2020 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings Top 40: Bo Bichette Ready To Breakout

Much like third base, there is actually a lot of depth at shortstop. Some of that can be chalked up to some multi-position eligibility, but there are a lot of options. Fernando Tatis Jr. is the biggest addition to the fantasy rankings top tier after last year. We have some new faces in new cities at this position, as Didi Gregorius is in Philadelphia. Jean Segura is moving to second base, and Scott Kingery is still a multi-position guy. All are quite underrated in terms of ADP. Bo Bichette is also another potential fantasy superstar, and is part of the young Toronto guys that are ready to break through.

RankNameTeamADPAUCPAABH2B3BHRRRBISBAVG
1Francisco LindorIndians8.4$40655.4588.1178.135.73.129.595.899.918.20.303
2Trevor StoryRockies10.8$39661.3594.0179.142.06.234.2110.2107.122.50.302
3Trea TurnerNationals10.1$40666.3604.9184.434.76.220.0103.081.442.80.305
4Javier BaezCubs40.4$27666.3617.8180.234.74.231.496.8102.017.10.292
5Fernando Tatis Jr.Padres16.8$36637.6573.2165.431.55.227.695.890.622.50.288
6Gleyber TorresYankees29.7$26648.5582.1170.730.52.131.493.794.87.50.293
7Ketel MarteDiamondbacks44.4$24665.3600.9187.636.86.221.995.890.69.60.312
8Xander BogaertsRed Sox37.7$25650.4578.2179.136.82.124.795.890.66.40.310
9Adalberto MondesiRoyals39.6$31620.7573.2149.528.49.417.191.755.647.10.261
10Manny MachadoPadres61.3$23672.2599.0174.931.52.133.390.6108.28.60.292
11Bo BichetteBlue Jays71.3$23617.8564.3167.541.03.118.186.573.118.20.297
12Jonathan VillarMarlins39.8$26633.6569.3151.625.23.116.284.561.839.60.266
13Marcus SemienAthletics87.9$16653.4579.2162.233.63.121.989.677.311.80.280
14Carlos CorreaAstros97.6$13642.5565.3164.332.62.129.596.896.83.20.291
15Tim AndersonWhite Sox98.1$19641.5606.9182.332.63.119.087.677.321.40.300
16Corey SeagerDodgers151.9$10616.8552.4165.439.92.120.984.588.61.10.299
17Amed RosarioMets134.8$14651.4607.9174.930.56.211.483.463.923.50.288
18Jorge PolancoTwins154.5$7650.4584.1172.835.75.217.189.676.28.60.296
19Elvis AndrusRangers134.1$12637.6587.1166.432.62.112.477.362.820.30.283
20Paul DeJongCardinals193.5$6648.5581.1157.934.72.128.582.493.76.40.272
21Scott KingeryPhillies162.9$9625.7574.2148.432.63.119.078.374.218.20.258
22Jean SeguraPhillies190.5$8646.5599.0182.329.43.112.482.471.119.30.304
23Lourdes Gurriel Jr.Blue Jays156.6$11577.2535.6147.329.42.122.873.176.27.50.275
24Didi GregoriusPhillies204.0$4604.9554.4153.727.33.123.876.283.47.50.277
25Dansby SwansonBraves251.8$3628.7562.3153.732.63.117.181.475.211.80.273
26Kevin NewmanPirates194.0$4536.6493.0145.227.33.16.762.854.616.10.295
27Willy AdamesRays303.4$2627.7564.3151.630.53.117.177.371.16.40.269
28Andrelton SimmonsAngels359.5$1619.7571.2161.127.32.111.473.163.910.70.282
29Nick AhmedDiamondbacks402.0$1637.6580.1151.631.54.217.177.375.28.60.261
30Carter KieboomNationals297.8$3441.5397.0104.921.01.011.452.554.63.20.264
31Freddy GalvisReds385.3$1584.1539.6141.025.23.117.168.069.07.50.261
32Luis UriasBrewers353.3509.9449.5119.824.22.19.559.752.54.30.266
33Brandon CrawfordGiants635.7546.5489.1126.126.33.111.458.761.83.20.258
34J.P. CrawfordMariners556.1615.8537.6128.326.33.111.464.952.57.50.239
35Jose IglesiasOrioles569.2567.3530.6150.526.32.18.662.851.510.70.284
36Miguel RojasMarlins574.0544.5500.9143.124.22.15.754.652.57.50.286
37Johan CamargoBraves627.6393.0358.498.620.01.011.446.449.41.10.275
38Jose PerazaRed Sox349.0$1274.2254.474.212.62.13.834.026.88.60.292
39Nicky LopezRoyals566.5539.6490.1135.722.15.23.858.742.27.50.277
40Chris TaylorDodgers468.5281.2252.570.015.82.17.639.134.05.40.277

Tier One (1-3)

Francisco Lindor comes in as the top option, even though there were other names that finished ahead of him in 2019. He had 30+ home runs and 101 runs. There are only a few 30 home run and 20 stolen base guys, and Lindor is one of them. He is reliable option and he kicks off the shortstop rankings with strong upside again. Lindor has 30+ home runs in three straight seasons, and has had 99+ runs in every full season he has. We should see a bounce back in RBI as well. This should be a better Cleveland lineup around him with some power options they brought in this and last season.

