B/R's Undisputed MLB Shortstop Rankings

There is a solid case to be made that shortstop is the most important position on the diamond, and it is perennially home to some of the biggest stars in the sport as a result.

Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. has firmly established himself as the face of the position in recent seasons, but behind him is an impressive collection of established veterans and rising stars.

Focusing solely on the 2026 season, we've ranked the shortstop performance of all 30 MLB teams.

The important distinction there is shortstop units as a whole, not individual players. That will be important in cases like the Detroit Tigers, where Kevin McGonigle has been fantastic, but has also split his time almost evenly between shortstop and third base.

Offensive and defensive contributions were both weighted heavily, and where teams are leaving the position at the end of 2026 was also a consideration. Looking at you, Kaelen Culpepper and the Minnesota Twins!

Let the debate begin!

Nos. 30-29

G Fiume/Getty Images

Ezequiel Tovar

30. Colorado Rockies

Primary Starter: Ezequiel Tovar

Supporting Cast: Willi Castro

Ezequiel Tovar ranks 140th among 141 qualified hitters with a 54 OPS+ on the year, and he has also slid from a Gold Glove winner to a slightly below-average defender (-2 DRS, 0 OAA) in just two short years. Despite those struggles, he has started 119 games at shortstop, and he has four years remaining on his seven-year, $63.5 million extension.

29. Boston Red Sox

Primary Starter: Trevor Story

Supporting Cast: Andruw Monasterio, Marcelo Mayer, Isiah Kiner-Falefa

It has been another injury-plagued season for Trevor Story following his 2025 rebound. When he has managed to take the field, he has posted a 71 OPS+ and a 31.7 percent strikeout rate in 48 games. After Marcelo Mayer received a brief trial, suffered an injury and was eventually traded, Andruw Monasterio provided serviceable play at shortstop in Story's absence.

Nos. 28-27

Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images

Taylor Walls

28. Tampa Bay Rays

Primary Starter: Taylor Walls
Supporting Cast: Ben Williamson, Jorge Mateo

The Rays continue to use glove-first Taylor Walls as their primary shortstop, as he has made 109 starts at the position, despite hitting a punchless .218/.304/.292 on the year. Former top prospect Carson Williams has had three separate stints on the big league roster this year, going a combined 4-for-37 with 13 strikeouts.

27. Atlanta Braves

Primary Starter: No One
Supporting Cast: Mauricio Dubón, Ha-Seong Kim, Jim Jarvis, Jorge Mateo

The Braves signed Ha-Seong Kim to a one-year, $20 million deal during the offseason, but shortstop has been a revolving door. Utility man Mauricio Dubón leads the team with 43 starts, and the four players listed above have hit a combined .222/.275/.329 on the year. On a positive note, they do rank 13th in total defensive value at the position.

Nos. 26-25

Rob Tringali/Major League Baseball via Getty Images

George Lombard Jr.

26. Seattle Mariners

Primary Starter: J.P. Crawford
Supporting Cast: Colt Emerson

With J.P. Crawford in the final season of a five-year, $51 million deal, the Mariners tried transitioning to top prospect Colt Emerson as the starting shortstop in June, with Crawford shifting to third base. However, he hit just .190/.246/.335 in 69 games while playing through a wrist injury that eventually required season-ending surgery, and now the position is in flux looking ahead to 2027.

25. New York Yankees

Primary Starter: George Lombard Jr.
Supporting Cast: José Caballero, Anthony Volpe

José Caballero was tasked with holding down the fort at shortstop when Anthony Volpe was sidelined to start the year, and if not for his early production, the Yankees would rank even lower. Volpe (194 PA, 82 OPS+) struggled upon returning, and touted rookie George Lombard Jr. (99 PA, 79 OPS+) has not been an upgrade since taking over as the starter.

Nos. 24-23

Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images

Cooper Pratt

24. Milwaukee Brewers

Primary Starter: Cooper Pratt

Supporting Cast: Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton

The Brewers passed the baton from light-hitting Joey Ortiz to top prospect Cooper Pratt at shortstop on June 16, shifting Ortiz into a third base platoon with David Hamilton. All three have started games at shortstop in the past month, and the unit has produced a .228/.313/.309 line. Still, Pratt is the long-term answer after signing an eight-year, $50.75 million extension before his debut.

23. Athletics

Primary Starter: Jacob Wilson

Supporting Cast: Alika Williams, Darell Hernaiz

Jacob Wilson will be a staple on the Athletics infield for the foreseeable future after inking a seven-year, $70 million extension in February, but a left shoulder injury sidelined him for a month in May and eventually required season-ending surgery in August. In his absence, Alika Williams (190 PA, .273/.310/.438, 1.5 WAR) has been a nice under-the-radar contributor.

Nos. 22-21

Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images

Kaelen Culpepper

22. Pittsburgh Pirates

Primary Starter: Konnor Griffin
Supporting Cast: Jared Triolo, Jacob Gonzalez

A 91 OPS+ and 1.3 WAR over 62 games in an injury-plagued rookie campaign might seem like a flop for Konnor Griffin after he entered the year as the No. 1 prospect in baseball, but it's easy to forget he is still only 20 years old. The future is bright, even if the present falls more into the "meh" category for Pittsburgh's shortstop production.

21. Minnesota Twins

Primary Starter: Kaelen Culpepper
Supporting Cast: Brooks Lee, Ryan Kreidler, Tristan Gray

Kaelen Culpepper made his MLB debut on Aug. 7, and he has provided a middling Twins team with reason for optimism. The 23-year-old is batting .297/.350/.451 for a 124 OPS+ with eight extra-base hits and 0.7 WAR through his first 25 games in the big leagues, and with Brooks Lee making a full-time move to third base in May, he has a clear runway to be the guy at the position going forward.

Nos. 20-19

Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

Willy Adames

20. Philadelphia Phillies

Primary Starter: Trea Turner

Supporting Cast: Edmundo Sosa

Trea Turner begins a group of established veterans who occupy the next several spots in these rankings. They are underperforming, but they still provide their teams with stability. With a .239 average and 78 OPS+ in 138 games, Turner has been a shell of the player who won the NL batting title and finished fifth in NL MVP balloting a year ago, but he has started 135 of 143 games at shortstop.

19. San Francisco Giants

Primary Starter: Willy Adames

Supporting Cast: Christian Koss

With a 100 OPS+ and 21 home runs in 121 games, Willy Adames has again been a consistent source of power production, but a career-low .289 on-base percentage and poor defense (-5 DRS, -17 OAA) have severely limited his secondary contributions. Christian Koss has taken over as the starter since Adames hit the injured list on Aug. 23 with an elbow injury.

Nos. 18-17

Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images

Xander Bogaerts

18. San Diego Padres

Primary Starter: Xander Bogaerts
Supporting Cast: Sung-Mun Song

Xander Bogaerts has a career-low 80 OPS+ this season, hitting .218/.318/.320 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI, but he has provided some speed (20 SB) and passable defense (-6 DRS, 2 OAA) to help push him ahead of a few other veterans. Durability also remains an underrated part of his value, as he has started 132 of 143 games.

17. New York Mets

Primary Starter: Francisco Lindor
Supporting Cast: Bo Bichette

A calf injury cost Francisco Lindor two months during the first half of the season, and he's never really caught fire the way he has in the past after a slow start. His 103 OPS+ and 1.2 WAR in 86 games are still passable production, while Bo Bichette made 44 starts back at his natural position filling in for him before returning to the hot corner.

Nos. 16-15

Tanner Pearson/Getty Images

Masyn Winn

16. Toronto Blue Jays

Primary Starter: Andrés Giménez
Supporting Cast: Ernie Clement

Andrés Giménez proved he could play a standout shortstop down the stretch last season, which helped make it easier for the Blue Jays to let Bo Bichette walk in free agency. His defensive metrics (1 DRS, 18 OAA) are terrific, but there's not much meat on the bone offensively with a .242/.288/.352 line, leaving him a 0.9-WAR player overall.

15. St. Louis Cardinals

Primary Starter: Masyn Winn
Supporting Cast: JJ Wetherholt, Thomas Saggese

An elite defender (8 DRS, 15 OAA) with limited offensive impact (86 OPS+, 26 XBH), Masyn Winn has settled in as a largely one-dimensional shortstop who figures to be a perennial Gold Glove contender. He is currently sidelined with a fractured thumb, and Thomas Saggese has been on fire since being recalled from Triple-A as a replacement.

Nos. 14-13

Alex Slitz/Getty Images

Colson Montgomery

14. Chicago White Sox

Primary Starter: Colson Montgomery
Supporting Cast: Luisangel Acuña

In his first full season in the big leagues, Colson Montgomery leads all shortstops with 31 home runs. He also leads the AL with 197 strikeouts, and has batted .212/.292/.437 for a 102 OPS+ despite that power production. So while his impact has been loud, it has also been largely one-dimensional.

13. Cleveland Guardians

Primary Starter: Brayan Rocchio
Supporting Cast: Angel Genao

After a 1.9-WAR rookie season in 2024 propped up by his defense and a demotion back to Triple-A last year when he logged minus-0.2 WAR in 115 games, Brayan Rocchio has officially turned a corner. The 25-year-old is hitting .246/.306/.378 with 20 doubles, 13 home runs, 60 RBI, 18 steals and 2.3 WAR while continuing to provide reliable defense.

Nos. 12-11

Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Gunnar Henderson

12. Baltimore Orioles

Primary Starter: Gunnar Henderson
Supporting Cast: Blaze Alexander

After 6.1, 8.8 and 5.4 WAR seasons to begin his run as an everyday player in the big leagues, the 2026 campaign has been an unquestionable step backward for Gunnar Henderson. The 25-year-old still has 22 home runs and 2.4 WAR, but his .220/.304/.399 line equates to a 99 OPS+, and his batted-ball metrics are down across the board.

11. Detroit Tigers

Primary Starter: Kevin McGonigle
Supporting Cast: Javier Báez, Zach McKinstry, John Peck

There are not five players mentioned in this article having a better overall season than Kevin McGonigle. However, with 75 starts at shortstop and 60 starts at third base, the Tigers essentially get 55 percent credit for his production. The other 45 percent has been mostly Javier Báez (74 OPS+, -0.7 WAR) and recent call-up John Peck, with an occasional Zach McKinstry start, and that drags them down to the middle of the pack.

Nos. 10-9

Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

Mookie Betts

10. Los Angeles Dodgers

Primary Starter: Mookie Betts

Supporting Cast: Miguel Rojas, Hyesong Kim

With a .246/.308/.423 line and 100 OPS+ on the year, Mookie Betts has not been his usual impactful self offensively, but he has still been a 2.6-WAR player thanks in large part to his glove. The defensive metrics (7 DRS, 10 OAA) are good enough that he has a chance to join Darin Erstad (1B, OF) and Plácido Polanco (2B, 3B) as the only players to win a Gold Glove at multiple positions.

9. Houston Astros

Primary Starter: Jeremy Peña

Supporting Cast: Nick Allen, Carlos Correa

Now in his fifth big league season, Jeremy Peña has racked up 21.5 WAR during his time in the big leagues. A hamstring injury cost him a month during the first half, but he has still logged a 119 OPS+ with 17 home runs and 3.1 WAR in 94 games. His rapidly approaching free agency after the 2027 season will be a major story during the offseason, especially after some summer trade rumblings.

Nos. 8-7

Norm Hall/Getty Images

Geraldo Perdomo

8. Los Angeles Angels

Primary Starter: Zach Neto
Supporting Cast: Oswald Peraza

Speaking of summer trade rumblings, Zach Neto looks like a legitimate candidate to be dealt this winter as the Angels continue dismantling an underperforming roster. The 25-year-old is one steal away from his third straight 20/20 campaign, and he is also on track to be the Angels' team leader in WAR for the third time in a row.

7. Arizona Diamondbacks

Primary Starter: Geraldo Perdomo
Supporting Cast: Ildemaro Vargas

After leading NL position players with 7.1 WAR and posting a 137 OPS+ in a breakout season a year ago, Geraldo Perdomo has had a less impactful follow-up campaign. However, his standout defense (7 DRS, 13 OAA) and 102 OPS+ are still enough to make him a 4.3-WAR player, and he has started 139 of 142 games for the D-backs.

Nos. 6-5

Matt Dirksen/Getty Images

Dansby Swanson

6. Chicago Cubs

Primary Starter: Dansby Swanson

Supporting Cast: Nico Hoerner

While his offense has been roughly league average through his time on the North Side, Dansby Swanson has now piled up 16.6 WAR over the first four seasons of his seven-year, $177 million contract. He has a 92 OPS+ with 18 home runs and 66 RBI, and a solid case (5 DRS, 16 OAA) for his third Gold Glove.

Slick-fielding second baseman Nico Hoerner has done a stellar job filling in for Swanson since he was sidelined on Aug. 16 with an oblique strain.

5. Texas Rangers

Primary Starter: Corey Seager

Supporting Cast: Ezequiel Durán, Nicky Lopez

Durability remains the biggest concern with Corey Seager. He has a 114 OPS+ and 2.4 WAR, but he has suited up for just 84 games while navigating a nagging back issue.

In his absence, super-utility man Ezequiel Durán has made 47 starts at shortstop. The 27-year-old is enjoying the best season of his career, hitting .277/.337/.457 for a 129 OPS+ with 26 doubles, 17 home runs, 78 RBI and 4.8 WAR.

Nos. 4-3

G Fiume/Getty Images

CJ Abrams

4. Washington Nationals

Primary Starter: CJ Abrams
Supporting Cast: Nasim Nuñez

An All-Star Game starter and a solid candidate for the NL Silver Slugger this year, CJ Abrams is hitting .264/.342/.500 for a 129 OPS+ with 30 home runs, 95 RBI and 28 steals.

However, the defensive side of his game has lagged behind his bat by a considerable margin, and based on metrics (-2 DRS, -17 OAA) he might be the worst defensive shortstop in baseball. That's how good he's been offensively, for him to still be a 4.6-WAR player.

3. Miami Marlins

Primary Starter: Otto Lopez
Supporting Cast: Javier Sanoja

There are only eight qualified players with a .300 batting average right now, and Otto Lopez is the only shortstop in the bunch. The 27-year-old is hitting .302/.339/.439 for a 120 OPS+ with 31 doubles, 10 home runs, 63 RBI, 30 steals and 5.5 WAR in 140 games.

With standout defensive metrics (9 DRS, 12 OAA) to go along with that excellent production at the plate, he has quietly put together a top-tier season across the shortstop landscape.

Nos. 2-1

Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images

Bobby Witt Jr.

2. Cincinnati Reds

Primary Starter: Elly De La Cruz
Supporting Cast: Matt McLain

Elly De La Cruz has had a tantalizing combination of power and speed from the moment he broke into the big leagues, but his overall game was largely unrefined, especially when it came to plate discipline and defense.

With a 133 OPS+ and a 23-homer, 24-steal performance, the power-speed production has been as expected, but the strides he has made with his on-base ability (.336 to .360 OBP) and defense (-3 to +7 OAA) have made him the NL's best shortstop.

1. Kansas City Royals

Primary Starter: Bobby Witt Jr.
Supporting Cast: Tyler Tolbert

With an AL-leading 6.4 WAR, it has been another elite season for Bobby Witt Jr. as he continues his rise as one of the game's biggest superstars.

At the plate, he has a 132 OPS+ with 30 doubles, 17 home runs and 38 steals, and those counting numbers look even better when you consider he has only played 125 games. He has also provided more overall defensive value than any shortstop, and should be a lock for his third straight Gold Glove.

The 26-year-old is simply in a tier of his own at the position right now.