30. Luis Rengifo, Los Angeles Angels
There’s a fair bit of uncertainty at shortstop for the Angels. It would appear former New York Yankee Tyler Wade could take over the spot at some point. But, he’s also played second and third base. Meanwhile, Rengifo could be the immediate answer at the position, but he’s batted just .216 and posted a .293 on-base percentage in 195 games spanning three major-league seasons with Los Angeles. The versatile Jack Mayfield and journeyman Andrew Velazquez might see time at short, as well.
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29. Andrelton Simmons, Chicago Cubs
The season could start out with a platoon system as Chicago embarks on life without Javier Baez. The Cubs were rumored to be linked to Carlos Correa, but that likely wasn’t serious given their outlook this season. Instead, they brought in the 32-year-old Simmons. The four-time Gold Glove winner remains a solid fielder, but he hit a career-low .223 in 131 games for Minnesota last season. Hoerner, meanwhile, is a versatile fan favorite who has batted .272 over 112 career games. However, forearm, hamstring and oblique injuries limited him to just 44 in 2021.
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28. Oneil Cruz, Pittsburgh Pirates
If there’s one young player on this list to truly keep an eye on, it’s Cruz. Sure, the versatile Cole Tucker should see some time at short for the Pirates this season, but Cruz has expectedly turned heads during spring training and his future seems bright. The 6-foot-7 Cruz made the most of his small taste of the majors in October, when he went 3-for-9 with a homer and three RBIs in two games with the Pirates. Pittsburgh remains an unlikely playoff contender, but Cruz is a young talent who could provide some exciting 2022 moments.
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27. Jeremy Pena, Houston Astros
The Carlos Correa era in Houston has officially passed. While that might be tough for his remaining Astros teammates and their fan base, Pena’s time in the majors appear to be here. And that should bring a good amount of excitement for the time being. The club’s top prospect, Pena does not provide the overall potency at the plate that Correa did, but should hit for average and offer some pop. He’ll need to cut down on the strikeouts (150 in 182 games), but the overall package seems enticing if he can put it all together.
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26. Ramon Urias, Baltimore Orioles
We’ll pencil Urias in this spot for the sake of making a point that he’s likely the best fit among Baltimore’s middle infielders. The versatile Chris Owings is also candidate to play short. Yet, Urias has played at 53 of his 95 major-league games at shortstop, and should feel comfortable there. With a lengthy season of major-league service under his belt – hitting .379 in those 85 games – it will be interesting to see how much Urias can grow.
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25. Kyle Farmer, Cincinnati Reds
It appears the Reds are once-again rebuilding – which means the former Dodgers prospect Farmer should get the starting nod at shortstop. After hitting .263 and slugging .416 with 16 homers and 63 RBIs during his first full season as an everyday player in 2021, Farmer has plenty to build on this season. However, with the likes of Nick Castellanos, Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez all gone, Farmer might need to work harder for his offensive success in 2022.
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24. Nick Ahmed, Arizona Diamondbacks
Entering his eighth season with the club, Ahmed, for the time being, appears to still be Arizona’s best option at shortstop. He’s a career .236 hitter, and twice has clubbed 16 or more homers. However, Ahmed’s value remains his glove. The two-time Gold Glove winner (’18, ’19) is as sure-handed as it gets for the position (.978 career fielding percentage). At the moment, he’s the only logical option for the cellar-dwelling Diamondbacks in the infield.
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23. Jose Iglesias, Colorado Rockies
The Rockies have finally moved on from Trevor Story, opening up a void at SS. For the moment, the 32-year-old Iglesias appears to be the stop-gap at shortstop in Colorado. On his sixth team since breaking into the majors in 2011, Iglesias is a dependable teammate, solid leader and a former All-Star with a .277 career batting average. Only twice during his career has Iglesias committed double-digit errors, and just 66 total during his lengthy career.
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22. Elvis Andrus, Oakland Athletics
The veteran begins his second season with Oakland trying to bounce back from a broken leg. All signs point to that recovery going well. Which is good news for the A’s, who seem at a crossroads when it comes to how competitive they will be in 2022. We also don’t know how much more time Andrus has an everyday player. Despite batting .235 the past two seasons combined, he’s still the consummate professional who remains tough to take out of the lineup.
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21. Alcides Escobar, Washington Nationals
While Luis Garcia appears to be the Nationals’ shortstop of the future, the present belongs to the veteran Escobar. The likely Opening Day starter, Escobar batted .288 and played his usual solid shortstop in his first season with Washington in 2022. The Nationals are obviously looking to the future, and Escobar remains a solid bridge to when the club feels comfortable playing Garcia every day. Which, actually, could come sooner rather than later.
