Who’re the perfect shortstops in baseball proper now? Effectively, let’s simply say an inventory of the highest shortstops in 2024 is as deep and aggressive as you’ll discover at any place. Among the gamers within the sport right now may nearly go toe-to-toe with a few of the greatest shortstops in MLB history. For sure, these gamers are additionally among the many finest shortstops in 2024.
Greatest MLB Shortstops Forward of the 2024 Season
In a dialog in regards to the prime shortstops in 2024, who would make the lower? Extra importantly, who deserves to be listed on the prime? That is absolutely a subject that ought to generate loads of debate. To throw our two cents into the dialog, right here is our rating of the ten finest shortstops in 2024.
10. CJ Abrams
Full disclosure, there have been numerous good candidates for the ultimate spot in our prime 10. However 23-year-old CJ Abrams has arguably the perfect upside of the shortstops we thought-about.
His 47 stolen bases in 2023 stood out essentially the most. His 18 dwelling runs didn’t harm both. Abrams has the potential to be a dynamic shortstop in the future. He would possibly want one other 12 months or two within the majors to start out fulfilling his potential, however he’s undoubtedly on the radar.
9. Ha-Seong Kim
The truth that the Padres are shifting Xander Bogaerts to second base to make Ha-Seong Kim their on a regular basis shortstop says loads. Defensively, he can deal with himself. Offensively, there’s nothing improper with hitting 17 homers and stealing 38 bases, which is what Kim did in 2023.
Now that he’s solidified his job, there isn’t any purpose that Kim can’t be even higher this 12 months.
8. J.P. Crawford
The Mariners are lastly seeing the J.P. Crawford they thought they had been getting once they traded for him 5 years in the past. He lastly loved a breakout season in 2023, contributing 35 doubles and 19 dwelling runs whereas producing an OPS of .818.
The previous first-round choose nonetheless has to place collectively back-to-back seasons like that, however Seattle is clearly optimistic that’ll be the case.
7. Elly De La Cruz
Presumably, Elly De La Cruz will emerge as Cincinnati’s on a regular basis shortstop in what’s a crowded infield. His numbers final season didn’t match the hype and tailed off after his scorching begin.
However the expertise to be a top-flight shortstop is undoubtedly there. De La Cruz performed simply 98 video games in 2023, however that was sufficient to gather 35 extra-base hits and 35 stolen bases. He’s a dynamic expertise and could possibly be nearer than we expect to being a top-flight shortstop.
6. Bo Bichette
At age 26, Bo Bichette seems to be growing because the Blue Jays anticipated. Prior to now three years, he’s been an all-star twice and led the American League in hits twice.
Bichette additionally hit over .300 with 53 extra-base hits in 2023. Defensively, Bichette nonetheless has some points, which hurts his standing among the many different elite shortstops in baseball. Nonetheless, his offensive upside stays extremely excessive heading into the 2024 season.
5. Dansby Swanson
With back-to-back all-star choices and back-to-back Gold Gloves on his resume, Dansby Swanson absolutely belongs among the many finest shortstops in baseball.
After signing with the Cubs final 12 months, his numbers got here down slightly. Nonetheless, there’s nothing improper with 20-plus doubles and 20-plus homers from top-of-the-line defensive shortstops in baseball. He nonetheless brings loads to the desk for the North Siders.
4. Trea Turner
A giant contract got here with huge expectations for Trea Turner, and sadly, he fell slightly flat throughout his first season in Philly. However let’s not child ourselves, Turner remains to be an elite shortstop.
Even in a down 12 months that noticed his OPS fall in need of .800 for the primary time since 2018, Turner nonetheless hit 26 homers and stole 30 bases. He continues to have 30-30 potential and is strong defensively. Even when he’s on the improper facet of 30, there ought to be little question that Turner is a top-notch shortstop.
3. Bobby Witt Jr.
The longer term could possibly be now for Bobby Witt Jr. and the Royals. His exploits in 2023 earned him an 11-year, $288.7 million extension earlier this spring.
The 23-year-old appears to be value it after hitting 30 dwelling runs and stealing 49 bases final season. Witt additionally drove in 98 runs whereas main the American League in triples. To place it one other approach, he’s a flexible and gifted younger shortstop who is just going to get higher in 2024 and past.
2. Francisco Lindor
So far as two-way shortstops go, it doesn’t get a lot better than Francisco Lindor. He was robbed of a Gold Glove in 2023, as he routinely confirmed his athleticism in a post-shift world. That alone makes him a priceless commodity.
One may argue that his bat has been slightly inconsistent since becoming a member of the Mets in 2021. However he began to get on observe final 12 months with an OPS of .806. Lindor additionally joined the 30-30 membership for the primary time in 2023, which ought to set him up for one more wonderful marketing campaign for the Mets in 2024.
1. Corey Seager
After successful World Sequence MVP honors for the second time in 4 seasons it could nearly be disrespectful to not label Corey Seager as the perfect shortstop in MLB proper now. After all, earlier than his playoff heroics for the Rangers, Seager hit .327 with a 1.013 OPS throughout the 2023 common season.
His lackluster 2022 marketing campaign is trying like an aberration in comparison with every little thing else Seager has performed during the last handful of years. He’s hit over .300 in three of the final 4 seasons and hit over 30 homers in back-to-back years. That mixture of common and energy is sufficient to make him MLB’s finest shortstop.
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