Fantasy Baseball: Valuable Shortstops Flying Under the Radar

Shortstop is one of the most difficult positions to address in fantasy baseball.

There's Troy Tulowitzki. There's Jose Reyes. There's Derek Jeter...and then it gets blurry.

If you weren't fortunate enough to land one of position's biggest names, here are four lesser-known shortstops who may be worth a look.

Jed Lowrie, Houston Astros

Current Numbers: .321 AVG, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .412 OBP

Owned in 49 percent of leagues (Yahoo! Sports)

Jed Lowrie was a solid shortstop as a four-year member of the Boston Red Sox, but he appears to blossoming into a much more productive player since making his move to Houston.

After tallying just six home runs and 36 RBI through 309 AB in 2011, Lowrie has already notched four homers and 12 RBI in 2012.

While he's not a superstar by any means, he could be a perfect fit for any fantasy owner in need of an everyday shortstop, and also has third base eligibility in many formats.

Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners

Current Numbers: .289 AVG, 4 HR, 17 RBI, .310 OBP

Owned in 28 percent of leagues (Yahoo! Sports)

In his first full MLB season, Kyler Seager is quickly becoming one of the Seattle Mariners' most dependable offensive weapons.

Sure, Seattle's offense is nothing to write home about, but Seager's 28 hits and 17 RBI still make him a viable fantasy option. Even more enticing for fantasy owners is Seager's versatility. He's a third baseman by trade, but has shortstop eligibility as well.

Don't expect mind-blowing numbers, but he could certainly be a servicable utility man at the very least. Considering he's only owned in 28 percent of leagues, he could very well be floating around your waiver wires.

Rafael Furcal, St. Louis Cardinals

Current Numbers: .342 AVG, 2 HR, 15 RBI, .409 OBP

Owned in 73 percent of leagues (Yahoo! Sports)

It wasn't long ago that Rafael Furcal was one of MLB's premier shortstops, and this season he has shown glimpses of his old self.

Benefiting from the explosive hitters accompanying him in the St. Louis batting order, the 34-year-old veteran has already recorded 40 hits and scored 22 runs—both very impressive numbers.

If Furcal is still available in your league, consider yourself lucky.

Zack Cozart, Cincinnati Reds

Current Numbers: .271 AVG, 3 HR,7 RBI, .333 OBP

Owned in 34 percent of leagues (Yahoo! Sports)

While the Cincinnati rookie has fallen off a bit as of late, he still has the potential to be an incredibly valuable fantasy asset.

When he's hot he is one of the National League's most dangerous young hitters, and considering the fact that he bats ahead of two RBI machines in Jay Bruce and Joey Votto, his run-scoring potential is unlimited.

His recent struggles have caused him to slip down the fantasy rankings a bit, but don't hesitate to pick him up as he's likely to bounce back in a big way.