Now that we’ve recapped the high 20 catchers, high 20 1st basemen and high 20 2nd basemen, we’re beginning to see readability on depth of positions, and shortstops are strong, and they’ll metaphorically eat. Mookie Betts was a high three 2nd baseman, right here he’s scrapping the underside of the highest 10. That’s stacked. So, right here’s the ultimate rating from our Fantasy Baseball Participant Rater with my feedback. The Participant Rater permits me to be neutral whereas taking a look at how I ranked them within the preseason. Anyway, right here’s the highest 20 shortstops for 2024 fantasy baseball and the way they examine to the place I initially ranked them:
1. Bobby Witt Jr. – With one eye, I’m taking a look at Bobby Witt Jr.’s prospect grade the place it says he’s obtained a 40-grade Hit Device. With my different eye, I’m taking a look at his MLB-leading common when actually nobody is hitting for common anymore. My two eyes at the moment are crossing to commiserate and are laughing collectively. My God, my eyes are laughing. You’ve managed to make my eyes chuckle. Good job. In all seriousness, I believed Witt would wrestle to hit .240 final yr, and now it seems as if I used to be consuming two forties. Lot is made of men like Kris Bryant cashing in and by no means doing something, however how about props to Witt for signing a ten-year deal through 2034 and having his finest season? There have been a number of seasons when he would’ve been the highest hitter on the Participant Rater. Unfortch, 30/30/.330 wouldn’t do it this yr. For what it’s Cronenworth, I ranked Witt third total this yr, and he ended up third total. Too dangerous I ranked within the primary and two slot [redacted]. Preseason Rank #1, 2024 Projections: 103/34/107/.280/47 in 606 ABs, Last Numbers: 125/32/109/.332/31 in 636 ABs
2. Elly De La Cruz – His identify is Elly, and I took the largest L of this previous preseason by not believing him. He’s Elly and I’m L’ey. I’m at all times seeking to get higher and study from previous errors, and I’m selecting to remove from my Elly mistake that even Jesus made the error of not doing something on Sunday when he might’ve put in just a little extra work and stuck obliques in order that they’d by no means get injured. Gotta grind, Jesus! Nah, okay, my takeaway on my Elly L’ey was to concede that strikeouts may not be good if excessive, however Exhausting Contact can repair lots. Additionally: Velocity kills some common issues. I don’t understand how nicely this profile goes to age, however we’ll cross that bridge in 5 years, if it’s even nonetheless a difficulty. The wonderful thing about being such a weapon as Elly is: Effectively, take a look at his walks and Ks, 8.2 to 9.9 BB% and 33.7 right down to 31.3%. When opposing pitchers concern you, they pitch you extra rigorously and you are taking extra walks and could be extra selective, which ups his steals. It’s all optimistic, particularly if that development continues. Preseason Rank #11, 2024 Projections: 68/20/72/.219/50 in 514 ABs, Last Numbers: 105/25/76/.259/67 in 618 ABs
3. Gunnar Henderson – I’ve by no means heard anybody name him Gunny, however I’m additionally 100% certain individuals name him Gunny. Extra certain about that than my wedding ceremony anniversary date. That Gunny went 40/20/.280-ish and is barely within the high 10 total on the Participant Rater goes to one thing I used to be speaking about within the All-Star Break high 100. Prime hitters? To misquote Chappell Roan, they’re phenomenalnalnalnalnalnal. It’s the middle-to-late hitters the place you’re like Fred Willard saying wha’ occurred? As for Gunny, I can’t consider I didn’t make it a factor all season about how he was hitting leadoff, when he’s clearly a three-hole hitter. Additionally, his walks and Ks went in the proper route, which is a studying of mine from a few years in the past: Nice hitters get higher. Preseason Rank #7, 2024 Projections: 106/26/71/.257/11 in 571 ABs, Last Numbers: 118/37/92/.281/21 in 630 ABs
4. Francisco Lindor – Had him ranked seventeenth total within the preseason, which I consider was larger than anybody. (Effectively, aside from Grimace’s preseason rankings.) Assume lots of people are gonna look again in a number of years and be like, “I can’t consider I didn’t belief Lindor to go 30/30 after he mainly went 30/30 yr after yr after yr.” Lindor appears to get a number of overreactions (a Mets fan factor?) like he isn’t a constant producer, when, in actual fact, he’s one of the crucial constant. Preseason Rank #4, 2024 Projections: 94/27/101/.258/30 in 591 ABs, Last Numbers: 107/33/91/.273/29 in 618 ABs
5. Willy Adames – Oh, if it’s not clear, as dangerous because the 2nd or 1st basemen had been, shortstops are insane. Willy Adames is larger ranked than the first 2nd baseman (Ketel) total, and solely Vlad Jr. is larger out of the first basemen. Adames is ranked this low, and he went 30/20/.250. Common is just a little low for this comp, however that’s what we used to like getting from perennial high 20 total man Paul Goldschmidt. Would ya consider, Dong Adames? No, truly, I don’t suppose I do consider. His steals leaping up from 5 the earlier yr is standing out, and his energy is screaming both a crash in homers or common. Preseason Rank #17, 2024 Projections: 75/32/89/.226/6 in 572 ABs, Last Numbers: 93/32/112/.251/21 in 610 ABs
6. Jackson Merrill – Just one utterly out of nowhere for me, and as talked about many instances this yr, he was my very 1st week Purchase, writing an entire put up about him proper after the Padres’ opened the season in Korea. Merrill being a rookie and a impartial .290 hitter is a hearth emoji that’s the blue flame that’s extraordinarily sizzling. That he’ll be 21 after subsequent season begins? Are you able to make that fireplace emoji hotter? That he has impartial 25 homer energy and 15-steal velocity? Is Jackson Merrill who we thought Wyatt Langford was gonna be? Sure, sure he’s. Preseason Unranked, Last Numbers: 77/24/90/.292/16 in 554 ABs
7. Trea Turner – Contemplating he missed roughly six weeks with a hammy and nonetheless completed the yr this excessive within the shortstops reveals how good he was when taking part in. Deal with Urner will get a biscuit. Effectively executed. Has age lastly caught as much as him? Nonetheless a strong BABIP and steals (for two-thirds of a season), so I feel we maintain Urner off the glue farm for now, however his ADP will probably be attention-grabbing subsequent yr. I might see him falling into the 30’s and being . Preseason Rank #3, 2024 Projections: 101/22/81/.273/28 in 621 ABs, Last Numbers: 88/21/62/.295/19 in 505 ABs
8. Zach Neto – Kinda love doing these recaps as a result of I can return and take a look at what I believed within the preseason and why on this case I ranked Neto thirty first for shortstops. With that stated, our Steamer projections had been proper to like Neto. Right here’s what I stated, “I like Neto, however nobody likes him as a lot as Steamer! Wow, his projections are nice. (Roughly 22/12/.250 in 150 video games.) Tremendous intrigued, however getting him to twenty+ homers feels extremely optimistic.” And that’s me quoting me! Clearly, I used to be not optimistic sufficient. Preseason Rank #31, 2024 Projections: 61/16/67/.256/12 in 471 ABs, Last Numbers: 70/23/77/.249/30 in 542 ABs
9. Ezequiel Tovar – I’m gonna make a New 12 months’s decision to by no means look once more at prospect grades for guys who’ve been within the majors for multiple yr however Ezequiel is a 40 grade energy? C’mon, man! A 60 grade hit instrument? C’mon! Assume we must always give props to Tovar for not solely having a strong season but in addition — presumably — ignoring every little thing Bud Black and the Rockies have to be telling him. One factor that have to be true: Rockies gamers who succeed? Ignore every little thing they’re advised. Preseason Rank #32, 2024 Projections: 72/14/75/.251/12 in 579 ABs, Last Numbers: 83/26/78/.269/6 in 655 ABs
10. Mookie Betts – Already went over him within the high 20 2nd basemen for 2024 fantasy baseball.
11. Oneil Cruz – What’s wild about Oneil getting OF eligibility this yr is that really helps him greater than shortstop. In most leagues, you want extra outfielders than shortstops and shortstops are far more stacked than OF. Wanting again at my love for Oneil over Elly and it seems like I used to be proper to like Oneil, simply fallacious to comp him to and hate Elly. What I see with Oneil is much like Elly of their contact too. 35% Ok% to 30% and seven.8% BB% to eight.5%. My worries will probably be do these regress, however I truthfully don’t suppose there’s any approach of realizing. Certain, some individuals will inform you he’ll or received’t, however I feel it’s unknowable. Preseason Rank #10, 2024 Projections: 82/25/64/.248/25 in 547 ABs, Last Numbers: 72/21/76/.259/22 in 599 ABs
12. CJ Abrams – He was caught stealing a lot. On the basepaths, then for wage theft for displaying as much as the video games with three hours of sleep! [screams at clouds, shakes fist] If he would’ve been caught a bit much less, he would’ve mainly had the very same season because the earlier yr, so don’t actually see this yr as a setback in his profession, until the Nats are purchased by MGM. Preseason Rank #8, 2024 Projections: 90/18/59/.251/52 in 585 ABs, Last Numbers: 79/20/65/.246/31 in 541 ABs
13. Corey Seager – Reminded of the one that was badgering me all preseason that I had Seager ranked too low. The humorous factor is I by no means know which participant somebody goes to get a bee of their bonnet about, they usually’re undoubtedly carrying a bonnet. It’s often very shocking to me too. I believed I had Seager ranked pretty contemplating he has zero velocity. A 30-homer, 1-steal, .285 hitter is actually that good? No, probably not for fantasy. They’re superb. Preseason Rank #5, 2024 Projections: 96/33/109/.310/3 in 533 ABs, Last Numbers: 68/30/74/.278/1 in 475 ABs
14. Brice Turang – Already went over him within the high 20 2nd basemen for 2024 fantasy baseball.
15. Jeremy Pena – Good man to have a look at with the purpose made in Seager’s blurb saved in thoughts. Is Pena wherever near Seager in energy or common? Probably not, however 20-steal velocity is a big bump in worth vs. zero. Preseason Rank #18, 2024 Projections: 73/15/77/.267/15 in 566 ABs, Last Numbers: 78/15/70/.266/20 in 602 ABs
16. Anthony Volpe – Was about to say his season was a story of two halves, however I completely misremembered what he did. His 1st half numbers are nearly an identical to his 2nd half. In fact, the first half was in nearly twice as many ABs, however I might’ve sworn he was higher within the 1st half. General, the numbers aren’t actually spectacular and he didn’t take the step ahead from the rookie yr. Or did he?! Rattling, Mr. Reversal, I knew you had been gonna say that. His Ks went approach down and hitting .243 is approach higher than .209. If he can now mix his rookie energy together with his sophomore common, he may get there. And he’s nonetheless younger. Preseason Rank #14, 2024 Projections: 71/25/69/.237/27 in 551 ABs, Last Numbers: 90/12/60/.243/28 in 637 ABs
17. Nico Hoerner – Already went over him within the high 20 2nd basemen for 2024 fantasy baseball.
18. Dansby Swanson – In the event you would’ve advised me within the preseason Swanson would get much more steals than my projections, I might’ve stated, “Giddy up!” However that horse actually stalled on energy. So, going into this yr, it seemed just like the .240-ish common was a fluke, however this yr illustrates a bigger problem. He makes very bleh contact. One humorous factor I observed in his numbers, in 2018, as a 24-year-old, he was high 20 in dash velocity and stole 10 baggage. Now he’s across the two hundredth quickest and he practically doubles these velocity numbers. Rickey Henderson would’ve stolen 200 baggage in right this moment’s recreation. Preseason Rank #15, 2024 Projections: 81/25/85/.254/12 in 545 ABs, Last Numbers: 82/16/66/.242/19 in 534 ABs
19. Ceddanne Rafaela – Echoing what I stated within the Pena and Seager blurbs. Is Ceddanne blowing off the roof with 30+ homer energy? Or Elly velocity? No, however 15-ish/20-ish within the on a regular basis lineup lifts a number of fantasy worth. The promising factor right here is Ceddanne will get higher at choosing spots to steal? He may problem Duran subsequent yr for star of the Pink Sox. Or Roman Anthony? Or Kristian Campbell? Or–ugh, I just like the younger Sawx lots. We’ll get into them in a pair weekswit my rookie outlook posts. Preseason Rank #28, 2024 Projections: 49/13/44/.254/19 in 367 ABs, Last Numbers: 70/15/75/.246/19 in 544 ABs
20. Masyn Winn – Refreshed my Reminiscence Cocktail on what I stated within the preseason, and it went just a little one thing like this, “Most vital takeaways from this put up: (Winn) has velocity, makes contact and burgeoning energy. The ultimate massive one: The taking part in time. I don’t know. My guess is he’s the beginning shortstop from the bounce, however the Playing cards would want to maneuver on from somebody, possible Edman. Folks will overlook Winn due to a nasty month of hitting his rookie yr, however you shouldn’t.” And that’s me quoting me! But, he didn’t actually do a lot of something. 15/11/.267? My yawn’s going to the Yawn Retailer to get extra yawns. He was largely benefitted by hitting leadoff mainly the entire yr. Due to that glove, he performs, which kinda jogs my memory of Ezequiel. Name him Amish Winn. Preseason Rank #29, 2024 Projections: 41/8/45/.258/18 in 388 ABs, Last Numbers: 85/15/57/.267/11 in 587 ABs