Top 10 Shortstop Prospect Rankings for Fantasy Baseball (2026)

December 3, 2025

Eric's top 10 shortstop prospects for fantasy baseball and how they project long-term along with some names to buy or sell at this position in dynasty leagues. His top prospects include Konnor Griffin, Kevin McGonigle, and more.

After covering catcher, first base, second base, and third base, we've finally reached the always sexy shortstop position. Regardless of whether it's the Majors or in prospect rankings, this shortstop position is always loaded, and right now, it's no different.

All 10 names below are within my Top-40 overall, and the top five names, along with another prospect I ranked/discussed at second base, are inside my top-10 overall. Some of these prospects will need to move off of the position as there are only so many starting shortstop gigs, but overall, this is an incredibly exciting top-10.

For my entire top-100 and additional writeups, check out my Patreon. Make sure to continue checking RotoBaller as I'm going to be going through all positions in the coming weeks!

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Shortstop Prospect Rankings for Fantasy Baseball

Age and highest level in parentheses

1. Konnor Griffin, Pittsburgh Pirates (19/AA)

It was truly a season for the record books for Konnor Griffin in 2025. The #9 pick in the 2024 MLB draft with zero minor league games under his belt entering the season exploded for 21 home runs, 65 steals, and a .333/.415/.527 slash line in 122 games while reaching Double-A as a 19-year-old. Griffin's 165 wRC+ was the highest mark by a prospect under age 20 in the last 12 years.

Prospects like Griffin are why my podcast "The Toolshed" got its name. Griffin is a literal toolshed with plus raw power, elite speed, and improving contact/approach metrics. That last area was the question some evaluators had when Griffin was drafted, but he responded by posting a solid 75% contact rate in his first professional season while facing competition much older than him.

Griffin's walk and strikeout rates improved as the season progressed as well. After having a 5% walk rate and 24.4% strikeout rate in April and May, those rates improved to 11% and 20.2% respectively, in June through September.

I'm not one who likes to put incredibly lofty expectations on prospects, but I can't help but see a future offensive stud and fantasy first-rounder down the road when watching Griffin play. No offense to the next guy on the list, but Griffin is easily my #1 overall prospect in the game for fantasy purposes entering 2026.

2. Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers (21/AA)

While Griffin is locked in as my #1 overall prospect, Kevin "The Professor" McGonigle is firmly entrenched as my #2 overall prospect right now. I've had the chance to see McGonigle live both in Double-A in September and again in the Arizona Fall League in November, and both times it was clearly evident that he was the best player on the field.

In 88 minor league games across three levels, McGonigle slashed .305/.408/.583 with 31 doubles, 19 home runs, and 10 steals. He then added another 12 extra-base hits, five home runs, three steals, and a .362/.500/.710 slash line in 19 AFL games en route to winning the league's MVP honors.

Kevin McGonigle 2-run HOME RUN!

This is McGonigle's 5th HR in 17 AFL games. pic.twitter.com/kkxlUr3ZLG

— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) November 7, 2025

You can make an extremely strong argument that McGonigle is the most advanced and safest hitting prospect in the game today. That's not to say he doesn't have plenty of upside as well, because he absolutely does. McGonigle had a contact rate of 82% in 2025 with more walks (14.9%) than strikeouts (11.6%). He's also shown above-average to plus raw power with a swing geared for driving the ball in the air. There aren't any notable weaknesses in McGonigle's game either.

While he is not the biggest guy around at 5'10, McGonigle has one of the biggest blends of ceiling and floor that we've seen from a prospect over the last decade. We should see him up with Detroit very early in the 2026 season as well, perhaps even on Opening Day.

3. Jesus Made, Milwaukee Brewers (18/AA)

After a breakout 2024 campaign in the Dominican Summer League, Jesús Made came stateside in 2025 and more than held his own across three levels against older competition. In 115 games between Low-A, High-A, and Double-A, Made slashed .285/.379/.413 with 28 doubles, six home runs, and 47 steals in 60 attempts. His last five games of the season were in Double-A as an 18-year-old, which is a feat we rarely see.

While the numbers weren't gaudy in 2025, we need to keep in mind Made's age to level. Overall, his 78% contact rate is quite impressive for his age, as was his 12.8% walk rate to 20.6% strikeout rate. Don't let the six home runs fool you, either, as Made has shown above-average raw power already and still has room to add more bulk to his frame. He's also a plus runner, giving him potentially three plus tools long-term in hit, power, and speed.

