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Joey's top shortstop (SS) fantasy baseball sleepers and values for points leagues in 2025. His value picks for fantasy baseball points leagues and H2H points.
The shortstop position is extremely top-heavy in fantasy drafts this season. Bobby Witt Jr., Elly De La Cruz, Gunnar Henderson, and Mookie Betts are all going in the first round of drafts in most points leagues. Francisco Lindor can even find himself being selected later in the first round of drafts, given his 13.3 ADP. That means almost half of your league mates will have one of the top shortstops in fantasy.
Shortly after those shortstop are off the board, Trea Turner, Corey Seager, Oneil Cruz, and CJ Abrams are selected between the third and fifth rounds. However, don't worry if you don't land any of those top shortstops in fantasy this year. There are plenty of value picks at the position that fantasy managers can pivot to in the middle-to-late round of drafts.
So, who are the best value picks at the shortstop position in points leagues heading into the 2025 season? Let's dive in and find out. All six of the shortstops listed below are currently going outside the top 125 in fantasy baseball drafts and are considered the best value picks at the position. Be sure to also check out all our other fantasy baseball points league articles, and bookmark our constantly-update fantasy baseball points league rankings.
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Ezequiel Tovar, Colorado Rockies
ADP: 132.7
It's understandable why some fantasy managers might hesitate to draft Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar this season. He plays on a Rockies team that might struggle offensively for most of the year, and his strikeout rate (28.8 percent), chase rate (44.1 percent), and walk rate (3.3 percent) all ranked in the bottom 10 percent of the league in 2024.
Putting that aside, though, Tovar is actually a nice target in the middle-to-late round of drafts because of his power upside. The 23-year-old hit 26 home runs last season to go with 76 RBI and a National League-leading 45 doubles. He also plays half of his games at Coors Field, which is known to be the most hitter-friendly ballpark in the majors.
As a result, Tovar should be in for another solid showing in point league formats in 2025. He scored the sixth-most fantasy points at the position on Fantrax last year, and another 25-plus home run, 70-plus RBI season should be in store for the young shortstop. Given that his home and away splits at the plate were pretty similar last season, he could be a reliable fantasy target.
Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels
ADP: 172.7
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto had a breakout campaign in 2024. The 24-year-old hit .249 at the plate with 23 home runs, 34 doubles, 77 RBI, and 30 stolen bases across 155 games. However, Neto finds himself going later in drafts because he is set to miss the start of the 2025 season due to a shoulder injury.
According to Angels manager Ron Washington, the shortstop will not be ready for Opening Day. Although he is said to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery, there's a good chance that Neto will start the season on the injured list. Los Angeles is certainly not going to rush back its young shortstop, but fantasy managers should take that injury discount and select him at his 172.7 ADP.
Zach Neto clubbed 23 HR in his first full season, increasing his SLG% from .377 to .443 💪
The @Angels shortstop stepped into the batter's box with @YonderalonsoU to detail his approach and how it helps him generate power. #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/vVpI3ob5Cg
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 1, 2025
If Neto were not hurt entering the year, he would likely have been a top-110 pick in drafts. He finished as the SS8 in points leagues on Fantrax last year and is coming off a very strong campaign at the plate. Although drafting injured players is always a risk in fantasy, especially someone who plays for an Angels team that might struggle offensively, getting him at such a discount could really pay off for managers.
Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs
ADP: 177.7
Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is another player on this list coming off a subpar year offensively. His 16 home runs were the fewest in a full season since 2018 (14), and his 66 RBI were the fewest in a full season since 2019 (65). Swanson also finished with a .242 batting average and 27 doubles across 149 games.
However, it wasn't all bad for the veteran shortstop last season. He stole a career-high 19 bases and was a much more consistent fantasy option after the All-Star break. Swanson hit .288 with seven home runs, 14 doubles, 45 runs scored, 35 RBI, and 14 stolen bases over his final 59 games. Therefore, he's one of the more reliable options at his 177.7 ADP.
Now, Swanson won't put up the biggest fantasy numbers every week, but he can be a safe option in the later rounds of drafts. He has hit at least 22 home runs and driven in over 80 runs in three of the past four seasons while averaging 155 games played during that span. So, managers should expect similar numbers for him in 2025, which makes him a value pick this season.
