4. Corey Seager
Were it not for a season-ending elbow injury, Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager may rank higher on this list. The 23-year-old is a two-time All-Star, won the 2016 NL Rookie of the Year, has two Silver Sluggers and finished third in the 2016 NL MVP vote. Seager’s loss has had a major impact on the Dodgers, who are floundering below .500 and struggling to score runs without their shortstop.
Seager has been the best player on the Dodgers since his arrival in the big leagues just in time for the 2015 playoffs. He hit .337/.425/.561 in 27 games and 113 plate appearances after his debut and has continued to do nothing but hit. Seager is a career .302/.372/.494 hitter with 86 doubles, 54 home runs and 179 RBI in 355 games at the MLB level.
As a hitter, Seager is extremely polished and sprays line drives all over the field. His power will continue to grow as he matures into his peak years. It is not a stretch to project him up to 30-35 home runs by the time he hits 30, barring another major injury.
Defensively, Seager is not as likely to turn in a highlight reel play as some of his fellow young shortstops, but he is steady in the field and has rated as an overall plus with the glove. A move over to third base is likely to come in his long-term future, if only to allow for more bulk and power to be added to his 6-foot-4 frame.