4. Leo De Vries, Athletics (19/AA)

It was quite surprising to see a prospect of Leo De Vries' caliber move at the deadline, but the Padres just love trading away any prospect of note. Now in the Athletics system, De Vries might wind up moving off of shortstop if the Athletics decided to stick with Jacob Wilson at that position instead of moving him off. Wherever De Vries winds up on the diamond, his offensive skills could make him a star at any position.

In 118 games between the San Diego and Athletics system, De Vries racked up 28 doubles, 15 home runs, and 11 steals with a .255/.355/.451 slash line. He made his mark in his new organization down the stretch, too, slashing .281/.359/.551 with five home runs in 21 games following the trade.

Make that 3⃣ homers in 2⃣ games for Leo De Vries 🔥

MLB's No. 3 prospect (@Athletics) has a trifecta in 24 hours and his 5th at the Double-A level for the @RockHounds. pic.twitter.com/oQBHGQt90q

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 14, 2025

De Vries' bat is potent, both in terms of making contact and hitting for power. In 2205, De Vries finished with a 78% contact rate and has shown plus raw power with the potential for more. He also has shown the ability to drive the ball in the air consistently, especially from to the pull side. With that said, De Vries is more potent from the left side, where he slashed .268/.368/.491 compared to .216/.320/.344 from the right side.

De Vries has also shown a great approach at the plate, registering a 12.3% walk rate, 20% strikeout rate, and a 10.4% SwStr rate in 2025, all while being 18 years old in High-A and Double-A.

Rankings Note: JJ Wetherholt would slot here, but I ranked and discussed him in my Top 10 Second Base Prospect Rankings article.

5. Sebastian Walcott, Texas Rangers (19/AA)

Sebastian Walcott is becoming a bit difficult to rank. While the upside remains enormous, he's yet to translate that into impressive numbers at the plate like the names ahead of him in these shortstop rankings. As a 19-year-old in Double-A for the entire 2025 season, Walcott slashed .255/.355/.386 with 19 doubles, 13 home runs, and 32 steals. Walcott also walked at a 12.7% clip while only striking out in 19.6% of his plate appearances.

Again, we need to remember that Walcott is still only 19 and already has a full Double-A season under his belt. There's massive raw power in the profile, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Walcott add a little more bulk. However, he hit the ball into the ground 46% of the time. Walcott is also an above-average runner who has shown the willingness to run often with solid efficiency, stealing bags.

If he's able to elevate more consistently, a 30/20 shortstop is a possible outcome. While Walcott's contact skills don't stand out, a 73% contact rate with his solid approach is nothing to scoff at.

6. Aidan Miller, Philadelphia Phillies (21/AAA)

Aidan Miller is a prospect whom I dropped too low in my rankings when he was struggling mid-season, but Miller rebounded in a big way over the final third of the season and subsequently shot back up my rankings.

After hitting below .200 in both June and July, Miller finished the season by slashing .348/.454/.629 in August and .370/.554/.565 in September while combining for 16 doubles, six home runs, and 22 steals in 36 games over those two months. Overall, Miller finished 2025 with a .264/.392/.433 slash line, 27 doubles, 14 home runs, and 59 steals in 116 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

Miller isn't a burner, but I'd be fine throwing a 55 grade on his speed, and he's consistently shown that he wants to be aggressive in the base-stealing department. He's racked up 86 steals in 238 professional games with an 80.4% success rate. It helps that Miller gets on base as much as he does, recording a .392 OBP and 15.6% walk rate in 2025 to go along with a 77% contact rate. The upside is there for Miller to post a decent AVG and high OBP with around 15-20 home runs and 25 steals annually.

7. Colt Emerson, Seattle Mariners (20/AAA)

While Colt Emerson might not be as flashy as other elite shortstop prospects, there's little doubt in my mind that he's going to be a very good hitter for a very long time in the Majors. Emerson played at three levels in 2025, ending his season with a cup of coffee in Triple-A, where he had two home runs and a steal in six games. Overall, Emerson slashed .285/.383/.458 with 28 doubles, 16 home runs, and 14 steals in 130 games and 600 plate appearances.

