Fantasy Baseball 2013: Top 25 Shortstops Heading into Spring Training

The following countdown details my top 25 shortstops heading into the 2013 fantasy season, with an emphasis on 5x5 roto leagues.

Unlike previous years, I'm actually happy with the various levels at shortstop in terms of elite talent at the top, admirable depth down the line and a bevy of under-26 dynamos with high ceilings.

It's a good group.

Young/new players worth watching in March: Jurickson Profar (Rangers) and Hiroyuki Nakajima (Athletics).

Enjoy the show!

Best of the Rest

Shortstop Rankings: 17 through 25

17. Zack Cozart, Reds (above)

18. Marco Scutaro, Giants

19. Jhonny Peralta, Tigers

20. Hiroyuki Nakajima, Athletics

21. Jurickson Profar, Rangers

22. Everth Cabrera, Padres

23. Yunel Escobar, Rays

24. Stephen Drew, Red Sox

25. Adeiny Hechavarria, Marlins

25a. Jed Lowrie, Athletics

16. Jean Segura, Milwaukee Brewers

2012 Stats: 7 HR, 44 RBI, 57 Runs, 37 Steals, .304 BA (Minors) 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Jean Segura was seemingly the jewel of the Zack Greinke trade last summer, when the Brewers landed the Angels' top prospect (not named Mike Trout).

2. At 23 (his age on March 17), Segura could enjoy an Alcides Escobar-esque breakout this season (20-plus steals).  

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

Segura has 30 steals and 100 runs in his future. But right now, he's merely an upside-based, hope-for-the-best pick.

15. Andrelton Simmons, Atlanta Braves

2012 Stats: 3 HR, 19 RBI, 17 Runs, 1 Steal, .289 BA (49 games) 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. In 930 minor league at-bats (2010-12), Andrelton Simmons posted three-year tallies of 53 steals, .299 batting and a .352 on-base percentage.

2. As the Braves' entrenched shortstop, Simmons won't have to fear any sustained benchings during hitting droughts.

3. In limited action last year, Simmons had five different hitting streaks of three games or more. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

Simmons is a classic flier pick in 12-team roto drafts. If he falters in his first full MLB season, so be it. Just replace him with a surging asset.

14. Alexei Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

2012 Stats: 9 HR, 73 RBI, 59 Runs, 20 Steals, .265 BA  

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Alexei Ramirez notched a career-high 20 steals last season.

2. From a splits standpoint, Ramirez posted three months of .290-plus batting and five months of double-digit RBI.  

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

1. Ramirez missed out on double-digit homers for the first time last year.

2. There is no excuse for A-Ram's .287 OBP. Hopefully, it was just a one-year flameout.

13. J.J. Hardy, Baltimore Orioles

2012 Stats: 22 HR, 68 RBI, 85 Runs, .238 BA  

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. J.J. Hardy has averaged 26 homers, 29 doubles, 74 RBI and 81 runs over the last two seasons.

2. At 30 years old, he still has a chance for 30 homers—especially in a cozy park like Camden Yards.  

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

1. In eight MLB seasons, Hardy has two years with an OBP less than .300 (2006, 2012).

2. Power potential aside, he is essentially a three-category asset.

12. Erick Aybar, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2012 Stats: 8 HR, 45 RBI, 67 Runs, 20 Steals, .290 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Erick Aybar has quietly tallied a Wins Above Replacement (WAR) value of 4.0 in each of the last two seasons.

2. In that span, he has also averaged nine homers, 32 doubles, 69 runs, 25 steals and .285 batting.

3. Aybar won't kill his owners in any 5x5 leagues. In fact, among his positional brethren, he might post top-seven finishes in runs, steals and batting. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

No complaints here. Aybar is a perfect late pick, anytime after Round 19.

11. Josh Rutledge, Colorado Rockies

2012 Stats: 8 HR, 37 RBI, 37 runs, 7 Steals, .274 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. This ambitious endorsement of Josh Rutledge is a leap-of-faith pick. For starters, the kid will be busy mastering a new position (second base).

