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Zach's shortstop (SS) fantasy baseball breakout candidates and draft sleepers for 2025. His upside shortstop picks include Matt Shaw, Jordan Lawlar, Masyn Winn.
Shortstop is one of everyone's favorite fantasy baseball positions. It includes elite options that go near the top of the draft and can be counted on to deliver superstar numbers. However, even if your draft doesn't fall quite how you wanted it to and you end up searching at the spot later in the draft, there are still some great options on the board. Further down the draft board, the position still brings some intriguing prospects and includes several breakout candidates in 2025.
Every year in fantasy baseball, exciting new talents have breakthrough seasons. Grabbing those breakouts late in your draft or early off the waiver wire can translate directly to success, no matter what format you play this season. Sometimes, the new producers are young players getting their first chance at the MLB level, but sometimes they are established players who find a way to take their game to the next level.
Whether you're looking for a backup depth addition or a solid starter after the elite options are off the board, the five shortstops highlighted in this post have the potential to outperform their current price in auction or snake drafts. With Opening Day right around the corner, let's dive into five top shortstop breakout candidates to target in fantasy baseball drafts this season.
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Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Colorado Rockies
Later in these picks are some deeper cuts and end-of-draft options, but one shortstop currently outside of the top 12 in ADP who has the potential to break out and become a superstar to build around is Ezequiel Tovar of the Rockies. Tovar signed a seven-year extension before last season and is in a position to be a cornerstone of the Rockies for years to come.
Throughout his climb to the MLB, he has been exceptional defensively and won a Gold Glove last season. His bat has been catching on with his glove, though, and he could be even better this coming season. In his rookie year of 2023, he hit a solid .253 with a .298 wOBA in 153 games. He took a huge step forward last year with a .269 batting average and .324 wOBA. He also led the National League with 45 doubles and smashed 26 home runs to post a .200 ISO. Only half of his home runs came at Coors Field, and he also posted solid road numbers with a .320 road wOBA and 104 road wRC+.
He did have a rough stretch in the middle of the season but started and finished the season strong. If he can improve his plate approach, he could be even more productive near the top of the Colorado order. He had just a 3.3 percent walk rate last year, but manager Bud Black said Tovar's plate discipline is coming along this Spring Training.
#Rockies manager Bud Black on Ezequiel Tovar's plate discipline today.
He finished the 2024 season with a 3.3% walk rate (bottom 2% in MLB) and walked twice today (including a 2B)@DNVR_Rockies pic.twitter.com/m5bCQfrtg2
— Nate Mills (@natemillsmedia) February 23, 2025
If he's more selective and gets on base more, he could take another huge leap this season. He'll be just 23 at the start of this season, and his upside makes him one of my top breakout candidates to target once the elite options are gone at SS.
Masyn Winn, SS, St. Louis Cardinals
Another top-of-the-order option who could be in for a big leap this season is Masyn Winn of the Cardinals. Winn is even younger than Tovar and will turn 23 just before Opening Day. He just finished his first full season in the MLB and showed huge signs of progress.
In 2023, he played 37 games with the Cards but only hit .172 with two home runs and two stolen bases. Last year, he played 150 games for the team and hit .267 with 15 homers, 85 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. He started the season batting ninth but moved into the leadoff spot in early June and stayed locked in that spot the rest of the season.
His batting average was higher in the first half, but he had more power after the All-Star break, although his BABIP dropped to just .262, indicating his average should bounce back with some positive regression this season.
This offseason, Winn worked with a track coach and said his goal is to have 30 stolen bases this season. If he can continue his power surge from the second half, a 20-20 season is not out of the question. He should also be set up for premium run production at the top of a solid lineup in St. Louis.
Masyn Winn is one of only five players who are still currently under the age 25 and put up at least 85 Runs, 15 HR and 10 SB last season.
The other four players:
Elly De La Cruz
Gunnar Henderson
Bobby Witt Jr
Corbin CarrollMasyn Winn is the youngest member of this group. pic.twitter.com/TcbBe8DmZr
— Kirk Snyder (@dynastyinfo411) February 6, 2025
As a young player with plenty of room to grow, Winn's premium lineup position and multi-faceted upside could lead to a breakout 2025, and he's a great mid-range SS to target with top-10 or even top-5 upside at the position.
