Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Middle-Round Shortstops to Target
Five shortstops hit 30 home runs or more, led by Gunnar Henderson (37). The top four ranked players scored 100 runs (Bobby Witt – 125, Henderson (118), Francisco Lindor (107), and Elly De La Cruz (105). Willy Adames won the RBI title (112) at short, with Witt (109) earning the runner-up prize. De La Cruz kicked in the stolen base door (67) for the position. Seven other players stole 30 home runs or more.
Here are Fantasy on SI's shortstop rankings 6-10 entering the 2025 fantasy baseball season:
6 – Trea Turner, PHI (ADP – 24.7)
In his second year with the Phillies, Turner missed about a quarter of the season with a hamstring issue. He hit .343 over his first 137 at-bats with 27 runs, two home runs, nine RBIs, and 10 steals. After another 53 dull power at-bats (.302/9/1/5), his home runs returned in July (.292 with 20 runs, 10 home runs, 23 RBIs, and three stolen bases over 96 at-bats). Turner had an uneventful final two months (.265/32/8/25/6 over 219 at-bats). He finished the year with a drop of 134 and 147 at-bats from his previous two seasons.
His average hit rate (1.591) came below 2023 (1.724), a second year of weakness over the past three seasons. His output in this area points to sub-20 home runs if repeated. Turner can overcome some of this regression by receiving elite plate appearances. His exit velocity (89.1 mph) and hard-hit rate (40.2) were only league average for batters with at least 400 plate appearances. He had a sharp decline in his line drive rate (16.2 – over 20% from 2019 to 2023), leading to an uptick in groundballs (47.3%). On the positive side, his HR/FB rate (14.1) was a three-year high.
Turner took fewer walks (5.0%) with a career average strikeout rate (18.2). His contact batting average (.366) remained high for his approach, but it was below his peak in 2021 (.402). He also pressed with runners on base over the past two seasons (RBI rate – 13 and 14).
Fantasy Outlook: Over his 10 seasons in the majors, Turner has been a very good player. His batting average tends to grade well while underperforming his potential in stolen bases since 2018 (43 steals). He fits the profile of a high-plate appearance bat with low walks, ultimately preventing him from matching the best hitters in the majors in runs. I don’t see a push to 30 home runs at this point in his career. Possible .300 with 100 runs, 20 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 35 steals.
7 – Corey Seager, TEX (ADP – 54.1)
Staying in the field for 150 games has been a problem for Seager throughout his career. His best two playing time seasons came in 2016 (627 at-bats) and 2022 (593 at-bats). He missed 82 games over the past two years, but Seager still hit 63 home runs with 156 runs and 170 RBIs over his last 952 at-bats. His season ended in mid-September of 2024 with sports hernia surgery. He also battled hamstring and wrist injuries early in the year.
Seager produced subpar stats in September (.236/12/2/8 over 106 at-bats), June (.260/8/2/8/1 over 73 at-bats), and July (.311/16/4/13 over 90 at-bats) while only having nine hits in September. Over his other two months, he hit .299 with 31 runs, 22 home runs, and 45 RBIs over 184 at-bats. His bat lost value against lefties (.248/16/6/12 over 145 at-bats).
He finished 2024 with a career-high fly-ball rate (42.3) and strength in his exit velocity (92.1 mph), hard-hit rate (49.6), and HR/FB rate (18.6). Seager posted a five-year high in his strikeout rate (18.0) while taking more walks (9.9%). His contact batting average has had a wide range of outcomes over the past three seasons (.296, .401, and .348) while maintaining a high average hit rate (1.841). He’s had weakness in his RBI chances in his three years with the Rangers (343, 285, and 278). Texas gave him 92.4% of his at-bats second in their batting order.
Fantasy Outlook: Seager has the skill set to be a .300/100/40/120 batter if hitting third in the batting order with 600 at-bats. His skill set leaves a glaring hole in stolen bases when comparing him to the top options at shortstop in 2025. Even with that shortfall, he has the talent to be a beast foundation bat, similar to an anchor corner infielder. Adding him to any roster is about team build, and one should not discount his potential. Put him in the risk/reward category, but keep an open mind about his fantasy value, especially if Seager is discounted in drafts.
8 – CJ Abrams, WAS (ADP – 50.2)
Over the first half of 2023, Abrams felt like a losing fantasy investment based on his production (.230/30/7/33/9) over 252 at-bats. The Nationals gave him the great light on the basepaths in July, leading to a much better player over his final 311 at-bats (.257 with 53 runs, 11 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 38 stolen base), helped a move to the top of the batting order.
Abrams had similar results in runs (79), doubles (29), triples (6), home runs (20), and RBIs (65) last season as his breakthrough year in 2023. On the downside, he finished with 16 fewer stolen bases, leading to him ranking 43rd in FPGscore (1.91) for hitters, compared to 32nd (2.84) the previous season. He upped his contact batting average (.322), but it is still trailing his short minor league resume (.400 over 483 at-bats).
