Baseball is in the midst of a golden era of shortstops that rivals the late-1990s, when A-Rod, Jeter, and Nomar were the crème de la crème.
But do any of today’s stars compare with the great shortstops of years past? Let’s discuss the position in depth, from the most overrated shortstop to the young studs on the rise.
Most Overrated: Javier Báez
Javy Báez is a showman whose style of play is anything but subtle.
Báez takes big swings, makes lightning-quick tags, and doesn’t mind stopping to admire his work when he knocks one out of the yard.
Báez’s nickname, “El Mago,” is Spanish for “the magician.” And while he earned that moniker for his sleight of hand on the field, his greatest trick might be convincing the baseball world that he’s better than he actually is.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m a fan of Báez and recognize the value he brings by playing both middle infield positions with such ease. He was the MVP runner-up in 2018, and just as good in 2019.
So why should Báez get slapped with the “overrated” label? It all comes down to his plate discipline, or lack thereof. Reaching base is an integral component of run scoring, and Báez has never had an on-base percentage greater than .326. His free-swinging ways worked to his detriment in 2020, when he ranked last among qualifiers in OBP (.238). Until he reigns in his aggressiveness, Báez should not be discussed as a top-flight hitter.
Most Underrated: Trea Turner
Turner can beat you in myriad ways: a leadoff homer, a well-timed steal, a superb defensive play at shortstop.The former first-round pick offered flashes of brilliance over his first few big league seasons, including a .342 average in 2016 and 40+ steals in 2017 and 2018.Now that he’s a good bet for 20 homers a year, Turner has few remaining weaknesses in his game. Last season gave us our first glimpse of Turner as an MVP candidate, when he posted a .982 OPS to go with his MLB-leading 78 hits.
Top of the Class: Trevor Story
Choosing between Trevor Story and Francisco Lindor as the best shortstop is like having to choose a favorite child. Is there even a wrong answer?
Francisco Lindor is everything that’s great about baseball. He’s energetic, charismatic, and fun…and a helluva player to boot. Since debuting in 2015, Lindor has been the most valuable shortstop in baseball according to both the Baseball Reference and Fangraphs versions of WAR. He’s earned two Gold Gloves due to his vast range at the position, where he annually ranks as one of the game’s best defenders. Lindor has considerable speed to go with his power (99 career steals), hits equally well from both sides of the plate, and has never had a major injury (*vigorously knocks on wood*).
Oh, and he’s had a few standout postseason moments as well, like a grand slam against the Yankees in the 2017 ALDS.
As a Mets fan, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have Lindor on my favorite team. And yet…
I give Story a slight edge, mostly due to his defensive game. While Lindor is no slouch defensively, Story has the superior arm and plays the position more aggressively. Again, I’m mostly splitting hairs. But the point remains that Story is at least Lindor’s equal from a defensive standpoint, and has put up comparable offensive numbers–even in the stolen base department (both have averaged 21 steals per 162 games).
Story was also much better in 2020, even besting Lindor in triples (4 to Lindor’s 0).
Knocking on the Door: Fernando Tatís Jr.
We knew Tatís Jr. would be good, but it’s still worth marveling at his talent.
His father, Fernando Tatís Sr., is the only player in history to hit two grand slams in a single inning. Tatís Jr. may never duplicate that feat, but at the tender age of 22, he’s already a more complete player than his father ever was.
Tatís Jr. makes you stand up and pay attention. And when he drew unfair criticism for violating baseball’s unwritten rules in August of 2020, it became even more obvious that he’s the current face of the game.
For more on Tatís Jr., check out The Best of the Best
The Other Guys
There are so many incredible shortstops in baseball right now that I have yet to mention Xander Bogaerts, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, or Tim Anderson. Defensively, the standard has been set by Andrelton Simmons, who has four Gold Gloves and is possibly deserving of more.
Look around the league, and you’ll find that the plethora of talent at the position is overwhelming. My bold prediction for 2021 is that Toronto’s Bo Bichette ( .307 AVG, 137 OPS+, 3.2 WAR in 75 career games) becomes an MVP finalist and is deservedly recognized as a top-five shortstop in the sport.
