After looking at what could easily be considered the strongest fantasy position, we dive into one of the weaker. Shortstop has its fair share of strong players and very valuable players, but its shortcoming comes in depth. The position has its fair share of names that can help owners and are draftable in deeper leagues but just not as valuable in smaller leagues like eight- or ten-team leagues.
Shortstop has a very interesting mix of players ranging from power hitting threats to 30+ stolen-base guys or a mix of both. In a draft, it may be a smart idea to grab on early to be safe and even grab a good backup since owners do not want to get stuck with the lower-tier shortstops. While every shortstop technically has something to bring to the table, each player has the potential to hurt owners just as much as help, so be aware of that. Getting a backup shortstop is an over precaution that owners will give thanks for later since many of the top shortstops are actually major injury threats; losing them can cripple an offense without a backup plan.
Troy Tulowitzki
2015 Predictions: .320/.390/.550, HR-24, RBI-60, R-80, SB-5
Tulo is easily the best of the fantasy bunch when it comes to shortstop. The 2014 season was an insane year for the young man hitting his prime. He ending the season with a .340/.432/.609 slash line with 21 home runs, and he was one of the only Rockies in 2014 to hit well away from home. Some regression is going to happen since a .400 OBP and .600 SLG seems like a tall order to repeat, but with his talent, it is very much a possibility.
Tulo does come with an achilles heel, rib, wrist, foot -- just about everything since healthwise he just is not reliable in the least. Getting Tulo is a big boost to owners, and getting a backup shortstop is almost a requirement since he will likely miss at least 15 games or more in 2015.
Hanley Ramirez
2015 Prediction: .290/.380/.450, HR-20, RBI-90, R-70, SB-10
One of the most consistent problems Boston has had in the last 10 years or so has been a lack of a solid shortstop, and they finally have one --one that they originally had but traded away thinking they could fill that void. Oh the hindsight! Jokes aside, Ramirez is a fine shortstop when healthy, and now with his going to hitter-friendly Fenway, we could see him really come alive with his power/speed combo that could get owners a 20/20 season.
With his new team, maybe he will have more RBI since he will likely bat in the middle of the order. Last year was a solid year, but injuries really hampered him and plagued fantasy owners at the end of the season.
Ian Desmond
2015 Prediction: .260/.320/.450, HR-24, RBI-95, R-70, SB-20
Ian Desmond is a pretty large power threat when it comes to shortstop, and he comes with the added bonus of being fast as well. The 2014 season marked his third 20/20 season in a row, and at the young age of 29, a fourth is not out of the realm of possibilities. Unlike the two shortstops above him, Desmond has only one injury-shortened season in his career so far and has played 154+ games in each of his other seasons, so a backup shortstop is not as mandatory.
So why is he third on this list if he is more reliable in health and the power/speed combo? Desmond’s 2014 OBP is a little worrisome, and the 6% raise in strikeouts from his career total is nothing to ignore either. Its very possible that putting him third versus putting him on top of the list, as other sites have him, is an overreaction, but he has just as much of a chance to return to the .320 OPB than back to the .335.
Jose Reyes
2015 Prediction: .290/.330/.400, HR-10, RBI-55, R-80, SB-25
Reyes is an old 31, having missed time do to injuries in three of the last four seasons and missing pretty significant time in those three years. When healthy, Reyes is a stolen-base machine and on a good offense He is healthy now, and many runs scored will come his way. Good contact ability mixed with a good eye makes him a threat to get on base through his bat or the walk if needed, and the little pop he has in his bat makes him a strong shortstop for owners to consider.
Starlin Castro
2015 Prediction: .295/.340/.430, HR-15, RBI-65, R-80, SB-8
What do we do with this guy? Not even a year ago, most people thought he was on his way out of Chicago. Then, overnight he is back to being the player they wanted him to be. Castro is a good contact hitter with just enough pop in the bat to make pitchers worry.
Castro's biggest question is not skill -- that has never been in question; it is his consistency since 2013 was such a let down for owners and considering how many shortstop prospects the Cubs have. If any owner out there is considering Castro, then go for it; just keep an eye on him. In 2014, he was much closer to the Castro we expect; that does not mean, though, the Castro of 2013 is gone forever.
Alexei Ramirez
2015 Prediction: .270/.310/.410, HR-16, RBI-80, 80, SB-25
Ramirez is the opposite of Castro since the odds are better that Ramirez will end up with more power numbers than Castro but also end up with a worse slash line. Another potential 20/20 guy, Ramirez is a good player for teams that are punting stats like batting average and OBP but want to keep those power numbers. Ramirez signals the last chance to get a power hitting shortstop that is not going to hurt owners as much in other stats.
Ben Zobrist
2015 Predictions: .275/.350/.400, HR-7, RBI-55, R-80, SB-1
The trade that sent Zobrist to the A’s was quite a shock since most people had assumed he was going to the Giants. In fantasy terms, neither was a great destination for him since both are pretty well-known for playing in hitters' parks. When it comes to fantasy, Zobrist is the start of a long line of second basemen that are good options but lack power. The odds that Zobrist returns to that 20-home run hitter we saw from 2009-2012 are small, but he still has 10-home run upside even in Oakland.
