Ranking MLB’s Top 10 Shortstops

Sports Illustrated is ranking the top 10 MLB players at each position. So far, we’ve covered catchers, first basemen, second basemen and third basemen. Today, we're focusing on shortstops.

Shortstop is where the best athletes in baseball ply their trade. It’s rare for a team to succeed without a star manning the premium position on the infield. Players who play “the six” are expected to be elite defenders, while also being among their team’s best hitters and leading from the front. MLB has a load of excellent players currently at the position—some young, some older, and others just getting their start.

Here are our picks for the 10 best across baseball.

10. Kevin McGonigle, Tigers

Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tiger — Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle has been remarkable as a rookie. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Yep, he’s already on the list. McGonigle ranked second on our list of top 50 prospects to open the season, and he has looked the part since debuting on Opening Day. The 21-year-old was the best hitter in the minor leagues last year, and that prowess has carried over to the big leagues. Through the first 41 games of his professional career, he has slashed .301/.409/.444 with two home runs, 16 RBIs and a wRC+ of 145, which leads all American League shortstops. McGonigle has also walked 26 times while only striking out 22 times. It has been a remarkable debut. He has split time at third base but has played at short more often, showing why he should stick there. Expect him to be much higher when we do this list next year.

9. Trea Turner, Phillies

Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillie — Phillies infielder Trea Turner has struggled to open 2026 but remains among MLB's best shortstops. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Along with many of his Phillies teammates, Turner has struggled to open 2026, but that doesn’t dull his value. Since arriving in Philadelphia in 2023, Turner has slashed .266/.329/.459 and ranks in the top 10 among shortstops in slugging (.451), wRC+ (107), fWAR (14.7), home runs (66) and stolen bases (90). The three-time All-Star won the NL batting title in 2025 for the second time after hitting .304 for the Phillies. At 32 years old he’s a good hitter who can still pick it in the field at short. Given his track record, he should bounce back from a slow start to this season.

8. CJ Abrams, Nationals

CJ Abrams, Washington National — Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams leads MLB shortstops in wRC+. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Abrams was an All-Star for the first time in 2024, and he’s likely getting back there again this season. The former first-round pick arrived in Washington from the Padres as part of the package for Juan Soto in a deal the Nationals absolutely won. Through 42 games in 2026, Abrams is slashing .296/.391/.539 with nine home runs, 36 RBIs and a wRC+ of 160. While his defensive struggles at short are well-documented, his bat is among the best at his position. Among shortstops he ranks first in wRC+, RBIs and slugging, second in on-base percentage and third in xwOBA (.374). He’s only 25 and should be a star in D.C. for years to come.

7. Mookie Betts, Dodgers

Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodger — Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is a future Hall of Famer. | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

That Betts, one of the best outfielders of his generation, was able to make the switch to shortstop back in 2024 and remain a plus defender speaks to both his immense talent and selflessness. And while the bat seems to be in a bit of a decline as Betts heads toward his mid-thirties, the future Hall of Famer still led the club with a .951 OPS during its championship run in the 2024 postseason and rapped out 152 hits, socked 20 homers and posted a .732 OPS in 150 games last season. Simply put, the former MVP and six-time Gold Glove winner has still got it.

6. Zach Neto, Angels

Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels — Angels shortstop Zach Neto is rising in the rankings among MLB shortstops. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Neto has developed into a productive and reliable fixture in the Los Angeles lineup over the last two seasons. Since 2024, the Miami, Fla., native has racked up 11.4 bWAR and ranks among the top 10 shortstops in home runs (56), runs scored (181), RBIs (159) and (63) stolen bases. Also regarded as one of the best fielders at his position, Neto has been a major bright spot for an Angels club mired in mediocrity. That said, the 2026 season has largely been a struggle thus far for Neto, whose strides in walk rate have largely been offset by his ballooning strikeout and chase rates.

5. Francisco Lindor, Mets

Francisco Lindor, New York Met — Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor has a rare combination of power and speed. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

A premier power-speed threat, Lindor is one of just four players to rank among the top 15 in home runs and stolen bases over the last decade alongside José Ramírez, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. During that span, Lindor leads all shortstops in hits and ranks fifth in defensive runs saved, fully demonstrating his five-tool skillset. While he’s scuffled at the plate in an injury-riddled start to his 2026 campaign for the Mets, there’s no doubting that the Puerto Rico native still holds a spot among the very best shortstops in the game, even at the age of 32.

4. Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds

De La Cruz has arguably been baseball’s most exciting player since he debuted in 2023. Now he’s putting it all together. So far in 2026, he’s slashing .295/.356/.520 with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs and a wRC+ of 141. He's currently fifth in MLB with 2.3 fWAR. That follows two seasons where he combined to slash .261/.337/.455 with 47 home runs, 162 RBIs and 104 stolen bases. He has an incredible combination of power, speed, defensive range and arm strength. This season, it appears that all of his many talents are working together for the first time.

3. Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles

Henderson hasn’t looked like his usual self this year, seemingly selling out for power at the plate, which has resulted in his numbers being down across the board. In his first three full seasons in MLB, Henderson racked up 20.1 bWAR and hit 80 home runs before his age-25 season. In 2024, he earned an All-Star selection while posting an .893 OPS, with 37 home runs and 8.8 bWAR. He’s not a plus defender, but his bat makes him incredibly valuable, and he has the potential and the tools to be a 30–30 player every year. While he has started slowly in 2026, he has the upside to be a perennial MVP contender.

2. Corey Seager, Rangers

Corey Seager, Texas Ranger — Rangers shortstop Corey Seager has long been among MLB's best players. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

When healthy, Seager is one of the best shortstops in the league, but injuries have prevented him from playing more than 123 games in a season since 2022. A five-time All-Star and an elite hitter, Seager had 30-plus home runs in three straight seasons from 2022 to ’24, and has the most home runs at the position (tied with Francisco Lindor at 122) since that season. Since 2020, he leads all MLB shortstops in home runs (155), wRC+ (139), slugging (.513) and OPS (.870).

1. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. is MLB’s most complete shortstop and is a true five-tool player. He can do it all—a stalwart and flashy defender, a brilliant contact hitter, has plenty of pop and can absolutely fly on the base paths. At just 25 years old, Witt has already cemented himself as the game’s best shortstop, and he’s well on his way to becoming one of the greatest players in Royals history. Since debuting in MLB in 2022, Witt has racked up 24.9 bWAR and has had a wRC+ of 116 or higher in the last four seasons. He's back at it again this season, currently leading baseball with 2.9 fWAR.

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