Matt Shaw, SS/3B, Chicago Cubs
The Cardinals' arch-rivals in the NL Central, the Cubs, also have a young bat to target as an SS breakout candidate. Matt Shaw is going late in drafts and has eligibility at multiple infield spots. The 23-year-old was a first-round pick in 2023 but is set to be the team's everyday 3B after Chicago traded Isaac Paredes in the deal to acquire Kyle Tucker.
Last season, Shaw established himself as one of the top offensive prospects in the Cubs' farm system with a .284 batting average, 21 homers, 71 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases while splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A. He actually had better batting stats with Triple-A Iowa than early in the year in Double-A, although his stolen bases were higher at the lower level.
Matt Shaw’s stats after being called up to AAA in 2024:
.298/.395/.534
.929 OPS
142 wRC+
7 HR
21 RBI
6 SB
35 G— The Wrigley Wire (@TheWrigleyWire) February 24, 2025
Shaw comes with a higher risk than Winn or Tovar, but his positional versatility could make him more valuable as a late-round depth piece. Right now, he's being drafted outside the top 25 at SS, but he could definitely outproduce that draft spot and have a Rookie of the Year season for the Cubs.
Hyeseong Kim, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers' lineup truly is an embarrassment of riches, with versatility and flexibility to slide multiple pieces into very productive spots. One player not to sleep on, though, is offseason addition Hyeseong Kim, who joins the team after playing eight seasons with the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO.
In each of his last four seasons in Korea, Kim hit over .300 with a wOBA of at least .350. He did set a personal best in home runs last season but still only hit 11 long balls. The strength of his game is definitely his batting average and stolen bases. He had at least 24 stolen bases in each of the last five seasons, with a high point of 46 stolen bases in 2021.
If you're targeting Kim late in drafts, you're looking for stolen bases and batting average with the potential for runs scored in an extremely productive lineup. He brings high upside, but his role with the team is uncertain after being sent to the minors to open the season. But his long-term prospects remain promising.
Kim likely eventually fits in at second base and in the outfield, with Mookie Betts expected to play shortstop for the Dodgers. However, he is eligible at shortstop as well in many formats. If he can move around the middle infield and earn outfield eligibility, he could end up being a steal in the late rounds. Be sure to understand your league's eligibility rules and format for stashing players in the minors, but don't overlook the potential for Kim to have a breakout season.
Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks
Could this finally be Jordan Lawlar's year? Lawlar has been touted as the Dbacks' "shortstop of the future" for several seasons, and there's definitely some prospect fatigue going on based on his ADP. He can be had at the very end of many drafts and is gout outside the top 380 in ADP.
The 22-year-old still has plenty of time to find his way, though, and doesn't even qualify as a "late bloomer" yet. The reason why he didn't have a breakout season last year was primarily due to injury. He only played 23 total games due to thumb and hamstring issues.
When available, he crushed Triple-A with a .318 batting average, .409 wOBA, two homers, and six stolen bases. Overall in his career, he has a .362/.438/.602 triple-slash at Triple-A, but he has continued to be beset by injuries, never playing more than 120 games in a season.
🚨 𝐂𝐘𝐂𝐋𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇: Jordan Lawlar 🚨
Lawlar is a triple shy of the cycle in his first game back from injury. pic.twitter.com/Gg46e5V1wU
— Reno Aces (@Aces) June 12, 2024
Above everything else, Lawlar needs playing time to start the season. He has been optioned to Triple-A to start the year, but can hopefully get called up early in the season. GM Mike Hazen said that Lawlar needs reps somewhere after so much time lost to injury last year. His defense has looked MLB-ready, and he could slot at third base or shortstop if he has a big spring.
If you are in deep leagues and can stash him, Lawlar could be a strong breakout candidate after a call-up from the minors. For depth at the position, he’ll be one of the top prospects to watch, both in terms of his health and his potential to make an immediate impact for the Dbacks.
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