I have Trevor Story ahead of Trea Turner, and this is where you can see people differ. Story is the guy that I actually want at this position. Story has immense power and is still going to bring stolen bases. Turner will have more SB, but Story will have more power and RBI production. Over the last two seasons he has 50 stolen bases combined, and over 70 home runs as well. Story, much like the other Rockies guys, who sees a drop off on the road. His power falls off and his OBP also does as well. So that does come with it, but his overall numbers will be there.

Turner is a big stolen base threat. He had 35 last season, and has had 40 in each of the last two. Even when he missed time due to injury, Turner still had 30+ stolen bases. He projects over 40 again, and should be around the 20 home run mark. It will be interesting to see where he hits as well. Turner is one of those names who is a great fantasy play, yet I am not kicking myself if I don’t get him.

Tier Two (4-8)

Javier Baez has blossomed into a strong fantasy player, being a mix of power and speed. We saw the ceiling back in 2018, and that was over 160 games. He should get back to 90+ runs and 100+ RBI with 30 and 20 type potential in home runs and steals. Baez isn’t a big walk guy, and the strikeouts will be. So if you are playing OBP leagues you are going to take a bit of a hit. Fernando Tatis Jr is another young upcoming star who is being drafted as a 30 home run stud with 20+ stolen base potential. He projects for that, so I get it. The average won’t be there like last year, but it won’t be awful either. A full season of Fernando Tatis is going to be a fun one, and it could lead to San Diego taking a step forward.

Gleyber Torres and Ketel Marte are names I talk about more at second base, because they are ranked a bit higher there. Marte and Torres both have big power for the middle infield spots, and are going to bring a ton of runs and RBI. Marte will add a few more stolen bases than Torres. Both these names are strong options, and Marte is someone going a little bit later than some of the names above which is a big plus for his value.

Xander Bogaerts was one of the top fantasy bats last season. He topped 30 home runs, and had over 110 runs and RBI. His .384 OBP was also a plus. It was truly a big breakout for him, and he has been improving his hard-contact and groundball rate. One of the differences from him and some of the other shortstop options is that he doesn’t have stolen base potential.

Tier Three (9-14)

Adalberto Mondesi is someone who could lead the league in stolen bases. He had 43 in 102 games last season, and 32 in 75 games. Mondesi does have some pop as well, and getting close to 20 home runs is in his range of outcomes as well. There is no discount on Mondesi in drafts, so you will be paying for that upside. Manny Machado saw a drop off in RBI moving to San Diego, but the power was still there. He has hit 30+ home runs in five straight seasons. His average and on-base percentage also took a dip. Machado is being surpassed in the fantasy department, as guys with speed and power have moved up ahead of him. The ADP has taken a dip because of that as well. Still a solid option in the mid rounds

Bo Bichette is projected to hit leadoff for the Blue Jays, who are ready to roll in terms of their young talent. Bichette played 46 games last season, and had a .358 OBP and .260 ISO. He also had a few stolen bases. Bichette could easily be a 20/20 guy, and nobody would be surprised. He has speed and decent power. Bichette is also someone who projects incredibly well in the runs department.

Jonathan Villar is someone I am still on the ropes about. He has had a very up and down career, but one thing is for sure the speed and power are real. He had 111 runs in a full season with Baltimore, also posting 40 stolen bases and 24 home runs. Villar is just 28 years old, which might surprise you given he has been around the game forever. There will be a slight drop in power moving to Miami, but he will be a good source of stolen bases. I just feel we are overpaying a bit here.

Marcus Semien put it together last season with Oakland. He had 33 home runs and 123 runs. He also is going to add a few stolen bases as well. Last year was no fluke, and I like him again this season, especially hitting leadoff in front of those bats. Carlos Correa is a name that has all the talent in the world, but health has derailed his last few seasons. If he puts up a healthy season, then Correa is going to be a bargain. He has played 75, 110, and 109 games over the last three seasons.

