Shortstop: Troy Tulowitzki (Toronto Blue Jays) (31)
With some of the brightest young players in the game being shortstops it was clear that the position was one of the weaker spots to choose from on this list for obvious reasons. Shortstop is probably the the most difficult defensive position to play besides catcher, which is why many of even the greatest shortstops shift to third base as they get up their in years (i.e. Alex Rodriguez and Cal Ripken Jr.). However, the two top options on this list are still solid players. Tulo and Jhonny Peralta both were solid contenders for this spot, but track record and the recent injury to Peralta tipped the scales in the Toronto Blue Jay’s favor.
Tulowitzki was spectacular for the Rockies during his career, hitting for both power and average. But since he got traded to the Blue Jays last summer, his numbers have not been great. While he did provide a spark after he was acquired, he still finished his 2015 stint in Toronto with a batting average less than .250. He has started this season with an extremely disappointing batting average of .167, even though his on-base percentage is over 100 points higher, which is an encouraging sign.
Another encouraging factor is that Tulo has never hit this bad in his career and that this recent stretch is probably just a slump. While this is not a ringing endorsement of Tulowizki as a player, he still has power that many shortstops dream of and he has the track record of performing at a high level, which has to weigh deeply into the discussion.
Second Team: Jhonny Peralta (St.Louis Cardinals) (33)
Next: Left Field