Which brings me to this: On draft day, Rutledge will likely only have shortstop eligibility. But that'll change sometime around April 20.

2. In 211 career games in the minors (2010-12), Rutledge had a .320 batting average and .496 slugging percentage—strong numbers that were slightly diluted by his prolonged slump from three years ago.

3. Playing in the thin Colorado air, Rutledge could hit 15 homers this season.

4. He will be a top-five sleeper in mid-March. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

Heading into his age-24 season, it's possible that Rutledge remains a year or two way from deserving a top-15 ranking among middle infielders.

But that's a chance I'm willing to take...anytime after Round 20.

10. Elvis Andrus, Texas Rangers

2012 Stats: 3 HR, 62 RBI, 85 Runs, 21 Steals, .286 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Elvis Andrus has averaged 29 doubles and 29 steals in the last two years.

2. Last year, Andrus notched career highs in hits (180), doubles (31), triples (nine) and RBI (62).  

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

1. Heading into his age-24 campaign, he likely won't reach 10 homers for a fifth straight time.

2. With the Rangers' lineup undergoing some changes, Andrus might have missed his immediate window for 100 runs.

9. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees

2012 Stats: 15 HR, 58 RBI, 99 Runs, 9 Steals, .316 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Last season, Derek Jeter notched 200 hits for the eighth time in his Hall of Fame-bound career.

2. When healthy, he's seemingly a lock for 13 homers, 10 steals, 90 runs and a .307 batting average. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

1. Coming off major surgery during the offseason (ankle), Jeter's pre-draft value will likely plunge to Round 17.

2. Don't let the respectable ranking fool you: Few expect him to be snagged within the first 140 picks.

8. Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals

2012 Stats: 5 HR, 52 RBI, 68 Runs, 35 Steals, .293 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Last year, Alcides Escobar established new career highs in hits (177), homers, RBI, steals, on-base percentage (.331), slugging and OPS.

2. He notched 61 steals over the last two seasons.

3. From a splits perspective (2012), Escobar posted four months of double-digit runs and four months of .291 batting or higher.

4. This time next year, he could be a top-six shortstop. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

Escobar had five months of zero or one homer last season.

7b. Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians

2012 Stats: 16 HR, 68 RBI, 70 Runs, 9 Steals, .270 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. The consistent Asdrubal Cabrera represents a healthy lock for 18 homers, 34 doubles, 80 RBI, 82 runs and a .272 average during his prime years.

2. The biggest wild card: steals. If Cabrera registers at least 14 thefts, he'll likely be worth every penny on the auction market.

3. Heading into his age-27 campaign, he is a viable candidate for a 20-20 season. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

Splits-wise, Cabrera didn't bat above .275 for July, August or September last year. That's hard to figure.

7. Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay Rays

2012 Stats: 20 HR, 74 RBI, 84 runs, 14 Steals, .270 BA


Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. As expected, Ben Zobrist had difficulty matching his superb numbers from 2011—particularly in runs, homers and RBI. However, the drops in production were only marginal, in most cases.

2. Zobrist has notched 20 homers in the previous two seasons; and for 2009-2011, he averaged a clean 88 runs per year.

3. Heading into his age-32 season, Zobrist has evolved into a safe bet for 18 homers, 85 RBI, 16 steals, 90 runs, 42 doubles, 150 hits, .268 batting average and a scintillating walk-to-strikeout rate. He's a supreme target for owners who crave modest, five-category goodness.

4. Adding to his stealth value, Zobrist has triple-position versatility (2B/SS/OF).


Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

Next year, Zobrist might exclusively be an outfielder in fantasy circles. But that sounds like a job for...Future You.

6. Hanley Ramirez, Los Angeles Dodgers

2012 Stats: 24 HR, 92 RBI, 79 Runs, 21 Steals, .257 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Hanley Ramirez fared better in 64 games with the Dodgers (10 HR, 44 RBI, .271 BA) last year, compared to the 93 games with the Marlins (.248 batting).