Tier Four (15-18)

Tim Anderson was headed for another 20/20 season if he didn’t miss about 40 games. A high .399 BABIP gave him a career high .335 average, so that will go down a bit. I love Anderson in the middle rounds, as he is in a great White Sox lineup and ballpark. He doesn’t walk much, but is an improved contact bat from where he was the last few seasons. He should hover around 80-90 runs with 20/20 appeal. Anderson is going right around the 100th pick, so he is not a steal anymore.

After missing 2018 with an injury, Corey Seager started to look more like himself in 2018. He had a .272/.335/.483 slashing line, and hit 19 home runs. His hard-contact and overall batted ball stats were more impressive as the year went on. An ADP of 150 right now, Seager is looking to be a bargain hitting fifth or sixth in his Dodgers lineup. As long as he is healthy, we should see big upside from him for where he is going.

There are still some excellent shortstop options here, so the depth of this position is something to mention. Amed Rosario has been improving right before our eyes. He has dropped his strikeout rate from 28% to 18% over the last three seasons. The hard-contact is also on the rise in that span as well. Rosario has 20/20 upside, and the stolen bases will be there. He has had 24 and 19 over the last two seasons.

After being suspended in 2018, he had a full 2018 positing 22 home runs, 107 runs, 79 RBI and a .356 OBP. Polanco offers up strong value here in one of the best offenses in the bigs. Going about 150 picks into drafts, if you held off on shortstop, Polanco should be a name to keep an eye on.

Tier Five (19-24)

Elvis Andrus was a fantasy stud back in 2017, got injured in 2018 and then put together an underrated 2019. He hit .275 with 31 stolen bases and 12 home runs. Andrus never was a power bat, although things have been trending upwards a bit in that department over the last two seasons. Andrus is a nice middle infield piece on a site like ESPN with their roster format. If you are looking for consistent power, Paul DeJong is a big power bat. He should hit better than .233 with a drop in BABIP last season, and brings 30+ home run potential with strong numbers in runs and RBI. The more I look at this position, there is a lot of potential 25 spots in.

The Phillies have three eligible names at shortstop, as Scott Kingery, Jean Segura, and newly acquired Didi Gregorius are all in the infield. All three are expected to see full time. Did we forget about Gregorius? Sure he isn’t in New York anymore and was quickly pushed aside, but 20 home runs and strong numbers elsewhere in a plus hitters park is great news for his move. If I am loading up elsewhere, Gregorius is going to be my starting shortstop. Scott Kingery has a lot of flexibility and looks absolutely jacked heading into Spring. He is someone of interest, but not a must at his ADP. Jean Segura has a good chance to bring 15+ SB and a stable OBP to the table as well.

Tier Six (25-29)

Dansby Swanson is a name that could be a breakout threat. He should cross into double-digit steals again, and has 20+ home run upside. Swanson struggled in the second half with injuries, after accumulating most of his production int he first half. He hit .270, hitting all of his 17 home runs before the break. His strikeout rate was also below 20% in the first half, and then jumped 10% in the second. I like his potential late. Willy Adames is one of the many talented young Rays players, and should have a full time role in 2020. He has some pop, and run potential. There are still some full time names back here like Andrelton Simmons, who is a deeper shortstop option with good contact skills.

Tier Seven (30-35)

Carter Kieboom might need another year still before we see full time at-bats which is a disappointment, but he is a promising young player with upside. Freddy Galvis is a late power option who will have the benefit of playing with a strong Reds offense, as well as a friendly ballpark for power. Galvis should flirt with 70 runs and RBI alongside the potential for 20+ home runs. Much of the Giants names are in a similar boat, where they are just going to be full-time guys late in drafts to consider, who won’t kill your fantasy teams. Jose Iglesias is much of the same with Baltimore, but may chip in with a few more stolen bases for you.

Tier Eight (36-40)

Johan Camargo and Jose Peraza are two late round guys who are going to be splitting time for their respective teams. Otherwise they would be a lot higher draft picks. They are not the worst options in the world, and I prefer Camargo a bit  more here, even though Peraza is going higher in terms of ADP. Miguel Rojas and Nicky Lopez are two starting options, although their upside and overall fantasy excitement ins a bit limited. Chris Taylor is an odd man out of the loaded Dodgers lineup, and that means he will just be rotating around when guys need off-days. He might also see some time against left-handed pitching where he flashed some power last season. Overall the position is deep enough where you should need to settle on any of these names.

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Jason Guilbault is the Brand Content Manager for Lineups.com, powered by Catena Media. He has worked 10+ in the sports betting & iGaming space as a writer and content manager. Jason has also written for DailyFantasyCafe, NBAMockDraft, & FantasyPros. He aims to bring the best sports data & insight to the industry for both novice & advanced users.

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