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

Top 10 Shortstops - Dynasty Prospects Rankings

Marc Hulet's top 10 shortstop (SS) dynasty prospects rankings for 2021 fantasy baseball leagues. He looks at the fantasy values of these MLB prospects and rookies.

The shortstop position is a bountiful one for fantasy players. In a 12-team league, most fantasy managers should have the opportunity to be happy with their starter at the position thanks to the depth and variety of skills available.

In 2019, 16 shortstops that had at least 350 plate appearances produced a 100 wRC+ or better. Eight players met or surpassed the 120 wRC+ mark. Fourteen players slugged 20 or more home runs while six added 20 or more stolen bases. In the pandemic-shortened 2020, another 16 shortstops hit the 100 wRC+ plateau with eight meeting or exceeding 120 wRC+. Power continued to flow with 16 players trending for 20 homers or more, and seven players were on pace for 20+ steals.   

Today, we’re looking at the top up-and-coming shortstops in Major League Baseball with a review of the Top 15 shortstop prospects. As we’ve seen above, the shortstop position is deep at the MLB level but there is also impressive depth in the minor leagues. Previously, we looked at the other infield positions: Catcher, First Base, Second Base, and Third Base.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Tier 1

1. Wander Franco, Rays (TOP 250 Rank: 2)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Average, OBP, Speed, Power
Roadblock: Willy Adames (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2021

Need to Know: Franco maintains the top spot among the shortstop prospects. Despite the lost year in 2020 and with just 175 pro games under his belt, he remains close to MLB-ready. He’s a plus-plus hitter with an amazing eye. He also has enough speed to steal 15-20 bases a year although his base running needs work. Franco, 20, makes contact with ease but he still offers a patient approach. He has a career BB-K of 83-54. The least developed tool on the Rays’ prospect is the power. He can clear the fence thanks to his electric bat speed but he still has some physical maturing to do. Franco also hits too many ground balls and needs to add loft to his swing after posting a ground-ball rate of 48% in 2019.

2. Marco Luciano, Giants (TOP 250 Rank: 3)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Power, OBP
Roadblock: Brandon Crawford (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2023

Need to Know: Luciano is another good, young hitter from the Dominican Republic. Close to a year younger than Franco, the Giants’ prospect is likely about two years behind in his development. Luciano is loaded with power and it’s more developed than a lot of hitters at the same age thanks to his quick bat and maturing body. He hit more than .300 during his debut but he may not produce a huge batting average in the Majors. He showed a strong tendency to pull the ball during the 2019 season in rookie ball and he was aided by a .378 BABIP. He also hits more balls on the ground than you’d like but he has lots of time to make that adjustment. Luciano will likely have to move off shortstop but his strong arm could help him succeed at third base.

3. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (TOP 250 Rank: 23)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Power, Speed
Roadblock: Adalberto Mondesi (Threat Level: MEDIUM)
ETA: 2022

Need to Know: Witt Jr. has athleticism and pedigree, which helped him become the second-overall selection in the 2019 draft. He has the makings of a 20-20 (HR-SB) hitter that will play above-average defense. The big unknown with Witt Jr. is how well his hit tool will develop — especially with the absence of competitive games in 2020. He has noticeable swing-and-miss to his game although he handled rookie ball in 2019 better than I thought he would which was encouraging. With excellent makeup, his floor appears to sit somewhere in the range of a batting average of .250-.260 with the power-speed mix.

4. CJ Abrams, Padres  (TOP 250 Rank: 25)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Speed, Average
Roadblock: Fernando Tatis Jr. (Threat Level: HIGH)
ETA: 2023

Need to Know: Abrams is one of the fastest players in baseball and could eventually offer 40+ stolen bases at the MLB level. The sixth-overall selection in the 2019 draft, the athletic infielder got off to a fast start to his pro career with a .400 batting average in rookie ball. He makes a lot of contact (9% strikeout rate in rookie ball) but he may need to be a little more selective as he moves up the ladder. Abrams showed unexpected pop in his bat during his debut with 23 of his 57 hits going for extra bases but it remains to be seen how much over-the-fence pop he’ll generate. Because of his speed, there is value in having him hit balls on the ground because of his ability to beat out infield singles with ease. As he matures and slows down on the bases, he’ll want to put more focus on adding loft to his swing.