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20. Paul DeJong, St. Louis Cardinals
Cardinals fans are eager to see which DeJong will show up in 2022. The All-Star who clubbed 30 homers in 2019? Or the guys who belted just 19 HR while batting .197 and striking out 103 times in 113 contests last season? Granted, a rib injury hampered DeJong in 2021, but he’s still in a position battle with Edmundo Sosa for the everyday shortstop spot. To start, it appears DeJong is the guy. We’ll see if he can keep that job.
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19. Nicky Lopez, Kansas City Royals
There’s a chance at some point this season, Bobby Witt Jr. could be on the major-league roster. Whether he plays second base or shortstop remains to be seen. All that said, Lopez has grown into more than just a dependable player after three seasons. Perhaps most notably at the plate, where Lopez batted .300, drove in 43 runs and stole 22 bases in 2021. With the glove, Lopez committed just seven errors in 534 chances last season. The 77 double plays Lopez helped turned ranked fifth in baseball.
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18. J.P. Crawford, Seattle Mariners
Talk about upside. Crawford has certainly found a home in Seattle, where last season he set career highs for batting average (.338), RBIs (54) and homers (nine). Sure, he made 12 errors, but the 27-year-old continues to improve. For Mariners’ fans, he’s also fun to watch. Crawford plays with that love-of-the-game attitude and brings a passion that’s needed for a club that will be one to watch in 2022.
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17. Miguel Rojas, Miami Marlins
One of the more underrated players in the majors. At 33, Rojas has come into his own since becoming a regular in 2016. He’s also blossomed into the Marlins’ undisputed leader, and one of the most respected players in the majors. Rojas’ .978 fielding percentage ranks 10th among all major-league shortstops since the start of the 2016 season. Meanwhile, since 2017, Rojas has batted .273 with a .329 OBP and 193 RBIs for the Marlins.
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16. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, New York Yankees
One of the most notable post-work stoppage moves was New York acquiring Kiner-Falefa from Texas. A Yankees fan growing up in Hawaii, Kiner-Falefa was excited to don the famed pinstripes, and is already drawing cheers from the New York staff. Not known for his power, Kiner-Falefa will be expected to consistently make contact like he did while batting .280 and .271 in 2020 and ’21, respectively. His 53 RBIs, 25 doubles and eight home runs from last season were all career highs. He also helped turned a major-league high 98 double plays in 2021.
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15. Didi Gregorius, Philadelphia Phillies
It wouldn’t be wrong to believe that Gregorius’ best days are behind him. Though maybe he gets a break after COVID issues and an elbow problem played a part in Didi hitting a career-low .209. But, will we see semblance of the guy who hit at least 20 homers in three consecutive seasons – for the New York Yankees from 2016-’18 — ever again? Perhaps not, but the fact Philadelphia has some big-time talent around Gregorius makes him worth of a starting spot at this point in his career.
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14. Amed Rosario, Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland has a new nickname and perhaps new approach to the game. How much longer will Jose Ramirez stay in town? Regardless, Rosario was a pleasant addition to the club last season, when he batted .282 with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs. He may not be the slickest fielder, but the former New York Met appears to have a bright future with the franchise. Especially if the Guardians decide to unload more high-priced talent.
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13. Willy Adames, Milwaukee Brewers
After wearing out his welcome with Tampa Bay amid last season, Adames might have saved his career with the Brewers. Escaping the cavernous arena that is Tropicana Field, Adames flourished in his new digs. The young SS hit .197 in 41 games for the Rays last season, but exploded for a .285 average with 20 homers and 58 RBIs in 99 games after being dealt to the Brewers in late May. He injected life into his new club en route to the franchise’s fourth straight postseason appearance. Now, it will be interesting to see what a full season in Milwaukee will be like for Adames.
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12. Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants
Crawford might be entering his 12th season in the majors, but he still remains among the class of the league. In 2021, Crawford won his fourth Gold Glove Award and was named to his third All-Star Game. Then, Crawford finished the season with career highs in batting (.298), home runs (24) and RBIs (90). Plenty of the attention this season will be on those marquee shortstops in new cities, but Crawford will likely remain successful in San Francisco.
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11. Fernando Tatis Jr./Ha-Seong Kim, San Diego Padres
The Padres’ ranking this high is for the simple fact Tatis is still the star of the team, even though he’ll be out for roughly three months with a broken left wrist after reportedly falling off a motorcycle. Just what the Padres needed. So, it will be interesting to see how Tatis fares when he’s ready to return. When healthy, Tatis is undoubtedly one of the best at the position — and one of the very best overall players in the sport. In the meantime, Kim, who batted .202 with 34 RBIs in 117 games last season, appears to be San Diego’s man at short. Of course, he’s coming off a hamstring injury, so Kim might not be totally 100 percent when the season starts.
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10. Dansby Swanson, Atlanta Braves
Swanson found his power in 2021. The 27 home runs he belted were a career high. He also drove in 52 runs while providing good speed on the basepaths and a reliable glove. Swanson wasn’t as successful at the plate during the postseason, but only made two errors during the Braves’ World Series run. The belief here is that Swanson will continue to provide some pop as he adds strength to his frame. The defending champions will certainly be invested in the former No. 1 pick’s development over the next year or so.
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9. Javier Baez, Detroit Tigers
Tigers fans are certainly excited to have a showman like Baez on the roster. But, for $140 million over six years, will that make them serious postseason contenders? Probably not this year. Still, Baez will put bodies in the seats, and provide an upgrade at a position that’s been rather forgotten in Detroit for years. Now, he might also drive Detroit fans crazy on more than one occasion, but that’s fine if he’s the reason the Tigers show significant improvement in 2022.
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8. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
There’s no doubt Lindor is a special player. However, is it fair to claim he might be trending in the overrated category? After all, Lindor hit a career-low .230 last season – his first as a Met — and had an OBP of .322. Now, Lindor did hit 20 home runs, and he no longer has to share the Broadway stage with the aforementioned Javier Baez. There will be plenty of eyes on Lindor this season, and the New York media should be ready to pounce if he gets off to a slow start.
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7. Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
For $325 million, spaced over 10 years, the Rangers got one of the best shortstops in the game. And, also brought in another former shortstop in Marcus Semien to play alongside him. It would be a huge ask for Seager to be able to transform the Rangers into a real postseason threat. This is not a complete team. Still, the fact this franchise spent a ton on a .297 hitter and premier athlete means it’s definitely worth watching.
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6. Wander Franco, Tampa Bay Rays
Including the postseason, Franco has played 74 games. That was enough, apparently, for Tampa to give him a $182 million contract over 11 years. Yes, the 21-year-old Franco is the present and future of a franchise that continues to overachieve. The sky is the limit for Franco, who batted .293 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs during last regular season and playoffs. Now, is this the guy that is capable of bringing a World Series title home for the small-market Rays? We’ll see.
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5. Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays
The buzz around Bichette is what kind of payday are we talking for the Blue Jays to keep him around? Coming off an All-Star season in his first full year in the majors, Bichette belted 29 homers and led all major-league shortstops with 102 RBIs. In 234 big-league games spanning three seasons, Bichette is a .301 hitter. Now, his 24 errors remain a concern. But, in all honesty, this guy is paid to hit. And, that’s what he’s doing.
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4. Xander Bogaerts/Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox
Wow, what a situation the Red Sox have here. With the recent addition of Story, for $140 million over six years, Boston has two elite shortstops on its roster. Now, the expectation is that Story will be moved over to second base with Bogaerts staying at shortstop – for the time being. And why not? Bogaerts is a three-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Award winner at the position. He’s a career .290 hitter with 141 homers and more than 600 RBIs over nine seasons for Boston.
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3. Trea Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers
With Corey Seager gone, Turner can move back to his usual shortstop spot. With Justin Turner at third base, and now Freddie Freeman playing first, the Dodgers have a superstar infield. And, at this point in their careers, Turner could be the best of the bunch. Since the start of the 2019 season, only one full-time major-leaguer has hit better than Turner’s .317 during that span. It’s hard to believe that Turner’s first All-Star appearance came last season.
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2. Tim Anderson, Chicago White Sox
Speaking of that full-time player who has hit better than Trea Turner since 2019. That would be Anderson. He’s batted .322 during that span, and can also hit for power with at least 10 homers in five consecutive seasons. It also appears that Anderson is getting his defensive act together. After committing at least 20 errors each season from 2017 to 2019, Anderson had just 10 through 122 gaems in 2021. Don’t be surprised if Anderson finds himself in the MVP conversation sooner rather than later.
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1. Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins
To say the baseball world was rather stunned with Correa signing $105.3 million for three years to play for the Twins would be an obvious understatement. Not that Minnesota isn’t worthy of his company. However, Correa seemed destined for a large market as the premier shortstop in the game. He has a career .837 OPS, his 489 RBIs are second-most of any shortstop since 2015 (behind only Xander Bogaerts), posted a 7.2 WAR last season and is a Platinum Glove winner. We cannot wait to see how this new relationship plays out.
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