Two areas where Emerson excels are making contact and his approach at the plate. Emerson registered an 82% contact rate in 2025 with an 11.8% walk rate and a 17.5% contact rate. With his blend of contact and approach, it's easy to throw a plus grade on his hit tool. While neither Emerson's power nor speed stand out, he's around average in both departments, with the upside to add 15-20 home runs and 15-20 steals to a high AVG and OBP each season.

We should see him up with Seattle at some point during the 2026 season.

Rankings Note: Luis Pena would slot here, but I ranked and discussed him in my Top 10 Second Base Prospect Rankings article.

8. Bryce Rainer, Detroit Tigers (20/Low-A)

Bryce Rainer was having a productive first professional season when a dislocated shoulder ended his season in early June. In 35 games before the injury, the 2024 #11 overall pick slashed .288/.383/.448 with five doubles, five home runs, and nine steals.

As a big-bodied shortstop with notable upside with the bat, Rainer has drawn some comparisons to Corey Seager. I'm not one to throw comps on young prospects often, but this is one I can certainly see. However, it's a 90th percentile or better outcome, as Seager has been one of the best pure hitters in the Majors during his career.

While Seager doesn't provide much in the way of stolen bases, Rainer is a fringe-average runner who could push double-digit steals annually early in his career. But even if he's only providing single-digit steals, Rainer's bat has the chance to truly stand out.

110.9 mph EV 🔥

MLB's No. 47 prospect Bryce Rainer (@tigers) sends a LASER over the center-field wall, securing his fourth multihit game in five contests this month for the Single-A @LkdFlyingTigers. pic.twitter.com/RE4VDlPXOz

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 7, 2025

In his short time with Low-A Lakeland last season, Rainer posted a 92.1 mph AVG EV, 52.8% hard-hit rate, and a 10.1% barrel rate. However, his 76% zone and 71% overall contact rate were a bit below average. Neither is a concern at the moment, though, and Rainer showed a good approach with a 13.4% walk rate and 22.1% strikeout rate.

With McGonigle ahead of Rainer in both rankings and proximity, we might see Rainer move over to the hot corner eventually if McGonigle sticks at shortstop and doesn't move over to second base. Rainer has a very strong arm and could profile well at either position on the left side of Detroit's infield.

9. Emil Morales, Los Angeles Dodgers (19/Low-A)

The Los Angeles Dodgers have a whopping five prospects inside my top-50 overall, with Emil Morales being the one who probably gets the least amount of buzz and hype.

Morales has hit well every season so far in his professional career, slashing .342/.478/.691 in the DSL back in 2024, .300/.383/.498 at the Complex Level to start 2025, and .339/.420/.548 in 30 Low-A games to end the 2025 season. Overall, Morales finished 2025 with a .314/.396/.515 slash line, 24 doubles, 14 home runs, and 11 steals in 89 games.

Morales stands out for his plus or better raw power, and he's around an average runner as well. He also hits the ball at ideal angles, recording a 61.4% air rate and 43.7% pull rate this past season. Long-term, Morales could wind up as a 25-30 homer bat with around 10 steals annually. My one concern with him right now is the contact skills, as Morales posted a contact rate below 70% in 2025. However, it did tick up a bit in Low-A.

10. Kaelen Culpepper, Minnesota Twins (22/Double-A)

I've become a big Kaelen Culpepper fan over the last eight months or so. In 113 games between High-A and Double-A, Culpepper racked up 39 extra-base hits, 20 home runs, and 25 steals with a .289/.375/.469 slash line. There were just three prospects in baseball this season to have a .375+ OBP, at least 20 home runs, and at least 25 steals. Those prospects were Konnor Griffin, Joshua Baez, and Culpepper. But if you add a sub-20% strikeout rate threshold to the mix, it drops down to just Culpepper.

On top of being a solid defender with a strong arm, Culpepper is an above-average offensive shortstop as well who recorded a 76% contact rate, 9.7% walk rate, and a 17.4% strikeout rate in 2025. And while he's not a masher or a burner, Culpepper is an above-average runner with around average raw power potential. Even if he's more of a 15-homer type long-term, that could come with 20+ steals and a good AVG/OBP as well.

If you enjoyed these rankings and want to see additional rankings, analysis, and more, check out Eric's Toolshed Fantasy Patreon.

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