It is more than likely that Zobrist will be utilized in the two hole so he will be in a prime position to get some good runs scored totals and the occasional stolen base. Zobrist is not likely to rock the world with his slash line, but .275 is not bad, and his ability to get on base by the walk and limiting the strikeouts will be a strength if the A’s do bat him second. Zobrist’s biggest strength is versatility since he qualifies for three positions and all three are shallow. Zobrist is probably a fifth-round guy on name value alone, but that seems about right with what managers will be getting from him.
Elvis Andrus
2015 Prediction: .279/.320/.330, HR-4, RBI-30, R-70, SB-30
Andrus has not been exactly fantasy-friendly the last few years. In 2012, he had his career-best slash line at .286/.349/.378 but only stole 21 bases, more than 10 fewer bases than his average up till that point. Then in 2013, we saw a return of the stolen bases when he got 42 swipes but then had his second worst slash line of his career. In 2014, he ended up as a mix of 2012 and 2013, a mix of the bad parts but a mix of the seasons nonetheless. Andrus is still only 26. The speed has not left him, but owners who draft him need to really be sure they are confident in that pick because he is one of the last options.
Danny Santana
2015 Prediction: .290/.330/.400, HR-10, RBI-50, R-80, SB-29
Danny Santana made a name for himself in 2014 by having a very strong rookie campaign. He comes with skills that fantasy owners are going to one day love since Santana combines a little bit of pop (10 home run power) and good speed and base-running ability that could get owners 30 stolen bases. Looking at his Minor League numbers, there is a chance of regression in things like batting average and OBP since he did have a pretty high BABIP in 2014. While speed does usually account for higher BABIP, it is doubtful he can repeat a .405 BABIP. Santana ranks below Andrus for one reason: experience and time. Owners should wait for a good second season to see if Santana could repeat even just a fraction of what he did in 2014.
Jimmy Rollins
2015 Prediction: .245/.310/.305, HR-10, RBI-55, R-70, SB-20
There is not much to say here since Rollins is very much the bottom of the barrel, and owners drafting him know what to expect from him. Rollins has a little pop in the bat that can net owners 10 or so home runs -- maybe even 15 if he has a good year. He may still have the wheels to get at least 20 stolen bases, and that has value.
The major problem with Rollins is that he has a very high chance of hurting owners with a very below average slash line. Rollins is pretty much Alexi Ramirez with a worse slash line, and if an owner get stuck with him as the team's starter, then make sure there is a backup plan.
Rising/Falling Stock
- Rising Stock
Danny Santana: Personally, this is one of my must-watch players. With many tantalizing skills that owners will love to have on their team, Santana ranks right up there with other top-watched players. At only 24, Santana is young enough for owners to really get a good look at him for a long time and see how he develops.
Xander Bogaerts: One of last year's top rookies, he sort of lived up to some of the expectations. Bogaerts started off hot and looked like he could challenge for Rookie of the Year honors, but, sadly, he fell off after two months of solid play. He is young and has much to learn and while the hype train has left his station for fellow Boston prospects, that does not mean owners should ignore Bogaerts, who could have a sneaky good 2015. He showed the skills in those first months, and that is enough to wet the appetite of watchful and patient owners.
Javier Baez: While not personally a big fan of his, there is no way to deny the potential. Baez came up with the same hype among owners when Mike Trout and Bryce Harper were rookies. Baez has power and lots of it, last year hitting a home run about every 25th plate appearance. If we stretch that to a full season, that is approximately 23 home runs. That is a strong total for a rookie, but that just does not justify the horrendous 41.5% strikeout rate. He struck out every 2.4 plate appearances, and that translates to 250 strikeouts in a season. There is a lot to like about Baez if he can start making contact, but until then, he is a watcher and maybe a keeper in deeper leagues.
- Falling Stock
Jimmy Rollins: He is old, and he is losing many of the skills that made him famous. He is not going to steal often, and the power is fading fast along with his contact ability. He is still draftable and usable, but owners should not look to him as their teams' starting shortstop.
Erick Aybar: There always seems to be this air about him that Aybar has been some top shortstop and deserves top respects. He does not walk, makes poor contact, does not steal, does not hit for power. Worst of all, these have all been happening during what should be his career years. Much like Rollins, he is still usable but nothing more than as a backup.
Alexi Ramirez: The numbers just continue to slowly drip down, and with that goes his value. One of the major reasons Ramirez has value is his power, and 2014 was the first season since 2011 in which he hit double digits in home runs. Speed is still there, but with no ability to walk, his steals fully rely on his getting hits ,and he is not known for getting into slumps. Even at 33, though, the skills regression is coming slowly for him, but has at least three more good years left in him if he can keep up this pace.