He should be hitting behind players like Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker, and Seiya Suzuki in Chicago's lineup and has the potential to steal 20 bases this year. All that should help him be a consistent fantasy option. We really could see a 20-home run, 30-double, 80-RBI, and 20-stolen base season for the veteran shortstop in 2025.
Tyler Fitzgerald, San Francisco Giants
ADP: 231.3
No one really knows what to expect from San Francisco Giants infielder Tyler Fitzgerald in 2025. Even though he is coming off a strong rookie campaign, his first year was highlighted by both highs and lows. From July 9 to August 14, Fitzgerald hit .350 at the plate with 13 home runs, seven doubles, and 20 RBI across 26 games. However, over his final 36 games, he hit .230 with one home run, eight doubles, and eight RBI.
Given how Fitzgerald ended the 2024 season, it makes sense why his ADP currently sits at 231.3. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old showed last year that his power can help him be a strong fantasy option. His 39.1 percent launch angle sweet-spot rate ranked in the 90th percentile, and his 30 ft/sec sprint speed landed him in the 100th percentile. So, it's possible that a 25-25 season could be in store for him.
Amid all the trades, let’s take a moment to appreciate Giants rookie shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald. He’s got eight home runs in his last 10 games and over that stretch is slashing .429/.512/1.229. He’s on a tremendous heater and has been a treat to watch. pic.twitter.com/9O72fIQW5Y
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2024
That's why he is a fantastic value pick this late in drafts. He has the power and speed to be a sneaky fantasy option for managers in points leagues this season. Fitzgerald should also get second base eligibility early in the year after the team signed Willy Adames in free agency. That flexibility is another reason why he's worth rolling the dice on in drafts.
Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins
ADP: 231.7
Injuries have plagued Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa in recent years. He has played under 137 games in three straight seasons and only appeared in 86 games in 2024 due to an ongoing foot injury. As a result, it has been hard to rely on Correa in fantasy. However, the veteran always seems to put up solid numbers offensively when healthy.
In those 86 contests last year, he hit .310 with 14 home runs, 20 doubles, and 54 RBI. Even in his 10th major league season, his metrics continue to be fantastic. His .358 xwOBA, .278 expected batting average, .455 expected slugging, 90.3 mph exit velocity, and 44.7 percent hard-hit rate all ranked toward the top half of the league. His 16.6 percent strikeout rate was also the lowest of his career.
Therefore, fantasy managers should absolutely take a flier on him in the last round of drafts. Like Swanson, Correa won't tear up the box score and finish with elite home run or RBI numbers throughout the year. He can, though, be a safe option at his 231.7 ADP. If the Twins shortstop can stay relatively healthy this season, he will easily be one of the best value picks at the position.
Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays
ADP: 130.7
Everything about Bo Bichette's 2024 season was a disappointment. The Blue Jays shortstop played in just 81 games due to a calf and finger injury, and the two-time All-Star had the worst-hitting season of his career. He hit .225 with four home runs, 16 doubles, and 31 RBI. His metrics at the plate also back up that poor year, as his barrel rate (4.4 percent) and launch angle sweet-spot rate (31.3 percent) ranked extremely poorly.
While it might be hard to forget what Bichette did offensively last season, fantasy managers should expect a bounce-back campaign from him in 2025. For starters, his hard-hit rate (43.5 percent) and whiff rate (22 percent) still ranked in the top half of the league in 2024, which is a nice sign heading into the new campaign. On top of that, he is entering a contract year. That sometimes leads to players putting up career numbers.
The Bo Bichette 2025 Redemption Tour, coming to a stadium near you.pic.twitter.com/ntIiti7fXv
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) March 2, 2025
Fantasy managers know the type of player Bichette can be when he's at the top of his game. From 2021 to 2023, the shortstop averaged 185 hits, 24 home runs, 89 RBI, and 14 stolen bases per season. As a result, it's worth taking a chance on him at his 130.7 ADP because he can return to that All-Star form in 2025. He's a low-risk, high-reward selection at this point in drafts.
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