2. Of the last six seasons, Ramirez topped the 20-homer mark five times.

3. Downward trends aside, he is still a good candidate for 20 homers/20 steals at age 29.

4. Ramirez has dual-position eligibility (SS/3B). 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

1. Han-Ram hasn't sniffed a .500 slugging rate in the last four seasons—a status he attained with the Marlins from 2007-09.

2. The days of Ramirez cruising past 100 runs sometime in early September are seemingly long gone.

3. It's hard to justify Ramirez's 132 strikeouts last year—a career high (or low).

5. Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia Phillies

2012 Stats: 23 HR, 68 RBI, 102 Runs, 30 Steals, .250 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. In 2012, Jimmy Rollins enjoyed his best fantasy season since 2007 (NL MVP that year). It was also his fourth 20-30 campaign in the last seven years.

2. Heading into his age-34 season, Rollins remains a good bet for 20 homers, 25 doubles, 27 steals and 95 runs.

3. For rosters full of high-average studs, it makes perfect sense to splurge for him after Round 7.

4. Judging fantasy shortstops can be a subjective process. For example, in some circles, Rollins has enough cachet to merit a No. 2 ranking among his positional brethren. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

1. It would be presumptuous to think Rollins could replicate last year's run total (102) with a .316 on-base percentage.

2. The ship has probably sailed on Rollins breaking .265 batting in a full season.

4. Ian Desmond, Washington Nationals

2012 Stats: 25 HR, 73 RBI, 72 Runs, 21 Steals, .292 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Last season, Ian Desmond established career highs in homers, RBI, runs, doubles (33), batting average and on-base percentage (.335).

2. Check out his absurd tallies from June (5 HR, 20 RBI, 11 runs, .301 batting), July (4 HR, 10 RBI, 12 runs, .356 batting) and September (6 HR, 15 RBI, 17 runs, .315 batting).

3. The above numbers make it impossible for me to rank Desmond below Hanley Ramirez. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

Injuries are a minor concern with Desmond. But I'd be willing to chance that anytime after Round 5.

3. Starlin Castro, Chicago Cubs

2012 Stats: 14 HR, 78 RBI, 78 Runs, 25 Steals, .283 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Heading into his age-23 campaign, Starlin Castro is on a reasonable path for 18 homers, 80 RBI, 85 runs and 30 steals.

2. He has missed only four games in two years—a credit to his durability at a demanding position.

3. The Cubs star has incrementally increased his walks each season.

4. Castro has averaged 195 hits in the last two seasons.

5. In 2012, he posted stellar marks with two outs in an inning: six homers, 35 RBI, 12 steals, .304 batting, .346 OBP and .452 slugging.  

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

1. The Cubs are far from a juggernaut right now, meaning Castro will (again) be called upon to carry a pedestrian lineup.

2. From a splits perspective, Castro posted four months of two or fewer home runs.

2. Jose Reyes, Toronto Blue Jays

2012 Stats: 11 HR, 57 RBI, 86 Runs, 40 Steals, .287 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Jose Reyes has averaged 36 steals and 90 runs over the last three seasons (2010-12).

2. Regardless of batting average, he is essentially a lock for an OBP at .345 or higher.

3. The magic number for Reyes owners: 50—as in the combination of homers and steals.

4. For what it's worth, he has amassed 103 triples over his last seven full seasons. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

Reyes is a very risky pick at No. 2. Please don't consider him until Round 3.

1. Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies

2012 Stats: 11 HR, 57 RBI, 86 Runs, 40 Steals, .287 BA 

Reasons To Love This Ranking

1. Among shortstops, Troy Tulowitzki (89 homers from 2009-11) is still the best bet for 30 dingers.

2. He also has the greatest capacity for 110 RBI—although that may be an ambitious figure.

3. The 28-year-old Tulo is still young enough to pull off double-digit steals.

4. From 2009-11, Tulowitzki had monster averages of 30 homers, 97 RBI, 90 runs, a .304 average, .376 OBP and .554 slugging. 

Reasons To Loathe This Ranking

1. Tulowitzki hasn't completed a season of 152 or more games since 2007.

2. Tulo may be the kingpin of shortstops (in my mind), but only as a Round 2 pick.