a part-time player with a career .263 average that doesn't have promise to reach the 20s in power or speed categories.

Rankings Analysis - Lower Tiers

Tiers Seven and Eight

Buying into small sample sizes is dangerous, especially in the postseason. Call me Austin Powers because I too like to live dangerously by ranking Orlando Arcia 190, a full 100 spots higher than anyone else. The King doesn't even have him ranked, which obviously speaks to a pronounced lack of optimism. It's not that I think he's going to keep hitting lights out but we have to remember that prior to last season he projected as a budding 20-20 threat who also hit .277 in 153 games. He still resides in one of the better lineups in the NL and I'm betting the 24-year-old can keep the momentum going enough to at least warrant a roster spot.

If your league has enough IL spots, Didi Gregorius and Fernando Tatis Jr. make great stash candidates. They also could be a waste of a roster spot/draft pick. Gregorius is not likely to take the field before the All-Star break and may be slow-played back if Troy Tulowitzki experiences a revival, as some believe he may. The situation couldn't be much better, hitting in a loaded lineup with half his games at Yankee Stadium. It is more generous to left-handed hitters than righties, ranking fifth in HR Park Factor for LHB as opposed to 21st for RHB. That's a minor complaint though. There's no need to draft or hold Gregorius for such a prolonged time - spend the pick by rolling the dice on Tulo instead.

Tatis has a good chance to contribute in the second half for the Padres but we can't be sure because there's actually a chance the team might be contending! Playing time aside, it's easy to assume a top prospect with Major League bloodlines will instantly produce value but that's not always the case. To quote our own Marc Hulet, "...he may experience some growing pains in The Show, unless he makes quick adjustments (something he’s shown the ability to do). He has massive raw power but he also has some significant swing-and-miss to his game with his aggressive approach. I wouldn’t expect a high batting average early on in his big league career."

Someone has to play short for the Pirates and it looks like Erik Gonzalez gets first crack. He's a glove-first prospect who is feather-light on power, however, with no track record of stolen bases in the minors either. Fantasy owners might be hoping he slumps bad enough that Kevin Newman gets a shot to show off his wheels at the very least.

If you've followed the early action in Japan, Tim Beckham might be a surprising name in the box score who has stood out. Beckham was part of the misery that defined the Orioles in 2018 but came over as a top prospect from Tampa Bay who simply needed playing time in order to prove himself. This may be the chance he needed and the right team context for a team rebuilding but at least staying competitive.

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