Turner and Witt headline fantasy SS rankings
It’s time to consider these fantasy baseball rosters, and with shortstop being a place loaded with expertise, it may be robust to find out whom to pick out given who stays on the board once you draft.
Tier 1: Trea Turner
Turner is in a category all his personal right here, and that is sensible given he is additionally No. 1 in MLB.com’s general fantasy rankings. After a gradual first couple of weeks final season, he turned issues round on the plate for the Dodgers and by no means seemed again, ending with 194 hits (second in baseball solely to teammate Freddie Freeman), 39 doubles, 21 house runs, 100 RBIs and 27 steals.
It appears as if it’s solely a matter of time till Turner turns into a 30-homer/30-steal participant, and past that, he’s an extremely well-rounded offensive risk — he can hit for common and energy, and he can fly on the bottom paths. All of that makes Turner a perennial preseason MVP candidate and the gold normal for fantasy shortstops. Now, he’ll have the likes of J.T. Realmuto and Bryce Harper hitting behind him in Philadelphia.
Tier 2: Bobby Witt Jr., Bo Bichette, Fernando Tatis Jr., Francisco Lindor
Witt hit 20 homers, stole 30 bases and drove in 80 runs in his rookie season final 12 months, and his five-tool means has him poised for a good higher efficiency in 2023, making him potential early-round choose. The ceiling may be very excessive for Witt, the second general choice within the 2019 MLB Draft, and the way he progresses shall be essential to the Royals’ future.
Bichette, in the meantime, continues to be a fantasy proprietor’s dream relating to racking up hits. After totaling 191 hits to steer the American League in 2021, he once more led the junior circuit with 189 final 12 months. He additionally had a career-high 43 doubles to go together with 24 homers and 93 RBIs. Though his stolen base whole was down final season, he’s a 12 months faraway from swiping 25 luggage. Sometimes we neglect that Bichette is simply coming into his age-25 season, already having risen to star standing.
Tatis might want to show he’s nonetheless the identical thrilling expertise who hit 81 homers and stole 52 bases over his first 273 MLB video games. When he’s eligible to return from a suspension for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program in late April, Tatis shall be enjoying in Major League video games for the primary time in about 19 months. Another wrinkle right here is that Tatis might even see the vast majority of his enjoying time within the outfield, making him eligible as an outfielder for fantasy functions as nicely.
Following a pair of subpar seasons by his requirements, Lindor bounced again in an enormous approach with the Mets in 2022. He drove in a career-best 107 runs whereas additionally launching 26 homers and stealing 16 bases. If he’s at his greatest, you’ll be able to anticipate 100-plus runs scored, 40-plus doubles, 25-30 homers and 90-100 RBIs, to not point out 20 or extra steals.
Tier 3: Corey Seager, Dansby Swanson, Oneil Cruz, Xander Bogaerts, Wander Franco, Tim Anderson, Willy Adames, Carlos Correa, Jeremy Peña
Seager has been one of many recreation’s premier shortstops since rising to stardom with the Dodgers, however his first season in Texas didn’t go as he’d hoped, dropping him to the third tier. He nonetheless managed to belt 33 homers and drive in 83 runs, however given his damage historical past, we could not but have seen Seager’s greatest in a full season on the plate. Could it’s coming in 2023?
Fresh off inking a seven-year, $177 million contract with the Cubs, Swanson is trying to start his profession on the North Side of Chicago with a bang after producing the best offensive efficiency of his profession in 2022. He posted profession highs in hits (177), RBIs (96) and steals (18) whereas additionally hitting 25 homers and scoring 99 runs.
When Cruz’s offensive output catches as much as his unbelievable talent set — how typically do you see a 6-foot-7 shortstop who has elite dash velocity? — look out. In 89 profession MLB video games up to now, he’s produced 13 doubles, 18 homers, 57 RBIs and 10 steals. At simply 24 and possessing the aforementioned means, he may have an enormous breakout any season now.
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how Bogaerts fares in his first season with the Padres after his 11-year, $280 million deal landed him in San Diego. He’s on the opposite facet of 30 years outdated now, and his energy decline final season — he hit 15 homers after averaging 30 per 162 video games within the three prior seasons — is trigger for concern, however nobody can be shocked by a 30-homer, 100-RBI marketing campaign in ’23 if he has a slugging resurgence.
Franco, Correa and Peña are all candidates to quickly transfer up this record. Franco is in search of a wholesome season after being sidelined for a lot of 2022. If he has a full season, the previous No. 1 prospect in baseball may put up eye-popping numbers. Another younger and thrilling participant is Peña, who’s coming off AL Championship Series and World Series MVP honors and might be simply scratching the floor of his potential at age 25. And Correa may even search a wholesome season over which we may really see what sort of numbers he’s able to placing up — may he grow to be a daily 30-homer/100-RBI man?
Anderson hit .300 or higher for the fourth straight season final 12 months, however well being was a problem for him as nicely, as he was restricted to 79 video games by damage. Entering his age-30 marketing campaign, he may doubtlessly be a 25-homer/100-run/25-steal man if he can keep on the sector.
Adames has quietly damaged out in an enormous approach since becoming a member of the Brewers halfway by way of the 2021 season, posting career-highs in homers (31), RBIs (98) and runs scored (83) final 12 months. If his present trajectory continues, he may have some particular seasons forward.
Tier 4: Amed Rosario, Nico Hoerner, Javier Báez, Jorge Mateo, Adalberto Mondesi
Rosario produced one other strong, if not spectacular, season on the plate for the Guardians final 12 months, ending with 180 hits — together with an MLB-leading 9 triples — to go together with 71 RBIs and 18 steals. He’s a dependable presence on the plate who gained’t wow you, however is persistently average-to-above common with nice velocity.
Health has been a problem for Hoerner, who has mixed to play in 179 video games the previous two seasons, however when he’s been within the lineup, he’s been strong, racking up 180 hits, driving in 71 runs and stealing 25 bases over that span. Fantasy house owners should stability Hoerner’s potential for offensive enchancment over a full season and his damage historical past when contemplating him.
Báez’s first season in Detroit didn’t go as deliberate — his .671 OPS was the bottom of any full season in his profession, and his 17 homers and 67 RBIs have been nicely beneath his expectations. If he can rebound, you possibly can be taking a look at 30-plus homers, near 100 RBIs and doubtlessly 20 steals, which may make him a discount pickup.
If Mateo can work out methods to improve his on-base share, he might be a really intriguing participant. After all, he led the AL with 35 steals final 12 months and his OBP was simply .267.
Mondesi, a former high prospect, simply hasn’t been in a position to stay on the sector lengthy sufficient to satisfy his potential. Injuries have been a relentless downside for him, however he’ll have a change of surroundings this 12 months after the Royals traded him to the Red Sox in January.
