Fantasy baseball 2020 tiered shortstop rankings
By Bill Pivetz
This tier of shortstops feature players with the ability to hit for power and contact while racking up a few steals.
Jonathan Villar, MIA
Villar found himself in or near the top-10 on both my second base and shortstop rankings. Playing in Miami may hurt his counting stats but he’ll still hit for a good average with the speed potential.
Manny Machado, SD
Machado fell in the same tier for both third base and shortstop. He hit well in his first year with the Padres. The team made a few improvements to the lineup, helping out the star third baseman. He’s a lock as a sixth-round pick.
If you’re looking for speed, Mondesi is the shortstop to target. In just 102 games, he recorded 43 steals. He coupled that with nine home runs, 62 RBIs and a .263 average.
With a full season on the horizon, we could see him finish with 60 steals and 15 home runs. The downside to owning Mondesi is the lack of contact. He won’t hit higher than .260 this season.
The top half of the Royals lineup is solid with Whit Merrifield, Mondesi, Jorge Soler and Hunter Dozier. Mondesi will get the counting stats without issue.
Gleyber Torres, NYY
Going from my No. 2 second baseman, Torres is my No. 8 shortstop. This position is a bit deeper than second base, so Torres falls a few spots. Either way, he’s going to be drafted in the third round.
Fernando Tatis, SD
With just a half-season of MLB action under his belt, Tatis is climbing the ADP charts. He did look good in those 84 games. Tatis hit .317 with 22 home runs, 53 RBIs and 16 steals. However, it may not continue this season.
Looking at the underlying metrics may lead to a regression in 2020. He had an 8.1 walk rate, 29.6 strikeout rate and 46.6 ground ball rate. Tatis will hit for power with speed but the average is going to fall to under .280.
Javier Baez, CHC
Baez was initially in the top-five tier but with other shortstops doing a little bit more with their bat or legs, he didn’t make the cut. He hit .281 with 29 home runs, 85 RBIs and 11 steals over 138 games.
The Cubs offense is one of the best in the National League. Baez is slated to hit third, between Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber. Baez will hit close to 30 home runs, 100 RBIs and .278 with 12 steals. The floor is high but the ceiling isn’t much higher. He’s worth a fourth-round pick.