5. Jordan Groshans, Blue Jays (TOP 250 Rank: 31)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Average, Power, OBP
Roadblock: Bo Bichette (Threat Level: HIGH)
ETA: 2022

Need to Know: The Blue Jays are in a good place with the next two shortstop prospects on the list. Groshans really needs a strong 2021 season to make up for lost time after missing most of 2019 due to a foot injury and 2020 due to the pandemic. He spent last year at the alternate training site and showed improved power to go with a natural feel for hitting. Groshan is also known for being driven, confident and mature. Defensively, he could stick at shortstop as a fringe-average defender with a strong arm or move to third base.

6. Orelvis Martinez, Blue Jays (TOP 250 Rank: 34)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Power, Average, OBP
Roadblock: Bo Bichette (Threat Level: HIGH)
ETA: 2023

Need to Know: This could be the year that Martinez really explodes with the bat. He’s a little more advanced than Noelvi Marte and has had success in North America. He slugged seven home runs with 20 of his 39 hits going for extra bases in 40 games in 2019. And with an 18% strikeout rate, he makes more contact than the average power-hitter — especially considering he was just 17 at the time. As long as he didn’t lose anything during the minor-league layoff, Martinez has a chance to be special — even if he has to move to third base.

7. Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks (TOP 250 Rank: 47)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Speed, Average, OBP
Roadblock: Nick Ahmed (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2021

Need to Know: Perdomo has been on my radar for a couple of years now. He made Jazz Chisholm expendable which allowed the Diamondbacks to acquire Zac Gallen from Miami (a steal of a deal for Arizona). He doesn’t have the same power as the other young shortstop but he’s a natural hitter with a good eye who should eventually grow into double-digit power. He has the speed to steal 15-20 bases and should have a strong on-base presence making him a well-rounded offensive threat.

 

Tier 2

8. Jose Garcia, Reds (TOP 250 Rank: 48)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Power, Speed
Roadblock: Kyle Farmer (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2021

Need to Know: Garcia looked poised for a breakout 2020 before the pandemic shut things down and pushed him to the unconventional alternate training site setting. He received a small taste of big-league action but struggled to make consistent contact with a 38% strikeout rate. When he made contact, though, he showed a better-than-average 37% hard-hit rate. If Garcia can continue to improve his launch angle, he has the raw power and bat speed to hit 20+ home runs. He also has the speed to swipe 20 bases.

9. Oneil Cruz, Pirates (TOP 250 Rank: 50)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Power, OBP
Roadblock: Kevin Newman (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2022

Need to Know: I was tempted to knock Cruz down further due to concerns over his maturity/makeup which have persisted without improvement. However, the Pirates shortstop is loaded with raw potential and — at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds — his raw power is off-the-charts. He also has good speed for his size and could surprise with double-digit steals until he slows down. The big question for Cruz is: How much contact will he make? He has long arms and noticeable holes in his swing so he may never do much better than a .250-.260 batting average but he’s also shown some patience, which will improve his on-base presence.    

10. Noelvi Marte, Mariners (TOP 250 Rank: 56)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Average, Power
Roadblock: J.P. Crawford (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2023

Need to Know: In a year’s time this ranking could look low given Marte’s impressive raw ability. However, he hasn’t played above the Dominican Summer League and missed a year of development at a time when regularly playing in competitive games was important for his development. On the plus side, he was able to attend the Mariners’ alternate training site. If everything clicks, Marte has the potential to develop a plus bat with plus power.

