TAP FOR 6 MONTHS OF PREMIUM FREE 💰
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

2017 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Shortstop

We're coming to the end of another spin around the sun. Christmas is just around the corner. You know what that means: Time for fantasy baseball rankings!

Today we'll cover shortstop. As a reminder, this first round of rankings features picks from Bill Dubiel, Brad Johnson, Nick Mariano, and yours truly.

If you missed the rest of the infield rankings, click the link below. Longtime readers will note that we've switched up the format a bit for this round to allow for a bit more insight into each writer's thought process.

Editor's note: Be sure to also check out our 2017 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. It's already loaded up with tons of great rankings articles and draft analysis. Aside from our tiered staff rankings for every position, we also go deep on MLB prospect rankings, impact rookies for 2017, and dynasty/keeper rankings as well. Bookmark the page, and win your drafts.

 

2017 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Shortstop

Ranking Tier Player Brad Kyle Nick Bill Composite
1 1 Manny Machado 1 1 1 1 1
2 1 Corey Seager 3 3 2 2 2.5
3 1 Xander Bogaerts 2 4 4 3 3.25
4 1 Carlos Correa 4 2 5 5 4
5 1 Trevor Story 5 5 3 4 4.25
6 2 Francisco Lindor 7 6 6 6 6.25
7 2 Jonathan Villar 6 7 7 9 7.25
8 2 Aledmys Diaz 9 8 9 7 8.25
9 2 Jean Segura 8 9 8 8 8.25
10 3 Addison Russell 13 10 11 10 11
11 3 Dansby Swanson 11 12 10 13 11.5
12 3 Troy Tulowitzki 12 13 12 11 12
13 3 Marcus Semien 14 11 13 12 12.5
14 3 Jose Peraza 10 14 14 16 13.5
15 4 Javier Baez 19 15 16 14 16
16 4 Brad Miller 16 16 15 17 16
17 4 Elvis Andrus 15 17 17 20 17.25
18 4 Brandon Crawford 18 18 21 15 18
19 4 Eduardo Nunez 20 19 20 18 19.25
20 5 Didi Gregorius 21 21 19 19 20
21 5 Jose Reyes 17 23 18 23 20.25
22 5 Zack Cozart 22 20 23 21 21.5
23 5 Tim Anderson 24 22 24 22 23
24 5 Asdrubal Cabrera 23 24 22 25 23.5
25 6 Jorge Polanco 28 25 25 24 25.5
26 6 Orlando Arcia 26 29 26 28 27.25
27 6 Ketel Marte 30 27 27 26 27.5
28 6 Matt Duffy 25 36 29 27 29.25
29 6 Alcides Escobar 31 28 32 30 30.25
30 6 Freddy Galvis 29 31 28 33 30.25
31 7 Chris Owings 27 35 30 31 30.75
32 7 Tyler Saladino 36 26 31 32 31.25
33 7 Jose Iglesias 32 32 35 29 32
34 7 J.P. Crawford 36 33 33 34 34
35 7 Stephen Drew 33 34 36 36 34.75
36 7 Jurickson Profar 35 36 34 35 35
37 7 Danny Espinosa 34 36 36 36 35.5

 

Which picks by others look overly bullish/pessimistic?

Kyle: Given the quality and depth at the position, I can't get on board with Brad putting Peraza in the top 10. We've said our respective pieces about the scarcity of stolen bases in the current landscape, so no need to rehash that here. I just don't see Peraza providing enough value elsewhere to justify that ranking. He doesn't walk much, doesn't hit for power, and even speed can only do so much to prop up your batting average if you don't hit the ball hard consistently.

Bill: Nick and Brad seem a bit high on Jose Reyes for my liking, mostly because we can't be sure what his role will be on the Mets this season. Right now the Mets infield looks like it'll be David Wright, Asdrubal Cabrera, Neil Walker and Lucas Duda. Wright's health will always be a huge question mark, and Jose Reyes would be the ultimate insurance policy. If he does wind up starting every day, he'll probably wind up in my top 15. As it stands now though, he looks like the utility infielder on a DH-less National League team. Talented though he might still be, I want more security in his role before I begin moving him up here.

Brad: Andrus is definitely a very boring veteran with almost no upside. For all the talk about shortstop being very strong, the talent level drops very quickly after the top of the pool. Andrus belongs in the mid-teens in this group. Bill was particularly rough, ranking him 20th. That said, I expect to own zero shares of Andrus.

Baez will play more in 2017 thanks to his defensive exploits during the postseason. However, he's still a likely bet to record fewer than 600 plate appearances. The Cubs have so much depth which will push Baez into a five days per week role. His five category production is partially offset by a low OBP. He should only be owned by very active owners.

Nick: I just do not like Crawford. My #21 ranking of him may be a little too harsh, but I simply don't want to sign up for his floor if I can grab a guy like Gregorius or Nunez ahead of him. We saw the 2015 power burst come back down to Earth, as his 16.2% HR/FB rate will surely stick out like a sore thumb on his player page forever and ever. He actually hit more fly balls in 2016, so I don't necessarily buy the jump in BABIP/average either even though his line-drive rate rose a few ticks to support it. The RBIs are nice with his steady spot in the San Francisco order, but I don't want to rely on just that or his going perfect on the basepaths again to help me out. I get that he's unlikely to hurt you, but I'm just not inspired.

Are there any picks you want to defend?

Bill: I'm a huge fan of Brandon Crawford and it's not because he's devastatingly handsome, I promise. Crawford broke out as a key part of the Giants' offense in 2015, making his first All Star team and setting career highs in homers, runs scored, RBI and stolen bases. He was a top-seven option that year, and was quietly a top-10 option in 2016 as well, trading some of his power numbers for a career-high .275 batting average. On top of the numbers, he's played in at least 143 games each year since his rookie season. While I understand the position is deeper than it has been in years, I still think Crawford merits a top-15 ranking given his durability and consistent productivity.

Brad: Not that they need defending, but the top five at this position are soooo good. They should all be off the board by the end of the second round. Villar might go by then too. Story is a tic behind the others in my book. He could easily be the top shortstop when all is said and done, but there's more risk to him than the others.

I expect Peraza to be a high average, top of the order hitter in 2017. Obviously, he won't provide juice in the home run or RBI department, but he should do just enough to not be a total blank. He'll hit at least five home runs at Great American Ballpark. Meanwhile, 100 runs, 55 steals, and a .300 average are all within one standard deviation of my median projection.

I don't know why I bothered putting a number by J.P. Crawford (You didn't, actually - Ed.). Last year, I correctly said he wouldn't reach the majors. This time, he'll eventually get the call, but he'll be the Arcia of 2017. In case you failed to notice, Arcia was not playable in all but the deepest formats.

Nick: There isn't much to hate here, but it looks as though I should go to bat for Story. My love for the kid is well documented at this point, but I would rather have him than Bogaerts, who was just a guy throughout the second half, and Correa, who raised some concern with more whiffs. Obviously, Story's own whiffing is something everyone loves to slap him for, but it was improving as his season progressed and I think he (and Colorado as a whole) runs more in 2017 as well. Coors for the win.

Kyle: What a difference a year makes, eh? Correa was going in the first round in the majority of 2016 drafts after winning Rookie of the Year honors. Now, after a "down" year, he's barely a top-five shortstop according to my colleagues, displaced by some of the other young guns at the position. I come here not to bury Corey Seager (a reigning Rookie of the Year himself), Trevor Story, or Xander Bogaerts, but instead to praise Correa. He was just 21 last year - younger than any of the aforementioned trio - and produced a .274-20-76-96-13 line despite playing through myriad injuries.

We're living in a glorious golden age for shortstops, and you really can't go wrong with any of the top guys - the fact that we have a consensus top five but no agreed-upon order bears that out. Just feel like Correa's being undervalued a bit.




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

Kyle Tucker

Offers Outstanding Consistency at the Plate
Max Fried

Brings Continued Stability to Yankees' Rotation
Will Smith

Remains a Top Catcher in Elite Dodgers Lineup
Taylor Ward

Bat Should Play in Baltimore
Robbie Ray

Looking to Build Off Healthy Season
Andrés Muñoz

Andres Munoz a Top-Five Fantasy Closer After Another Dominant Season
Ronald Acuña Jr.

The Reward is Worth the Risk With Ronald Acuna Jr.
Joel Embiid

Officially Active on Monday
Onyeka Okongwu

Not Ready to Return on Tuesday Evening
Kevin Durant

Rockets Hoping Kevin Durant Can Return After Missing One Game
Kristaps Porzingis

Might Return on Tuesday
Emerson Hancock

to Enter Spring Training as a Starter
Vinny Nittoli

Red Sox Agree to Minor-League Deal With Vinny Nittoli
Valente Bellozo

Signs Minor-League Deal With Rockies
Luke Raley

Should Start Regularly Against Right-Handed Pitchers
Victor Robles

Appears Headed for Short-Sided Platoon Role
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Considered Questionable for Tuesday
Colton Ledbetter

Traded From Rays to Cardinals
Tai Peete

Cardinals Acquire Tai Peete in Three-Team Deal on Monday
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Land Pitching Prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje
P.J. Washington

Sidelined for Tuesday
Julius Randle

Available Against Grizzlies
Ben Williamson

Heading to Rays in Three-Team Deal
Brendan Donovan

Mariners Officially Acquire Brendan Donovan From Cardinals
Anthony Edwards

Cleared for Action Versus Memphis
Alexandre Sarr

Active for Tuesday
Kolby Allard

Guardians Re-Sign Kolby Allard to Minor-League Deal
Josh Giddey

Out Again on Tuesday Evening
Hurston Waldrep

Not Guaranteed Opening Day Rotation Spot
Brad Marchand

Anton Lundell Remain Out Monday
Morgan Rielly

Out Through Olympic Break
Avisaíl García

Avisail Garcia Announces his Retirement
Jusuf Nurkić

Jusuf Nurkic Resting Versus Indiana
Stephen Curry

Ruled Out for Tuesday's Matchup With Sixers
Keyonte George

Remains Out on Tuesday
Jonathan Drouin

Available Against Capitals
Logan Thompson

Expected to Return Thursday
Matthew Stafford

Doesn't Need Offseason Back Surgery
Matt Roy

Rejoins Capitals Lineup Monday
Devon Toews

Back for Avalanche Monday
Brendan Donovan

Mariners Nearing a Deal to Land Brendan Donovan
Martin Necas

Remains Out Monday
James Harden

Won't Play Monday
Jake Neighbours

Available Monday
CFB

Joey Aguilar Files New Lawsuit Against NCAA Seeking Sixth Year of Eligibility
Austin Reaves

Could Return Tuesday Against Nets
Davante Adams

Expected to Return to Rams in 2026
Los Angeles Rams

Rams Sign Sean McVay, Les Snead to Contract Extensions
Diego Lopes

Outclassed At UFC 325
Alexander Volkanovski

Dominates Diego Lopes
Dan Hooker

Stopped In The Second Round
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Extends His Win Streak
Rafael Fiziev

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
MMA

Maurício Ruffy Gets Back In The Win Column
Morgan Geekie

Extends Point Streak to Seven Games With Big Performance
Nikita Kucherov

Tallies Four Points in Stadium Series Win
Chris Kreider

Pots Two Goals in Sunday's Win
Brandon Bussi

Makes History With Another Win
Shayne Gostisbehere

Sets Up Two Goals Sunday
Terrence Shannon Jr.

Still Sidelined Without Timetable for Return
Mikey Anderson

Hurt Versus Hurricanes
Isaiah Hartenstein

Cason Wallace, Isaiah Hartenstein Rejoin Thunder Starters
Anthony Cirelli

Fails to Finish Stadium Series Matchup
Jarrett Allen

Explodes for Career Night vs. Portland
Scotty Pippen Jr.

Remains Out Monday vs. Minnesota
De'Andre Hunter

Poised for Kings Debut Wednesday
Dennis Schröder

Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder Could Debut Wednesday for Cavaliers
San Francisco 49ers

49ers Set to Name Raheem Morris Their Defensive Coordinator
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Close to Naming Klint Kubiak the Next Head Coach
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Finalizing Deal to Make Mike LaFleur the Next Head Coach
CFB

Gus Malzahn Retiring from Coaching
Breece Hall

Jets Want to Re-Sign Breece Hall, Could Use Franchise Tag
Troy Terry

Ready to Return Sunday
Victor Hedman

Set to Return Sunday
Connor McMichael

Out Week-to-Week
Kris Letang

Out for Four Weeks
Nico Hischier

a Game-Time Call Saturday
Jack Hughes

Won't Play Saturday
Diego Lopes

An Underdog At UFC 325
Alexander Volkanovski

Set For UFC 325 Main Event
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Dan Hooker

Set For UFC 325 Co-Main Event
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Rafael Fiziev

Returns At UFC 325
CFB

Texas Lands Wake Forest Transfer Sterling Berkhalter
Kirk Cousins

Falcons Expected to Release Kirk Cousins
Chase Brown

Working on Extension With Bengals
Michael Penix Jr.

Hopes to be Ready for Week 1
Dalton Kincaid

Doesn't Need Offseason Surgery
Josh Allen

Undergoes Foot Surgery
Josh Allen

on Crutches, Wearing Walking Boot
CFB

Michigan RB Bryson Kuzdzal Withdrawing from Transfer Portal
Bo Nix

Expected to Resume Training in 4-6 Weeks
Michael Penix Jr.

Thinks he'll be Ready by April
Cleveland Browns

Browns Hiring Todd Monken as Next Head Coach
Sahith Theegala

Off to Much Better 2026 Start
Gary Woodland

an Intriguing Option at Torrey Pines This Week
Andrew Putnam

Hopes to Keep Momentum Rolling This Week
Matthieu Pavon

Seeks to Return to 2024 Form at Torrey Pines
Luke List

Still Looking For Birdies at Torrey Pines
Jake Knapp

Faces Stiff Challenge at Farmers Insurance Open
Rasmus Hojgaard

Needs to Play Better at Torrey Pines
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Could Struggle at Farmers Insurance Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF