Ranking Every MLB Team's Starting Shortstop for 2026 Season
Welcome to Bleacher Report's 2026 MLB preseason position rankings.
The first stop on our tour of the diamond is shortstop, a position that is loaded with established veteran superstars like Francisco Lindor (NYM), Corey Seager (TEX), Trea Turner (PHI) and Mookie Betts (LAD), as well as rising faces of the franchise like Bobby Witt Jr. (KC), Gunnar Henderson (BAL) and Elly De La Cruz (CIN).
Guys like Geraldo Perdomo (ARI), Jeremy Peña (HOU) and rookie Jacob Wilson (ATH) added further impact depth to the position with breakout 2025 seasons, and the next wave of talent is knocking on the door with elite prospects Kevin McGonigle (DET) and Konnor Griffin (PIT) expected to debut at some point in 2026.
Each team's expected primary starter for the 2026 season is included in the rankings, so while Ha-Seong Kim (ATL) and Anthony Volpe (NYY) will open the season on the injured list, they were their respective team's representative in the discussion.
Players are ranked based on expectations for the 2026 season. Offensive and defensive contributions were both considered, and past track records played a major role in determining each player's outlook.
Top Prospects Who Will Eventually Be Starting in 2026
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Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers (No. 1 on B/R Top 100)
After winning 2025 Arizona Fall League MVP honors with a gaudy .362/.500/.710 line and 12 extra-base hits in 90 plate appearances, and with a bona fide 70-grade hit tool, McGonigle is going to get a long look this spring for a spot on the Opening Day roster. With Javier Báez, Trey Sweeney and Zach McKinstry all capable of holding down the fort to start the year, the Tigers have the luxury of not needing to rush him, but he's more than capable of forcing their hand with a strong spring training.
Konnor Griffin, Pittsburgh Pirates (No. 2 on B/R Top 100)
The Pirates sent a very MLB-ready Paul Skenes down to the minors for a few weeks at the start of the 2024 season before he made his MLB debut, so fans would be wise to temper expectations on Griffin breaking camp with a roster spot. He has also played a grand total of 21 games at the Double-A level and zero at the Triple-A level, so there is a legitimate case to be made that he needs more seasoning. All of that being said, Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo are not going to stand in his way once he's ready.
Carson Williams, Tampa Bay Rays (No. 52 on B/R Top 100)
Williams has the best shot from this trio of being part of the Opening Day roster since he has already made his MLB debut, but a .172 batting average and 44 strikeouts in 106 plate appearances far from clinches the spot as the starting shortstop. The likely outcome will be rolling with glove-first Taylor Walls for a few weeks or months until Williams gets hot at Triple-A, then riding that momentum to a promotion.
Nos. 30-28
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30. Nick Gonzales, Pittsburgh Pirates
Offense: 408 PA, 84 OPS+, .260/.299/.362, 26 XBH (5 HR), 30 RBI
Defense: 109.0 INN, -1 DRS, 2 OAA
WAR: -0.6
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 draft on the strength of his offensive game, Gonzales has yet to put it all together in the big leagues, hitting .257/.300/.375 for an 87 OPS+ in 923 plate appearances over the last three seasons. He will likely split time with defensive whiz Jared Triolo until top prospect Konnor Griffin is ready to take over.
29. Taylor Walls, Tampa Bay Rays
Offense: 317 PA, 68 OPS+, .220/.280/.319, 19 XBH (4 HR), 38 RBI
Defense: 720.2 INN, 17 DRS, 1 OAA
WAR: 2.6
Walls is one of baseball's most valuable utility infielders, and with 19 extra-base hits and 14 steals, he was not quite a glove-only player even with his lackluster overall numbers. He will hold down the fort at shortstop until Carson Williams is ready, then serve as the primary backup across the infield.
28. Gabriel Arias, Cleveland Guardians
Offense: 471 PA, 76 OPS+, .220/.274/.363, 38 XBH (11 HR), 54 RBI
Defense: 862.0 INN, 3 DRS, 3 OAA
WAR: 1.1
With top prospect Travis Bazzana knocking on the door for the starting second base job, Arias could be pushed by Brayan Rocchio for playing time at shortstop in the not-too-distant future. Both are glove-first players, but Arias made a nice impact at the bottom of the lineup last year, as his 54 RBI were good for fourth on the team.
Nos. 27-25
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27. Brooks Lee, Minnesota Twins
Offense: 527 PA, 79 OPS+, .236/.285/.370, 32 XBH (16 HR), 64 RBI
Defense: 595.0 INN, -8 DRS, -1 OAA
WAR: -0.8
Lee split his time between shortstop (64 starts), third base (32 starts) and second base (29 starts) last season, but with Carlos Correa traded to the Astros at the deadline, he should be the everyday guy at shortstop in 2026. The 24-year-old has the offensive upside to be an impact player, but he will need to make more consistent hard contact after logging middling batted-ball metrics in 2025.
26. Ha-Seong Kim, Atlanta Braves
Offense: 191 PA, 83 OPS+, .234/.304/.345, 9 XBH (5 HR), 17 RBI
Defense: 361.0 INN, -3 DRS, -3 OAA
WAR: 0.3
Kim will be sidelined until at least mid-May after undergoing surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger suffered when he slipped on ice back home in South Korea. He will be the everyday shortstop once he returns after inking a one-year, $20 million deal, but that time missed costs him several spots in these rankings. Mauricio Dubón and Jorge Mateo will fill the void until he returns.
25. Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees
Offense: 596 PA, 83 OPS+, .212/.272/.391, 55 XBH (19 HR), 72 RBI
Defense: 1,303.2 INN, 2 DRS, -7 OAA
WAR: 1.6
Another starting shortstop who will start the year on the sidelines, Volpe underwent shoulder surgery in October and will miss at least the first month of the season. His offensive game has plateaued over his three years in the majors and his defense has actually regressed from his Gold Glove rookie campaign, so this could be a make-or-break season for him with prospect George Lombard Jr. quickly rising the ranks. Speedy José Caballero will handle shortstop duties while he is sidelined.
Nos. 24-22
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24. Javier Báez, Detroit Tigers
Offense: 437 PA, 87 OPS+, .257/.282/.398, 32 XBH (12 HR), 57 RBI
Defense: 427.2 INN, -1 DRS, -1 OAA
WAR: 1.9
Báez started 10 of the final 17 games at shortstop last season while the Tigers were chasing a playoff berth, so it stands to reason that he will be the primary guy there to open the year, though Trey Sweeney and Zach McKinstry will also be in the mix for playing time. Big picture, they're all just place-holders until Kevin McGonigle is ready, and that could be well before the All-Star break.
23. Joey Ortiz, Milwaukee Brewers
Offense: 506 PA, 66 OPS+, .230/.276/.317, 26 XBH (7 HR), 45 RBI
Defense: 1,217.2 INN, -2 DRS, 12 OAA
WAR: 0.3
Only 14 players logged at least 1,200 innings at shortstop last year, so Ortiz was nothing if not a stalwart at the position for a contending Brewers team. However, his offensive numbers plummeted from a rookie season where he posted a 102 OPS+ with 25 doubles, 11 home runs and 60 RBI, so he will be looking for a bounce-back year at the plate.
22. Ezequiel Tovar, Colorado Rockies
Offense: 390 PA, 83 OPS+, .253/.294/.400, 31 XBH (9 HR), 33 RBI
Defense: 800.2 INN, -2 DRS, 3 OAA
WAR: 0.6
Despite a strong glove and plenty of extra-base pop, Tovar remains hindered by his glaring lack of on-base ability and high strikeout rate. He also dealt with hip and oblique injuries in 2025, which limited him to 95 games. He is more than capable of landing somewhere closer to the middle-of-the-pack in these rankings, but he enters 2026 with more to prove than some others on the list.
Nos. 21-19
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21. Andrés Giménez, Toronto Blue Jays
Offense: 369 PA, 66 OPS+, .210/.285/.313, 19 XBH (7 HR), 35 RBI
Defense: 119.0 INN, 0 DRS, 0 OAA
WAR: 1.1
With Bo Bichette gone in free agency, Giménez will make the full-time shift to shortstop after winning three Gold Glove Awards at second base. The 27-year-old played almost exclusively shortstop in the minors, and he is more than capable of being a top-tier defender there as well, but his value is so reliant on his glove that it's hard to move him any higher in the rankings until a successful transition is made.
20. Otto López, Miami Marlins
Offense: 594 PA, 86 OPS+, .246/.305/.368, 36 XBH (15 HR), 77 RBI
Defense: 956.2 INN, 7 DRS, 4 OAA
WAR: 3.5
López shifted from second base to shortstop when Xavier Edwards landed on the injured list in mid-May, and the Marlins ultimately decided to make the move permanent, with Edwards ending up as a Gold Glove finalist at second base. Between his strong defense and a stellar .308/.366/.462 line with runners in scoring position, López might have been the most underappreciated 3-WAR player in baseball.
19. Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres
Offense: 552 PA, 99 OPS+, .263/.328/.391, 41 XBH (11 HR), 53 RBI
Defense: 1,083.1 INN, -4 DRS, 7 OAA
WAR: 2.0
After spending the 2024 season playing primarily second base in deference to Ha-Seong Kim, Bogaerts returned to shortstop and actually posted some of the better defensive metrics of his career. However, his offensive production continues to be lackluster, especially for a player set to earn $25.5 million annually through 2033. The 33-year-old has a 96 OPS+ in 1,015 plate appearances over the last two seasons.
Nos. 18-16
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18. J.P. Crawford, Seattle Mariners
Offense: 654 PA, 111 OPS+, .265/.352/.370, 36 XBH (12 HR), 58 RBI
Defense: 1,384.2 INN, -3 DRS, -12 OAA
WAR: 3.8
Crawford has quietly racked up 18.0 WAR over the last five seasons, good for 11th among all shortstops, and he is entering the final season of a five-year, $51 million extension. He is on track to be the top shortstop on the market next offseason, which provides plenty of additional motivation for him to build off a strong 2025 campaign in pursuit of a lucrative payday.
17. Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox
Offense: 654 PA, 104 OPS+, .263/.308/.433, 54 XBH (25 HR), 96 RBI
Defense: 1,371.1 INN, -7 DRS, -9 OAA
WAR: 3.8
Story was a non-factor during the 2023 and 2024 seasons, playing a combined 69 games and hitting .222/.285/.345 for a 72 OPS+ in what were the second and third seasons of his six-year, $140 million deal. The 33-year-old bounced back in a big way last season, with his 25-homer, 31-steal performance marking the fourth 20/20 campaign of his career and his first in a Red Sox uniform.
16. CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals
Offense: 635 PA, 111 OPS+, .257/.315/.433, 59 XBH (19 HR), 60 RBI
Defense: 1,224.1 INN, -6 DRS, -11 OAA
WAR: 3.4
Abrams has averaged 19 home runs, 36 steals and 3.4 WAR over the past three seasons, and he will play the entire 2026 season at the age of 25, making him one of the most productive young middle infielders in baseball. He probably fits better at second base defensively, and if the Nationals do pull the trigger on trading him to a contender, a position change will likely follow.
Nos. 15-13
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15. Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals
Offense: 537 PA, 90 OPS+, .253/.310/.363, 36 XBH (9 HR), 51 RBI
Defense: 1,107.2 INN, 2 DRS, 21 OAA
WAR: 2.2
The 2025 NL Gold Glove winner at shortstop, Winn has elite range and a rocket arm as the anchor of the St. Louis infield, and he profiles as one of the few cornerstone pieces of their upcoming rebuilding efforts. His OPS slipped from .730 to .673 last season and he went from a 4.9 WAR player to a 2.2 WAR player as a result, but he is still only 23 years old and more than capable of an uptick in production at the plate.
14. Colson Montgomery, Chicago White Sox
Offense: 284 PA, 130 OPS+, .239/.311/.529, 31 XBH (21 HR), 55 RBI
Defense: 502.2 INN, 7 DRS, 6 OAA
WAR: 3.3
Crushing 21 home runs in 71 games as a rookie immediately made Montgomery one of the most promising pieces on the White Sox roster, though a strikeout rate hovering around 30 percent could lead to some growing pains in his first full season. The 23-year-old had an inconsistent climb through the minor league ranks, but has All-Star upside if everything clicks.
13. Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs
Offense: 645 PA, 105 OPS+, .244/.300/.417, 51 XBH (24 HR), 77 RBI
Defense: 1,387.0 INN, 7 DRS, 2 OAA
WAR: 4.5
Swanson has played in 455 of 486 games since joining the Cubs on a seven-year, $177 million deal prior to the 2023 season, and alongside second baseman Nico Hoerner, is part of the best defensive middle infield in baseball. With his elite glove, the fact that he has a 102 OPS+ while averaging 25 doubles, 21 home runs and 74 RBI during his time with the North Siders is icing on the cake.
Nos. 12-10
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12. Jacob Wilson, Athletics
Offense: 523 PA, 121 OPS+, .311/.355/.444, 39 XBH (13 HR), 63 RBI
Defense: 1,053.2 INN, -10 DRS, -2 OAA
WAR: 3.0
With 27 walks, 39 strikeouts and seven hit by pitches, Wilson put the ball in play in a staggering 86 percent of his plate appearances as a rookie, and despite middling batted-ball metrics he still ranked in the 90th percentile in expected batting average. All that to say, he looks like an elite contact hitter, with enough extra-base pop and secondary impact to provide tremendous value on his new seven-year, $70 million extension.
11. Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels
Offense: 554 PA, 117 OPS+, .257/.319/.474, 56 XBH (26 HR), 62 RBI
Defense: 1,078.1 INN, 13 DRS, -8 OAA
WAR: 5.1
With back-to-back 5.1-WAR seasons, Neto is knocking on the door for a spot in the top tier of shortstops, and he has overtaken future Hall of Famer Mike Trout as the best all-around player on the Angels roster. Recovery from offseason shoulder surgery cost him the first 18 games of the 2025 season, or he might have been a 30/30 player.
10. Willy Adames, San Francisco Giants
Offense: 686 PA, 111 OPS+, .225/.318/.421, 54 XBH (30 HR), 87 RBI
Defense: 1,389.2 INN, -2 DRS, 5 OAA
WAR: 3.7
After a glacial start to his Giants career, Adames rebounded to post an .828 OPS with 18 home runs after the All-Star break, and by season's end he had put together a second straight 30-homer, 3-WAR campaign. His seven-year, $182 million contract represented a major splash for a Giants team that had often been shut out of the top-tier of free agency, and he looks poised for a big second season in San Francisco.
Nos. 9-7
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9. Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
Offense: 699 PA, 109 OPS+, .264/.336/.440, 60 XBH (22 HR), 86 RBI
Defense: 1,382.0 INN, -5 DRS, -3 OAA
WAR: 3.6
One of the most dynamic young talents in the sport, De La Cruz had a MVP-caliber first half (97 G, .854 OPS, 39 XBH, 18 HR, 25 SB) and a brutal second half (65 G, .666 OPS, 21 XBH, 4 HR, 12 SB), putting him at something of a crossroads. Is he a superstar on the rise, or a tantalizing talent who will never quite put it all together? At 24 years old, the smart money is still on him becoming one of the faces of the sport, but inconsistency and poor defense make it tough to rank him any higher for now.
8. Jeremy Peña, Houston Astros
Offense: 543 PA, 132 OPS+, .304/.363/.477, 49 XBH (17 HR), 62 RBI
Defense: 1,061.2 INN, 5 DRS, 8 OAA
WAR: 5.6
Peña burst onto the scene with a 5.0-WAR rookie season in 2022 that was capped off by ALCS and World Series MVP honors, and that loud start to his career made his good-not-great 2023 and 2024 seasons something of a letdown. The 28-year-old put that narrative in the rearview last year, adding 139 points to his OPS and earned his first All-Star selection en route to a 10th-place finish in AL MVP balloting.
7. Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks
Offense: 720 PA, 136 OPS+, .290/.389/.462, 58 XBH (20 HR), 100 RBI
Defense: 1,425.0 INN, 3 DRS, 5 OAA
WAR: 7.0
While he was an All-Star in 2023 and a 3.5-WAR player in 2024, Perdomo took his game to another level entirely last season, finishing seventh in the majors in WAR behind only Aaron Judge (9.7), Cristopher Sánchez (8.0), Shohei Ohtani (7.7), Paul Skenes (7.7), Cal Raleigh (7.4) and Bobby Witt Jr. (7.1). The only thing keeping him from ranking higher is a lack of elite-level track record compared to the five guys in front of him, but he has entered the upper echelon at the position.
Nos. 6-4
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6. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Offense: 663 PA, 104 OPS+, .258/.326/.406, 45 XBH (20 HR), 82 RBI
Defense: 1,278.0 INN, 17 DRS, 5 OAA
WAR: 4.9
Even playing shortstop on a full-time basis for the first time in his career and in a down year at the plate by his own lofty standards, Betts was still a 4.9-WAR player and a key cog in the Dodgers machine. Don't forget, he spent spring training battling a stomach illness that led to him losing 18 pounds before the season started, so his entire 2025 was an uphill battle from the start.
5. Corey Seager, Texas Rangers
Offense: 445 PA, 151 OPS+, .271/.373/.487, 40 XBH (21 HR), 50 RBI
Defense: 828.0 INN, 16 DRS, 4 OAA
WAR: 6.2
Injuries have limited Seager to 119, 123 and 102 games over the past three years, but he has still racked up 18.3 WAR during that stretch, good for the fourth-highest total among shortstops behind Bobby Witt Jr. (20.8), Gunnar Henderson (20.5) and Francisco Lindor (18.9). With five All-Star selections, two World Series MVP awards and 43.0 career WAR, he is on a potential Hall of Fame trajectory with more of the same in the coming years.
4. Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles
Offense: 651 PA, 121 OPS+, .274/.349/.438, 56 XBH (17 HR), 68 RBI
Defense: 1,249.2 INN, -3 DRS, -3 OAA
WAR: 5.3
In a season where few Orioles hitters lived up to expectations, Henderson remains one of baseball's elite offensive shortstops, though his 121 OPS+ represented a significant step down from the monster 155 OPS+, 9.1-WAR campaign he put together in 2024. Still only 24 years old, he is already the best shortstop to wear an Orioles uniform since Cal Ripken Jr. and a legitimate superstar already as he moves toward his prime years.
Nos. 3-1
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3. Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies
Offense: 639 PA, 121 OPS+, .304/.355/.457, 53 XBH (15 HR), 69 RBI
Defense: 1,216.1 INN, 2 DRS, 16 OAA
WAR: 5.4
Honus Wagner, Luke Appling and Nomar Garciaparra are the only other shortstops with multiple batting titles on their resume after Turner claimed NL honors last year to go along with his 2021 win. Aside from his impressive offensive numbers, he also logged some of the best defensive metrics of his career in 2025, rallying from an ugly minus-24 DRS over his first two seasons in Philadelphia.
2. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets
Offense: 732 PA, 129 OPS+, .267/.346/.466, 66 XBH (31 HR), 86 RBI
Defense: 1,374.0 INN, -1 DRS, 5 OAA
WAR: 5.9
Lindor was finally an All-Star as a member of the Mets for the first time last season, which is absurd when you consider he has piled up 27.3 WAR in his five seasons with the team and received MVP votes four different times. His 31-homer, 31-steals performance gave him his second 30/30 season in the last three years, and at 32 years old he is still at the top of his game and building a strong case for Cooperstown.
1. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals
Offense: 687 PA, 136 OPS+, .295/.351/.501, 76 XBH (23 HR), 88 RBI
Defense: 1,340.0 INN, 3 DRS, 24 OAA
WAR: 7.1
Witt saw his OPS drop 125 points last season and he still finished fourth in AL MVP voting, which is more of a testament to just how good his 2024 season was than any knock on last year's performance. He led the AL in hits (184) and doubles (47) while winning his second straight Gold Glove and Silver Slugger, and he has firmly established himself as the Royals' most talented player since Hall of Famer George Brett. At 25 years old, he is the unquestioned face of the franchise, best shortstop in baseball, and one of the best all-around players in the sport.