He started last season with an excellent April (.295/22/7/17/7 over 105 at-bats), followed by struggles in May (.205/10/2/9/1), July (.177/15/2/10/6), and August (.187/8/3/10/7). Abrams battled a shoulder issue in September while spending the final 10 days of the year shipped to the minors due to a judgment call with an off-the-field issue.
His swing path was improved in 2024, highlighted by his rising fly-ball rate (41.7), launch angle (15.1), and HR/FB rate (11.5). Abrams has a below-par but rising exit velocity (88.2 mph). He had more growth in his hard-hit rate (40.4). His average hit rate (1.759) made significant strides in his time with Washington, suggesting 30+ home runs isn’t far off.
Fantasy Outlook: Abrams doesn’t bring the electricity of Elly De La Cruz and Oneil Cruz entering 2025, but he does control the strike zone better. His power is coming, and he already has an impact season in steals (47) on his resume. I see a future .280/100/30/80/50 player when he adds more strength and bulk to his frame. He looks priced to pay off this season.
9 – Bo Bichette, TOR (ADP – 142.0)
When looking up the definition of a bust in 2024, Bichette is the weaselly-looking guy in the corner. Anyone drafting him last season had to go through a walkabout period to understand why they invested in him. From 2021 to 2023, he led the American League in hits twice (191 and 189), leading to a .298 batting average over 1,863 at-bats with 281 runs, 73 home runs, 268 RBIs, and 43 stolen bases. Bichette ranked 2nd, 18th, and 60th in FPGscore for hitters over this stretch.
His contact batting average over his previous first four years (.385, .380, .380, and .384) supported a high average bat. On the downside, he failed to run in 2023 when most base stealers set career highs after MLB changed the rules to help bring stolen bases back into the game. In addition, Bichette had a fading average hit rate (1.703, 1.623, 1.619, and 1.549), suggesting that his home run potential was moving in the wrong direction.
In 2024, he was a double-jeopardy player, meaning that he buried fantasy teams while in the lineup, followed by a long stint on the injured list. Bichette hit four measly home runs over his 311 at-bats with a severe decline in his contact batting average (.283) while approaching Judy territory with his average hit rate (1.429). His RBI rate (14) was an asset as well before last season (21.7, 19.1, 16.5, and 17.0).
Bichette didn’t have a change in his swing path based on his career averages in line drive rate (22.7), groundball rate (30.1), and fly-ball rate (30.1). He had a sharp decline in his HR/FB rate (5.3 – 15.9 in his career), with more regression in his exit velocity (89.2 mph) and hard-hit rate (43.0). His launch angle (7.2) has been shallow over the past four seasons. Bichette matched his career-best strikeout rate (19.1) while setting a five-year high with his walk rate (6.0).
Bo Bichette crushes a 419-foot home run. 💥 pic.twitter.com/f9zhyZH4Pn
— MLB (@MLB) May 27, 2024
He missed time last year due to a calf issue and a broken finger in September. His bat was a total liability vs. left-handed pitching (.153 over 59 at-bats with four runs, no home runs, and two RBIs).
Fantasy Outlook: Bichette went from a foundation bat to last year’s bum in one easy season. Most drafters aren’t looking to throw him a life raft. In the end, his contact batting average was so out of line with his career resume that a return to a better hitter should be expected. Unfortunately, trusting him to be a 20/20 player feels more like a gamble than a reality. The best reason to believe in a bounce-back season is that Bichette is in a contract year at age 26, a perfect time to get “paid” in free agency. The Blue Jays will hit him in the top third of their batting order, and he has the tools to be a top-six shortstop in 2025 with a rebound in power and a green light on the base baths.
10 – Oneil Cruz, PIT (ADP – 47.7)
In his first year with full-time at-bats in the majors, Cruz ranked 45th FPGscore (1.72) for hitters. He finished with a neutral batting average (.259) despite his high strikeout rate (30.2), thanks to his contact batting average (.389) edge. His bat still had risk against left-handed pitching (.224/18/6/21/5 over 143 at-bats ~ 47 strikeouts).
Over his final 176 at-bats in 2024, Cruz lowered his strikeout rate (24.6) with a favorable walk rate (11.3). He hit .284 over this span with 23 runs, 22 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases, but only four balls left the ball. His best production came in June and July (.253/27/10/34/5 over 166 at-bats).
He ranked third in exit velocity (95.5 mph) and seventh in hard-hit rate (54.9). Cruz finished with a groundball swing path (47.8%), with a respectful outcome in his HR/FB rate (17.1). His average hit rate (1.736) came below success in 2022 (1.889) between AAA and Pittsburgh.
Fantasy Outlook: The coin flip for Cruz in 2025 is whether his trade of power for contact over the final two months of last season will translate to lower strikeouts this year and an uptick in home runs. Pittsburgh plans to switch him to centerfield, giving him dual eligibility. He’s getting better, but Cruz must settle into a favorable slot in the batting order to help his counting stats. Last year, the Pirates gave him 65.6% of his at-bats between third and fourth in their lineup. Buy his 30/30 potential in power and speed while understanding his batting average risk if his approach moves in the wrong direction. On the downside, his ADP already reflects a more productive season.
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