MLB: Top 5 Shortstops in Baseball
Major League Baseball is experiencing its best crop of shortstops in a generation. Eye-popping power, highlight reel glovework and clutch hitting are on display on a nightly basis. Call to the Pen takes a look at the five best at the position in MLB today.
One of the most intriguing early stories in baseball this season has been the scorching-hot start of Trevor Story, the 23-year-old rookie shortstop of the Colorado Rockies. Story became the first player in Major League history to hit seven home runs in his team’s first six games, and set a National League rookie record with ten long balls in April en route to winning Rookie of the Month.
Rivaling Story has been the start of St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz, a virtual unknown prior to the season, who has stepped in for the injured Jhonny Peralta. All Diaz has done is slash .381/.422/.679 and amass the fifth-highest WAR in MLB.
Twenty years ago, the triumvirate of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Nomar Garciaparra were revolutionizing the traditionally weak-hitting, slick-fielding position, and that influence can be seen throughout the game today. While it’s still too early to put Story, Diaz, fellow rookie Corey Seager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, or even the Chicago Cubs’ Addison Russell into the category of elite shortstops, they’ve shown that this is certainly going to be a fun competition for years to come.
Let’s take a look at who the top shortstops in the big leagues are right now. It’s a tough list to construct, and many notable names will have to be left off. Let us know in the comments or on Twitter what your top five would look like.
Next: Who cracked the top 5?
5. Troy Tulowitzki – Toronto Blue Jays
Yes, Troy Tulowitzki is off to a nightmarish start in 2016, slashing just .163/.267/.317 with an even 0.0 fWAR through his first 29 games. But a guy doesn’t own two Silver Slugger awards and two Gold Gloves for no reason, so we’re giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Tulo has hit below .280 just once in his career, and showed he can still be an impact player, hitting 17 homers and driving in 70 runs a year ago. Both of those numbers were fourth among all shortstops in MLB in 2015, though his 2.3 fWAR was the lowest he’s posted in a season playing 100 or more games since 2008.
And therein lies the biggest question: can Tulowitzki stay healthy? The 128 games he played between Colorado and Toronto in 2015 were his most since 2011, and he’s already dealt with a fractured a wrist, fractured ribs, a fractured shoulder blade, a torn quadriceps and groin surgery in his 10-year career. This year he’s been slowed by hand and hip injuries, which could be to blame to for his lack of production.
This year’s wRC+ of 61 is only half of his career average, and a strikeout rate of 27.5 percent would far surpass his highest. After struggling to the tune of a .239/.317/.380 slash line in his 41 games with Toronto after the trade last season, the biggest issue may not be injuries, but whether Tulowitzki can finally adjust to the American League.
Next: Who comes in at No. 4?
4. Brandon Crawford – San Francisco Giants
Brandon Crawford had a breakout year in 2015, making his first All-Star game, winning the Silver Slugger award and taking home a Gold Glove. His 84 RBIs were tops among shortstops and his 21 home runs were second, as he posted a league-leading 4.7 fWAR for the position. That output earned him a six-year, $75 million extension in the offseason.
Thus far in 2016, Crawford is putting up numbers in line with last season and ahead of his career averages, which suggests that 2015 wasn’t a fluke and the Giants’ investment wasn’t misplaced. The 29-year-old has a .255/.348/.408 slash line with three home runs and 11 RBIs, though it helps that Buster Posey, Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt are all off to hot starts hitting in front of him.
According to Fangraphs, Crawford is third among shortstops in WAR this season and first in defensive runs above average and defensive runs saved, so his glove is possibly even more valuable than his bat. As the gulf between offensive-minded and defensive-minded shortstops grows, Crawford is one of the few that can boast both.
$15 million per year may seem like a reach for Crawford, but given his late-blooming, two-way capabilities and the trend in big league salaries, that number may end up looking like a real bargain in the Bay Area.
Next: Ready for the top 3?
3. Xander Bogaerts – Boston Red Sox
Xander Bogaerts broke out in a big way in his second full season in the big leagues a year ago, slashing .320/.355/.421, driving in 81 runs and posting a 4.3 fWAR on his way to winning the Silver Slugger award in the American League. And at just 23 years old, he looks to be getting even better.
The Red Sox have been one of the surprises of 2016 thus far, sitting in a first place tie in the American League East, and Bogaerts is a big reason why. He’s hitting .309 and has shown more patience at the plate as his BB% has nearly doubled and his wOBA and wRC+ have both made solid jumps to .352 and 124, respectively.
On a team with Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Travis Shaw off to quick starts, Bogaerts leads the BoSox with a 1.4 fWAR through the first 28 games.
That fWAR total is also tied with Diaz for tops among all big league shortstops. As other young impact players in the Red Sox lineup like Shaw, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley, Jr. continue to develop, Bogaerts should serve as the foundation at Fenway for a team that could compete for years to come.
Next: Only two more to go
2. Carlos Correa – Houston Astros
Is there much more that can be said about Carlos Correa? If you were going to build the heir to Alex Rodriguez as the premier slugging shortstop in a laboratory, last year’s American League Rookie of the Year is exactly what you’d come up with. And he won’t even turn 22 until September.
In 99 games in 2015, Correa led all shortstops with 22 home runs, slashed .279/.345/.512 and posted a well above average .233 ISO while putting up 3.3 fWAR. While he and the rest of the Astros are off to a slow start this year, he’s still slashing .267/.383/.485 with four homers and a 0.6 fWAR and is near the top among shortstops in most offensive statistical categories.
Correa could easily be the best shortstop in baseball. He didn’t take the top spot on this list because his glove isn’t quite at the same level as some others. A defensive runs saved total of 0 last season, and -1 so far in 2016 says Correa may be average at best in the field right now, despite how tantalizing that cannon arm of his may look.
A so-so start to the new season and a defensive game that’s still coming along have him falling just short of the top spot on this list. But with his offensive upside and room to grow, if he’s No. 1 in your book, you’d get little argument from us.
Next: And the best shortstop in the game is?
1. Francisco Lindor – Cleveland Indians
Francisco Lindor and Correa are likely to be linked throughout their big league careers. While Correa has gotten a bit more hype and is ahead of the Indians shortstop in terms of power, it cannot be denied that Lindor is standing shoulder to shoulder with him as an overall impact player.
In 98 games last season, Lindor slashed .313/.353/.482 with 12 homers, a 128 wRC+ and a 4.6 fWAR. Since the 2015 All-Star break, it could actually be argued that he has been the more productive hitter of the two. It also bears mentioning that Lindor led the league in sacrifices as a rookie, hitting in the No. 2 hole between Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley.
Through 25 games in 2016, Lindor has a .299/.367/.412 slash line, a wRC+ of 122 and 1.0 fWAR, and has taken possession of the third spot in the lineup. While he’s seen slight drops in ISO and wOBA, the return of Brantley from offseason shoulder surgery should provide added protection behind Lindor in the lineup.
Next: Third Base Most Talented Position In Baseball
Where the 22-year-old really sets himself apart, though, is with the leather. Lindor has quickly become a staple of highlight reels with the glove and has his teammates worrying about taking his skills for granted. His 10 defensive runs saved in 2015 were fourth among shortstops despite playing 300-400 fewer innings than the three ahead of him. Along with Crawford and Andrelton Simmons, Lindor is among the very best at the position defensively.
How does your list look? Who should be ranked higher? Who got snubbed? Let us know in the comments!