At first glance, shortstop looks deep with plenty of great options, but just like a good well, they eventually will dry up. By the time you get through the first five rounds at least eleven and possibly more of the shortstops ranked below will be off-the-board. There are also numerous multi-position eligible players at shortstop, which again puts pressure on the position. One can go from riches to rags very quickly. Take what the draft gives you, but don’t let the top-tier shortstop pass you by. This year, wander Franco is not included in the rankings as the odds of seeing him play in MLB in 2024 are minuscule, at best.

1. Bobby Witt Jr., KCR – Sophomore slump? Not in the cards for the 23-year-old stud. Witt Improved in virtually every offensive category and looks set to be an overall Top-5 pick for years to come.

2. Trea Turner, PHI – It took Turner a while to get rolling last year, but he compensated for a spotty start in his new home in Philadelphia by posting 16 homers with 46 RBI in August and September. He was a perfect 30-for-30 on the basepaths, and for the sixth time in eight years, he has reached the 30 stolen base plateau. What’s not to like?

3. Francisco Lindor, NYM – Met’s fans have clearly forgotten about that horrid 2021 debut. The past two years have seen Lindor produce stellar numbers, and there’s no reason to think that 2024 will be any different.

4. Gunnar Henderson, BAL – 2023 was an outstanding year for the 22-year-old star, but there is still room for improvement. Is a 30 home run, 90 RBI, 110 runs scored with 15 stolen bases season in his future? I wouldn’t bet against it. 3B-84

5. Corey Seager, TEX – 30 home runs, 90 RBI, 90 runs scored, and a .285 BA as a floor makes Seager one of the best low-risk picks in the game.

6. Elly De La Cruz, CIN – He hits the ball a ton and runs like the wind. The only question would be the hit tool and his “Baezish” approach to swinging at any and everything. There is risk, but it doesn’t come without some amazing potential rewards. 3B-32

7. CJ Abrams, WAS – CJ Abrams hit two home runs and stole seven bases in 284 at-bats as a rookie in 2022. In 2023, he hit 18 home runs and stole an eye-popping 47 bases in 563 at-bats. Of those 47 stolen bases, 33 came after the All-Star break. Has any player elevated his stock more in one year than Abrams?

8. Matt McLain, CIN – McLain was moving up the NL ROY ranks quickly until he was sidelined by a strained oblique that cost him the month of September. The MLB resume might be short, but the skills are anything but short. 2B-37

9. Ha-Seong Kim – I don’t know if Kim will attain the lofty level he accomplished in 2023 (38 SB), but 30 thefts should be within reach. Toss in 15-20 home runs with that multi-position eligibility, and you have a player who should be on everyone’s radar. 2B-106, 3B-32

10. Nico Hoerner, CHC – If you want a Top-10 SB threat and a handful of home runs, Hoerner’s your guy. Could a 50-stolen-base season be in his future? 2B-135

11. Bo Bichette, TOR – 25, 13, and 5 are relatively important numbers. Those are the stolen base totals produced by Bo Bichette over the past three years, starting with 2021. Remember those numbers when you sit down to draft this Spring.

12. Ezequiel Tovar, COL – Tover enjoyed a solid rookie campaign, slugging 15 homers, driving in 73 runs, and swiping 11 bases. What makes this accomplishment even more impressive is he posted those numbers as a 21-year-old with only 285 at-bats above High-A. If you told me he’s a Top-10 shortstop heading into 2025, I wouldn’t debate that point.

13. Anthony Volpe, NYY – Expectations were high for the young shortstop. Were they potentially too high? A 21 homer 24 stolen base season as a rookie is pretty darn good, but there is no doubting that.209 BA leaves a bit to be desired. Better days could be right around the corner.

14. Dansby Swanson, CHC – If you were looking for a repeat of the great 2022 season, you were likely disappointed by his ’23 effort. Drop the bar a bit. There’s nothing wrong with low-20’s power, 80-to-90 RBI, and ten thefts with a .250 BA.

15. Trevor Story, BOS – A full season from Trevor Story is more than likely a 20-20 campaign. The last time we saw an entire season of Trevor Story was in 2021.

16. Oneil Cruz, PIT – I get it. That was quite the half-season produced by Cruz in 2022, but I’m not paying for it this year. I’ll let someone else roll the dice after the fractured ankle and subsequent surgery that cost him the entire 2023 season.

17. Xander Bogaerts, SDP – Bogaerts set a single-season high in stolen bases with 19, but who didn’t see their SB numbers rise with the rule changes implemented last year? With each passing year, that great 2019 season looks more and more like an outlier.

18. Thairo Estrada, SDP – Estrada is a very solid option as a mid-teen power/20+ stolen base middle-infielder. Set the bar at a reasonable level, and it won’t lead to disappointment. 2B-101

19. Jackson Holliday, BAL – Another talented young Baltimore prospect is on the cusp of a debut. Jackson Holliday could be better than his father, and Dad was a good player.

20. Willy Adames, MIL – You can pencil in mid-20 home run power and a low BA. Those strikeout numbers are on the verge of alarming, and he likely won’t improve as he approaches his 30s.

21. Carlos Correa, MIN
22. Tommy Edman, STL 2B-51, OF-49
23. Luis Rengifo, LAA 2B-66, 3B-23, OF-21
24. Orlando Arcia, ATL
25. J.P. Crawford, SEA
26. Jeremy Pena, HOU
27. Ezequiel Duran, TEX 3B-22, OF-35
28. Liover Peguero, PIT 2B-33
29. Chris Taylor, LAD 3B-28, OF-60
30. Javier Baez, DET
31. Geraldo Perdomo, ARZ 2B-28
32. Masyn Winn, STL
33. Brice Turang, MIL 2B-119
34. Zach McKinstry, DET 2B-48, 3B-52, OF-57
35. Vaughn Grissom, BOS
36. Marco Luciano, SFG
37. Jose Caballero, TBR 2B-64
38. Zach Neto, LAA
39. Jordan Lawler, ARZ
40. Taylor Walls, TBR 2B-37, 3B-39
41. Jorge Mateo, BAL
42. Miguel Rojas, LAD
43. Jon Berti, MIA 3B-41
44. Gabriel Arias, CLE 1B-35
45. Enrique Hernandez, FA 2B-36, OF-36
46. Paul DeJong, CWS
47. Joey Wendle, NYM
48. Aledmys Diaz, OAK 3B-40
49. Tim Anderson, FA
50. Kyle Farmer, MIN 2B-45, 3B-43
51. Osleivis Basabe, TBR
52. Amed Rosario, 2B-36
53. Colson Montgomery, CWS
54. Jackson Merrill, SDP
55. Elvis Andrus, FA 2B-63
56. Garrett Hampson, KCR OF-53
57. Braden Shewmake, CWS
58. Adalberto Mondesi, FA
59. Darell Hernaiz, OAK
60. Nasim Nunez, WAS