Fantasy baseball 2020 tiered shortstop rankings
By Bill Pivetz
The shortstops in this tier are almost top-10 options. There may be some regression to their seasons but won’t let you down in any one category.
Elvis Andrus, TEX
After playing in just 97 games in 2018, he bounced back nicely last season. The longtime Rangers shortstop finished with 12 home runs, 72 RBIs and .275 He also stole 31 bases, the most since 2013.
Drafting Andrus may not be a “sexy” pick or excite fantasy owners but he’s been a consistent contributor for years. If you want to wait to draft a shortstop, Andrus will be there for you. The Rangers lineup, at least the top-half, will score some runs.
Corey Seager, LAD
Seager is a few years removed from his 2016 Rookie of the Year season. He won’t get back to those numbers but what he does do won’t hurt you. He hit .272 with 19 home runs, 87 RBIs and 44 doubles.
With the addition of Mookie Betts and the continued performance from Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger, Seager falls to the No. 6 spot in the Dodgers lineup. I’ve mentioned before the negatives of having someone hit in the bottom of the lineup, but the Dodgers lineup may be a little different and give more opportunities to Seager and others.
Jorge Polanco, MIN
Polanco had his best season to date. He hit 22 home runs, 79 RBIs and .295 in 153 games. He doesn’t have the speed anymore but his bat is valuable as a starter in AL-only leagues or as a utility player in mixed leagues.
The Twins lineup looks dangerous on paper. Polanco is slated to his second, between Max Kepler and Nelson Cruz. He’ll have no issue scoring another 100 runs with 20-plus home runs and a .285 average.
Carlos Correa, HOU
If Correa could play in a full season on a consistent basis, he would be ranked higher. However, with just one full season, which came in 2016, you can’t draft Correa earlier than his 10th round ADP.
When he’s on the field, Correa hits for power and contact. He finished with a .279 average, 21 home runs and 59 RBIs in just 75 games last year. But, as the Astros No. 7 hitter, he won’t get the same chances to drive in runs as his contemporaries. I wouldn’t want to invest an earlier-than-necessary pick on Correa.
Tim Anderson, CWS
I would rather have the season Anderson put up last season than what he did in 2018, despite missing 30 games. He hit 18 home runs, 56 RBIs and .335 with 17 steals. Now, if he can stay on that pace for a full season, he’s a lock for a top-10 spot.
The White Sox added Yasmani Grandal, Edwin Encarnacion and Nomar Mazara to the lineup. Anderson is the likely leadoff hitter and with those guys hitting behind him, Anderson should have no problem scoring 90 runs with 20 home runs, 20 steals and a .290 average.
Marcus Semien, OAK
After five seasons of being a middle-of-the-road shortstop, Semien put together an MVP-like season. He hit .285 with 33 home runs, 92 RBIs and 10 steals. For fantasy, he finished ahead of Lindor, Turner and Torres.
The A’s lineup is mostly unchanged from last season. With Semien as the leadoff hitter, he’ll be able to hit for contact while stealing another 10 bases. I don’t think he’ll hit 33 home runs again but finishing with 25-28 is still not a bad season from an eighth round pick.
Bo Bichette, TOR
Getting the call at the end of July, Bichette came out swinging. In 46 games, he hit 11 home runs and 21 RBIs with a .311 batting average. With a full season coming up, Bichette could be another hitter to reach 30 home runs this season.
The first four hitters in the Blue Jays lineup are under 27 years old. It’s a young team with a lot of upside. Bichette is the Blue Jays leadoff hitter with Cavan Biggio hitting right behind him. I don’t think he hits 30 home runs this year but could finish with 24 and .280.