The shortstop position seems to be in a renaissance period, with young talent like Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Addison Russell and Corey Seager making their MLB debuts last season. There are still some quality veterans, but there is a clear shift going on at the shortstop position, especially the many intriguing shortstop prospects making their way up through the minor leagues. Without further adieu, here is the list of the top ten shortstops for the 2016 MLB season.
Barely Missed the Cut
Alcides Escobar (Kansas City Royals), Didi Gregorius (New York Yankees), Adeiny Hechavarria (Miami Marlins)
10. Andrelton Simmons (Los Angeles Angels)
There is no denying that Andrelton Simmons is the best defensive shortstop in the game. In fact, a case could be made that he is the best defensive player in the major leagues period. However, there is more to being a great player in this league than just your skills with the glove. To put it bluntly, Simmons is an average hitter at best. His career-high batting average came this past season when he hit .265. Simmons has also only hit only 11 home runs the past two seasons after hitting 17 bombs in 2013. There is no reason to think that Simmons’ production at the plate is going to increase, but his outstanding defense alone gets him on the list.
9. Addison Russell (Chicago Cubs)
Addison Russell showed a lot of potential of what he could be last season. However, his stats weren’t all too spectacular for the Chicago Cubs. Russell ended 2015 with a batting average of .242, but did show some patience at the plate, producing a solid number of walks. Russell did also manage to hit 13 homers and should be a 22-25 home run hitter in this league when at his peak. The former 11th pick in the 2012 amateur draft should be one of the best shortstops in the game one day with his power potential and advanced approach at the plate, but that may not happen next season. Russell will show improvement in 2016 as he continues to vault up the ranks of MLB shortstops.
8. Jhonny Peralta (St. Louis Cardinals) – Out till midseason due to injury
Now it may seem odd that there is a player on the list who won’t even touch the field till halfway through the season, but there are a number of reasons why Jhonny Peralta could still be a top player at his position in 2016. For one, unlike many others on this list, he has a history of producing quality numbers at the major league level, even in recent seasons. In 2015, Peralta finished the season with a .275 batting average and 17 home runs, which both ranked fourth at his position. Not many shortstops have his combination of power and contact, which should help catapult the 33-year-old to being a top shortstop in the major leagues once again, even with having only half a season to perform.
7. Jose Iglesias (Detroit Tigers)
Jose Iglesias is the definition of solid at the shortstop position, which is something that many teams wish they could have. After sitting out the entire 2014 season, Iglesias had a breakout year in 2015, making his first All-Star appearance and posting a batting average of exactly .300, which was second among all shortstops. Iglesias doesn’t really bring any power to the table, but his ability to get on base in combination with his knack for making web gem type plays on defense make him one of the best shortstops in the game.
6. Corey Seager (Los Angeles Dodgers)
It may be a stretch to think that a rookie could be this high on the list without having much experience at the major league level, but there aren’t a lot of rookie shortstops who have the talent that the Dodgers top prospect does. Corey Seager has the ability to be the best shortstop in the game with his good approach at the plate and power that he brings to the table. These elite skills were on display during the stretch run of the 2015 season. In 23 games, Seager posted a .337 batting average while adding four home runs.
Being that he is going to start the season as the Dodgers shortstop, the 21-year-old will have many opportunities to prove these numbers were no fluke. There are going to be some bumps along the way in his rookie season, but when everything is said and done, Seager’s unique ability at the plate makes him a threat to enter the conversation as being one of the best offensive shortstops in all of baseball.
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5. Troy Tulowitzki (Toronto Blue Jays)
“Tulo” has probably been the best shortstop in the game for several years now, succeeding Derek Jeter when the former Yankees captain was getting up there in age. Now it seems that the 31-year-old may be giving way to a group of up-and-coming players. However, Troy Tulowitzki is still a top five player because of the power that he brings and the fact that he is a consistent player and has produced great numbers for so many years now. He may not be the top shortstop in the game anymore, but he can still produce at a very high level both at the plate and in the field.
4. Brandon Crawford (San Francisco Giants)
We all knew that the Giants shortstop was a great defender, but not a lot of people predicted the power numbers that Brandon Crawford put up last season. In 2015, Crawford hit a career-high 21 bombs, which was second among shortstops in the entire MLB. Crawford has a quick swing that produces both doubles and home runs. His power numbers are not a fluke and while there may be some regression, he still will be a top five shortstop in terms of power and defense, which puts him in the top five on this list.
3. Francisco Lindor (Cleveland Indians)
The second-year shortstop had a Rookie of the Year caliber season in 2015. Lindor posted a slash line of .313/.353/.482 while adding 12 homers. The 22-year-old has somewhat of a long swing but is still able to hit the ball to any part of the field. As Lindor gets stronger, his swing should get more powerful as well. Lindor has an incredible amount of talent in the field, making highlight reel plays on a daily basis. There is some risk in predicting Lindor to have a similar season as he did last year with pitchers starting to make adjustments to his swing. But Lindor is talented and should be able to adjust to whatever is thrown at him throughout the season.
2. Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox)
Xander Bogaerts was excellent for a disappointing Red Sox team last season. The 23-year-old shortstop had the highest batting average and on-base percentage of any shortstop in the league. He was only able to hit seven home runs, but Bogaerts has the size and athleticism to be able to start to producing better power numbers as he gets stronger. Bogaerts also had the most doubles among shortstops at 35. As he continues to grow into his big frame, those doubles should start turning into home runs. Bogaerts is an elite level hitter in terms of shortstops and he should continue to get on base at a high clip in 2016, while seeing an increase in his power numbers as well.
1. Carlos Correa (Houston Astros)
The former number-one overall pick, along with his team, surprised everyone in 2015. While only appearing in 99 games last season, Correa showed that he could already be the best shortstop in the game. In addition to winning the AL Rookie of the Year, Correa hit an incredible 22 home runs, which was first among shortstops, even with him missing a month of the season.
Correa has an athletic build and is a very mature hitter for his age. He can spray the ball all over the field and should get even better being that he is only 21 years old. Correa may have started a long reign of being the top shortstop in the game last season, but in 2016, Correa will show that he is the best the MLB has to offer.
Next: Mets need David Wright to be right in 2016
What are your shortstop rankings for next season? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.