On a recent spring afternoon, I hopped a DeLorean to go back to the future and discuss the top 100 prospects for 2021.
Then I built a quantum computer to predict next year’s dynasty landscape around the infield.
Today, I’ll post my updated shortstop list, share my thoughts on the process and synthesize conversations we had this week about the position’s future.
Rank | Player | Age | Team |
1 | Fernando Tatis Jr. | 21 | SD |
2 | Trea Turner | 26 | WAS |
3 | Trevor Story | 27 | COL |
4 | Francisco Lindor | 26 | CLE |
5 | Wander Franco | 19 | TB |
6 | Adalberto Mondesi | 24 | KC |
7 | Gleyber Torres | 23 | NYY |
8 | Xander Bogaerts | 27 | BOS |
9 | Javy Baez | 27 | CHC |
10 | Bo Bichette | 22 | TOR |
11 | CJ Abrams | 19 | SD |
12 | Tim Anderson | 26 | CHW |
13 | Amed Rosario | 24 | NYM |
14 | Carlos Correa | 25 | HOU |
15 | Marco Luciano | 18 | SF |
16 | Marcus Semien | 29 | OAK |
17 | Corey Seager | 25 | LAD |
18 | Jorge Polanco | 26 | MIN |
19 | Royce Lewis | 20 | MIN |
20 | Oneil Cruz | 21 | PIT |
21 | Bobby Witt Jr. | 19 | KC |
22 | Dansby Swanson | 26 | ATL |
23 | Jeter Downs | 21 | BOS |
24 | Noelvi Marte | 18 | SEA |
25 | Austin Martin | 21 | ?? |
26 | Carlos Colmenarez | 16 | ?? |
27 | Cristian Hernandez | 16 | ?? |
28 | Paul Dejong | 26 | STL |
29 | Didi Gregorius | 30 | NYY |
30 | Jazz Chisholm | 22 | ARI |
31 | Luis Angel Acuña | 18 | TEX |
32 | Maximo Acosta | 17 | TEX |
33 | Mauricio Dubon | 25 | SF |
34 | Willy Adames | 24 | TB |
35 | Nico Hoerner | 22 | CHC |
36 | Elvis Andrus | 31 | TEX |
37 | Jose Garcia | 22 | CIN |
38 | Robert Puason | 17 | OAK |
39 | Geraldo Perdomo | 20 | ARI |
40 | Greg Jones | 22 | TB |
41 | Casey Martin | 21 | ?? |
42 | Jon Berti | 30 | MIA |
43 | Ronny Mauricio | 19 | NYM |
44 | Orelvis Martinez | 18 | TOR |
45 | Myles Straw | 25 | HOU |
46 | Ed Howard | 18 | ?? |
47 | Luis Urias | 22 | MIL |
48 | Tyler Freeman | 20 | CLE |
49 | Jorge Mateo | 24 | OAK |
50 | Ji-Hwan Bae | 20 | PIT |
51 | Wilman Diaz | 16 | ?? |
52 | Nick Ahmed | 30 | ARI |
53 | Ha-Seong Kim | 24 | ?? |
54 | Andrelton Simmons | 30 | ATL |
55 | Freddy Zamora | 21 | ?? |
56 | Niko Goodrum | 28 | DET |
57 | Braden Shewmake | 22 | ATL |
58 | Bryson Stott | 22 | PHI |
59 | Liover Peguero | 19 | PIT |
60 | Jeremy Pena | 22 | HOU |
61 | Angel Martinez | 18 | CLE |
62 | Will Wilson | 21 | SF |
63 | Taylor Walls | 23 | TB |
64 | Luis Garcia | 19 | WAS |
65 | Keoni Cavaco | 18 | MIN |
66 | Cole Tucker | 23 | PIT |
67 | Eduardo Garcia | 17 | MIL |
68 | Orlando Arcia | 25 | MIL |
69 | Luis Guillorme | 25 | NYM |
70 | Thairo Estrada | 24 | NYY |
71 | Willi Castro | 22 | DET |
72 | Reggie Preciado | 16 | SD |
73 | Jeremiah Jackson | 20 | LAA |
74 | Gabriel Arias | 20 | SD |
75 | Brice Turang | 20 | MIL |
76 | Adam Hall | 20 | BAL |
77 | JP Crawford | 25 | SEA |
78 | Oslevis Basabe | 19 | TEX |
79 | Oswald Peraza | 19 | NYY |
80 | Kyren Paris | 18 | LAA |
81 | Freddy Galvis | 30 | CIN |
82 | Rafael Morel | 18 | CHC |
83 | Kendall Simmons | 20 | PHI |
84 | Yeison Santana | 19 | SD |
85 | Alexander Vargas | 18 | NYY |
86 | Andres Gimenez | 21 | NYM |
87 | Brayan Rocchio | 19 | CLE |
88 | Estiven Machado | 17 | TOR |
89 | Alejandro Pie | 18 | TB |
90 | Gunnar Henderson | 18 | BAL |
91 | Chris Taylor | 29 | LAD |
92 | Brainer Bonaci | 17 | BOS |
93 | Carson Tucker | 18 | ?? |
94 | Miguel Rojas | 31 | MIA |
95 | Vaughn Grissom | 19 | ATL |
96 | Kevin Made | 17 | CHC |
97 | Jose Salas | 16 | MIA |
98 | Alika Williams | 21 | ?? |
99 | Yiddi Cappe | 16 | MIA |
100 | Ehire Adrianza | 30 | MIN |
101 | Nander De Sedas | 20 | ?? |
102 | Yasel Antuna | 20 | WAS |
103 | Jose Fermin | 21 | CLE |
104 | Aeverson Artaega | 17 | SF |
105 | Jack Mayfield | 29 | HOU |
106 | Eddy Diaz | 20 | COL |
107 | Jose Devers | 20 | MIA |
108 | Jose Tena | 19 | CLE |