 

Tier 3

11. Brice Turang, Brewers (TOP 250 Rank: 81)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Average, Speed
Roadblock: Orlando Arcia (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2022

Need to Know: Turang isn’t the most flashy prospect and we don’t hear much about him because he’s in the Brewers system rather than the Yankees or Cubs however he may very well turn into a solid fantasy contributor. A former first-round pick out of high school in 2018, he’s still just 21 years old and looks like a plus hitter. On top of that attribute, Turang has the speed to steal 20-30 bases a season. He’s not overly physical but he’s apparently gotten strong since the pandemic layoff. He originally looked like a 30-double, five-to-10 home run player but more over-the-fence pop makes him increasingly interesting.

12. Jazz Chisholm, Marlins (TOP 250 Rank: 82)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Power, Speed
Roadblock: Miguel Rojas (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2021

Need to Know: I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest Chisholm fan. I don’t generally gravitate to the grip-and-rip slugger types that sacrifice other aspects of the game to hit home runs. The Marlins shortstop has plus raw power but he sacrifices contact and struck out at a 30% clip during his brief MLB call-up. If the new-found patience he showed in 2019 is for real, then he gains a little value — and I’ll have to rethink my opinion of him — because it will give him more opportunities to use his speed. He has 20-20 (HR-SB) potential but may only hit .230-.250.

13. Andres Gimenez (TOP 250 Rank: 91)

Key Fantasy Skill(s): Average, Speed

Roadblock: Amed Rosario (Threat Level: LOW)

ETA: 2021

Need to Know: Acquired from the Mets in the Francisco Lindor deal, Gimenez doesn’t appear to have the same offensive upside. He looks at his best when he focuses on making hard contact into the outfield gaps rather than muscling up to hit a home run. In time, he should also offer a strong batting average and has the speed to steal 30 bases. He should have no issues sticking at shortstop.

14. Royce Lewis (TOP 250 Rank: 101)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Speed, Power
Roadblock: Andrelton Simmons (Threat Level: LOW)
ETA: 2022

Need to Know: Lewis’ season ended before it began thanks to a nasty knee injury. It’s unfortunate because the former first-overall pick needed a strong season to get back on track. He has long shown tantalizing skills and athleticism but hasn’t put it all together at the upper levels of the minors. If we’re looking for a silver lining, Lewis has great makeup, which should help him succeed through rehab and come back strong. But the lost development time hurts — especially after the truncated 2020 season.

15. Ronny Mauricio, Mets (TOP 250 Rank: 106)
Key Fantasy Skill(s): Average
Roadblock: Francisco Lindor (Threat Level: HIGH)
ETA: 2023

Need to Know: Mauricio is a raw but talented young shortstop that may end up more valuable in real life than in fantasy baseball due to his strong defensive skills at shortstop. The Mets prospect has good size at 6-foot-3 and a quick bat but he still has a lot of physical maturing to do before he starts tapping into his full potential with the bat.

 

Just Missed

Three names to watch: Oswald Peraza (Yankees), Gunnar Henderson (Orioles), Miguel Hiraldo (Blue Jays)

Peraza is one player you’ll see more highly-regarded elsewhere than you will here. I’ve watched Peraza hit a few times and have always come away disappointed. But perhaps I’ve just seen him on the wrong days. Some prospect analysts feel he could develop into an impact player because of his speed and strong exit velocities. After the long layoff (He was not at the Yankees alternate training site), he’ll need to get back on track and show more consistency in his at-bats.

Henderson was an intriguing, projectable infielder in the 2019 draft who was selected with the first pick of the second round. If he can continue to add muscle to his 6-foot-3 frame, the Orioles prospect could eventually hit 20+ home runs to go with a .270-.280 average and solid defense at the shortstop position.

Hiraldo is the third Blue Jays prospect to be mentioned in this piece but, like the other two, there are no guarantees that he’ll be able to stick at the position. Even if he has to move to third base or second base, the young Dominican should hit for power. Still just 20, he posted a .181 ISO rate in rookie ball two years ago while showing excellent contact skills as seen by his 14% strikeout rate. However, he makes too much contact at times and is overly-aggressive on pitcher’s pitches, and needs to wait back for better offerings to drive.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Prospects and Dynasty




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

Sean Murphy

Done for the Year With Hip Labral Tear
Alec Bohm

Lands on Injured List With Cyst in his Shoulder
Trea Turner

Going on Injured List, Phillies Hope to Have him Back for Playoffs
Brock Bowers

Considered Day-to-Day With Knee Injury
Jonathan Taylor

is "Good" After Taking a Hit to his Neck in Week 1
Caio Borralho

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Kyle Stowers

Suffers Setback on Rehab Assignment?
Nassourdine Imavov

Extends Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy

Gets Submitted
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Taps Out Mauricio Ruffy
Michael King

Expected to Return on Tuesday
Russell Wilson

Remains the Giants Starter
Trea Turner

Undergoing MRI Exam on Monday
Paul Craig

Retires After UFC Paris Loss
Denny Hamlin

Earns his First Cup Victory at Gateway
Kyle Larson

Damage Ruins Kyle Larson's Chance At a Top Finish at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Scores his Third Top-10 Finish at Gateway
Joey Logano

Maintains his Perfect Top-Five Streak at Gateway
Ryan Blaney

Struggles and Recovers for a Top-Five Finish at Gateway
Modestas Bukauskas

Scores First-Round Knockout
Bolaji Oki

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Xavier Worthy

Week-to-Week with Dislocated Shoulder
Mason Jones

Scores Comeback Win
Rhys McKee

Suffers Third-Round TKO Loss
Axel Sola

Successful In His UFC Debut
Robert Ruchała

Robert Ruchala Unsuccessful In His UFC Debut
William Gomis

Bounces Back In The Win Column
Derrick Henry

Scores Twice but has Costly Fumble on Sunday
Lamar Jackson

Shines With Three Total Touchdowns in Loss to Bills
Keon Coleman

Leads the Team With 11 Targets on Sunday
Josh Allen

Totals Four Touchdowns in Win Over Ravens
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dominates Targets in Seattle, Records 124 Receiving Yards in Week 1
Puka Nacua

Leads Rams in Targets, Catches, and Receiving Yards in Week 1
Logan O'Hoppe

Exits After Concussion Scare, Status Remains Unclear
Christian McCaffrey

Logs 31 Touches in Season Opener
Travis Etienne Jr.

Dominates Backfield Touches in Jacksonville, Posts Monster Day
Jayson Tatum

"Moving Around Way Better"
Russell Wilson

Giants Won't Commit to Russell Wilson as Week 2 Starter
Drake London

Day-to-Day with Shoulder Sprain
George Kittle

and Jauan Jennings to Undergo MRIs
Jake Moody

49ers to Evaluate Kicker Position After Jake Moody Struggles
Evan Engram

Questionable to Return Against Titans
Daniel Palencia

to Miss Time With Shoulder Injury
Jauan Jennings

Questionable to Return With Shoulder Injury
Emeka Egbuka

Scores Twice in NFL Debut
Aaron Rodgers

Throws Four Touchdowns in Week 1
Justin Fields

Scores Three Times in Loss
Byron Buxton

Exits Early With Knee Contusion
Trea Turner

Suffers Hamstring Strain
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Bubba Chandler

to Make First Start on Sunday
Samuel Basallo

Exits Early with Hand Injury
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Leaves Early on Saturday After Fouling Ball Off his Knee
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Back Spasms
Bobby Witt Jr.

Exits Early on Friday
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on Injured List With Quad Strain
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched on Friday With Back Tightness
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched From Friday's Start for Undisclosed Reasons
Shohei Ohtani

Returning to the Mound on Friday
Kyle Finnegan

Lands on Injured List With Adductor Strain
Aaron Judge

Returns to Right Field on Friday
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP