Leandre: Top 30 shortstops entering 2024, 30-21
A position full of premier talent, shortstop is also in a great position moving forward in 2024 and beyond.
The most valuable position on the field, shortstop takes a special type of player to play.
While teams can be successful without an elite shortstop, teams are starting to build around their shortstops more and more.
This group of 10 features some All-Stars and some World Series hardware. However, hence the ranking, they’re not in their heyday anymore.
But who am I talking about?
30. Amed Rosario – Tampa Bay Rays
I think Rosario is a fine player and it wouldn’t shock me if he has a good season for the Rays in 2024, for reasons much more than the fact the Rays always get the most out of their players.
However, it’s hard for me to fathom the idea of him not playing second base after the year he just had at shortstop between Cleveland and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He posted -16 defensive runs saved and -14 outs above average between the two organizations.
He did, however, shine at second base for the Dodgers last year defensively, but there’s no real reason for the Rays to move Brandon Lowe off the position.
I could see him sliding to the outfield now that Josh Lowe is expected to miss time to start the season, but for now, he ranks 30th at shortstop.
29. Brandon Crawford – St. Louis Cardinals
That felt wrong to type, “Brandon Crawford – St. Louis Cardinals.”
The longtime San Francisco Giant had about as miserable a swan song as one can while still getting another job the following season. The two-time World Series champion posted just a 63 wRC+ while also battling injuries in 2023.
I would look past that if the defense was up to snuff, and while he posted six outs above average, he also posted -14 defensive runs saved in 93 games. That’s impressive.
His pedigree keeps him ahead of Rosario and maybe the new scenery will give his career a third wind.
28. Javier Báez – Detroit Tigers
Woof.
My mom raised me to say nothing if I can’t say something nice and, well, his glove is still great.
27. Miguel Rojas – Los Angeles Dodgers
I don’t know how long the Dodgers plan to play Mookie Betts at shortstop but they shouldn’t feel obligated to since they have Rojas.
Offensively, he doesn’t offer much but the veteran is still a defensive wizard out there, logging 12 defensive runs saved and six outs above average in 2023.
I don’t understand why the Dodgers don’t just keep Betts in right field, has Gavin Lux play second base and start Rojas at short. Their lineup can withstand having someone like him in there every night. They’re a National League team, for years they dealt with having a pitcher hit and Rojas is a massive notch above that.
I understand they have Jason Heyward but I think elite shortstop defense and keeping Betts healthy trumps getting as many good bats in the lineup as possible to complement the trio of Betts, Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani.
26. Elvis Andrus – Free Agent
In 404 defensive innings at shortstop last year, Andrus posted -2 defensive runs saved but positive four outs above average.
I don’t think he’s a great player anymore but the fact he resorted to a minors deal with the Diamondbacks is crazy to me. There’s got to be a team out there that could benefit from simply having this man in the clubhouse while offering steady production in the lineup.
Sadly for him, he’s likely to not have a job come the season opener.
25. Zach Neto – Los Angeles Angels
Neto speed-walked his way to the majors after just 44 minor-league games because he posted a 150 wRC+ with sparkling defense.
MLB is hard, but the glove translated while the bat didn’t in 2023. In Spring Training, he’s slugging close to .600 but with a sub-.300 on-base percentage.
I think this kid can play, we just need to see it play out at the MLB level. Hopefully, this year, he can stay healthy and provide at a big pace for the Angels.
24. Taylor Walls – Tampa Bay Rays
There isn’t much to love about Walls except the fact he’s a fine defender with great baserunning.
His being a switch hitter helps his cause, but the bat isn’t exactly stellar. Last year was a career year for him but even still it amounted to an 85 wRC+ and .287 wOBA. He’s not a great hitter, doesn’t hit for a ton of pop but can defend and is a great baserunner … those are valuable traits for a shortstop.
23. Ezequiel Tovar – Colorado Rockies
I put Tovar in a spot similar to Maikel Garcia in my third base rankings: If he can hit a bit better, he has an immensely high ceiling. However, right now, all he’s shown is he’s an elite defender.
Not to poo-poo him being an elite glove, which he is, but it only goes so far when your wRC+ is 70. That said, he posted 2.5 rWAR thanks in large to his 13 defensive runs saved in 2023.
I think he’s going to be a really solid player, I just don’t know if it’s with the Rockies per se.
What I will say is Tovar did flash some power last season, it’s just a matter of either hitting for more power to combat the strikeouts or at least walking more to not make that strikeout rate stand out so much (27%).
22. Jon Berti – Miami Marlins
I think Berti is a fine player, I’m just not overly moved by his skillset.
When MLB made the bases bigger entering the 2023 season, I thought someone like Berti would post 70 steals or more given the fact he was coming off a 40-bag campaign in 2022. However, he amassed just 16 which, though the power was more in his game, isn’t enough to make him immensely valuable.
He’s a good defender, but his not being an elite baserunner hurts him dearly in these rankings.
21. Orlando Arcia – Atlanta Braves
Arcia became a controversial figure in the Braves clubhouse during the postseason for his, “Atta boy, Harper” quote that surfaced from media scrum. However, it doesn’t take away from who he is as a player.
Last year was his second consecutive good one since getting to Atlanta, posting a 99 wRC+ with 2.3 fWAR and a career-high 17 home runs.
He’s a good defender too, at least through the eyes of outs above average. Should he continue to boast numbers similar to his 2023 campaign, he will likely continue to climb the rankings.
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