109 | Anthony Rodriguez | 17 | SF |
110 | Adael Amador | 17 | COL |
111 | Anthony Volpe | 18 | NYY |
112 | Juan Garcia | 17 | WAS |
113 | Jose Pastrano | 17 | CLE |
114 | Richie Martin Jr. | 25 | BAL |
115 | Brandon Crawford | 33 | SF |
116 | Jordy Mercer | 33 | DET |
117 | Tim Beckham | 30 | SEA |
Left off: Carter Kieboom, Manny Machado, Jean Segura
Great Scott!! Shortstop is the deepest position in dynasty—perhaps in the history of fantasy baseball—and it’s only getting deeper. Possible #1 draft pick The Ferrari Austin Martin and the two best international prospects in this year’s class, Carlos Colmenarez and Cristian Hernandez, will have to settle for taking the slow road up list mountain here, same as all the other helium-hungry young boppers making the climb.
Nonetheless, my initial list generated a lot less fervor than some other spots. Maybe it was the 116 names or even the fact that I’d called it Top 100, a word+letter combo puts my in a veg-out, list-scrolling state.
Whereas the Bregman Boys came out to light my Internet house afire in defense of their guy, Carlos Correa rallied little support. Perhaps even Houston fans have dimmed on the once-brightest bauble in baseball. More likely they and everyone else just realizes this position is crazy. An injury risk with no speed in the statline has no business near the top. He’s currently a resident at the Corey Seager center for misspent youth, so at least he won’t be lonely.
I struggled with where to rank Wander Franco. A lot of his fantasy fate will come down to whether he runs or not, and he’s already built like a 1990’s NFL fullback, so there’s at least a little fear the speed might be fleeting if he fills out any further. But hey, some of these big backs could fly.
Oneil Cruz and CJ Abrams, both with number one prospect upside, will also be ranked in the outfield. It’s Just likely Cruz lands at third base and Abrams at second, but I think they’re so good they’ll just play wherever the clubs need them when their time comes. Same could be said of almost all these guys, which is one reason this position looks the way it does. Teams keep everyone who can handle shortstop at the position until they absolutely have to play them elsewhere.
Now onto the conversations!
inab1gcountry: Brainer bonaci cannot be real person.
TheProspectItch: Some names really make you think . . .
Domino80: Genuine question. Is there a real usefulness to seeing a top list of 100 shortstops? Or any position for that matter?
TheProspectItch: You mean like, compared to developing a cure for Alzheimer’s or something?
Or compared to other fantasy baseball content?
Either way the answer is . . . hell if I know.
But I need to know replacement level to thrive in dynasty leagues. If I can trade the 27th shortstop believing he’s not that different from the free agent pool at the position, I’m doing that.
Or prospects: if I can trade from the known guys here and scoop a fast riser like Peguero or Rafael Morel, I’m doing that.
There’s profit in dynasty in having a decent grasp of the prospects just outside the known circle in a given league.
I’ve seen Estevan Florial traded at least five times—not because he’s an especially valuable piece but because he’s a known name. If you know the pool, you trade away guys like him. If you don’t, you wind up buying them from as throw-ins.
dorpedo2d: I find Rosario > Correa to be an interesting take. Rosario is on the waivers in my dynasty, while I have Correa and I am holding him with the expectation that he produces like a top 20-30 player when healthy. Your ranking is making me reconsider their values though.
TheProspectItch: Thanks! Rosario in the second half was finally finding himself. A 20/30 season with decent batting average is in his future imo.
Thanks for reading!
I’m @theprospectitch on Twitter.