Trea Turner vs. Zach Neto: Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings, Projections & ADP

Trea Turner’s batting-title profile and Zach Neto’s 30/30 upside headline this fantasy baseball shortstop tier with league-winning speed and multi-category production.
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) hits an RBI single against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning during game two of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Citizens Bank Park.
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) hits an RBI single against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning during game two of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The shortstop position remains one of the deepest in fantasy baseball, and the SS5–SS6 tier highlights two dynamic contributors in Trea Turner and Zach Neto who can swing leagues in multiple categories. Both bring elite speed and run-scoring upside, but their 2025 trends reveal key differences in power stability, batting-average floor, and long-term draft value.

SS5 – Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies (NFBC ADP – 28)

Turner comes off his best season in stolen bases (36) since 2018. He led the National League in batting average (.304) for the second time. A hamstring in September cost him three weeks. His average hit rate (1.503) was a five-year low, suggesting a sliding floor in home runs. Turner continues to have a contact batting average (.371), which pairs well with his improved strikeout rate (6.7%).

His exit velocity (89.3) was a tick below his career average (89.5), with a slight bump in his hard-hit rate (42.1% - 41.1% in his career). Turner’s slide in power was tied to fewer barrels (5.8%) and a declining launch angle (9.1 – 11.6 in 2024 and 13.0 in 2023). His flyball rate (32.9%) was a six-year low while setting a career low in his HR/FB rate (9.4% - peak of 17.4% in 2020 and 14.1% in 2024).

He had an unusual home run split at home (two over 388 at-bats) and on the road (13 over 312 at-bats). Turner was on a productive five-category path over the first three months (.295/58/11/39/20 over 342 at-bats). Over his final 247 at-bats, he hit .316 with 36 runs, 30 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases, but only four balls left the yard. Most of his second-half success came in August (.336/20/3/20/10 over 125 at-bats).

Trea Turner 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: Turner ranked 20th in FPGscore (5.63) last year, up from 29th in 2024 (3.00 – 41 missed games). This draft season, he is the 22nd hitter selected in the first third of January in the high-stakes market. His decline in power seems to be an outlier based on his career body of work. Turner projects as a four-category edge at a minimum. Possible 95+ runs, 20 home runs, 70+ RBIs, and about 30 steals. His batting average will beat the league average, with a chance to be a plus-plus asset.

SS6 – Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels (NFBC ADP – 31)

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) returns to the dugout following the top of the eighth inning against the Athletics at Angel Stadium. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Neto entered last season with an unknown start date due to his recovery from right shoulder surgery, leading to him being discounted in drafts. He made his debut on April 18th, followed by stellar play over 114 games (.270/77/23/58/24 over 452 at-bats). A different shoulder issue cost him some time in June. His season ended in mid-September due to a left-hand strain. Neto only had seven hits over his final 50 at-bats with five runs, three home runs, four RBIs, and two steals.

On the downside, his strikeout rate (26.9%) was a three-year high while showing more strength in his limited at-bats (236) in the minors (21.1%) and in college (10.3%). His walk rate (6.0%) has been in a tight range so far with the Angels while remaining below the league average. Neto hit .230 vs. lefties with 17 runs, seven home runs, one RBI, and four steals over 100 at-bats.

His exit velocity (91.0) was a career high, along with his hard-hit rate (46.6%), flyball rate (41.4%), barrel rate (14.0%), and HR/FB rate (14.0%). Neto had a line-drive profile (23.5%), with a rising launch angle (17.5). He made 109 starts from the leadoff position (.255/75/21/54/21 over 447 at-bats).

Zach Neto 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: Coming out of college, Neto brought a favorable approach with some underlying speed. He finished 48th in FPGscore (2.60) for hitters despite missing 34 games. His 2025 stats prorated over 150 games came to 96 runs, 30 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 30 steals. The Angels ranked 25th in runs (673) last season, and their offense has a lot to prove in 2026. Aside from his approach, which I expect to improve, Neto checks a lot of upside boxes. More of the same, with the potential for a surprising jump in batting average.

Trea Turner vs. Zach Neto 2026 Fantasy Baseball Verdict

Turner’s track record and elite contact skills still make him one of the safest four-category anchors in early rounds, even if the power settles closer to 20 homers than his previous peaks. Neto, meanwhile, offers a younger, five-category ceiling with room for approach-driven growth, giving fantasy managers a high-upside alternative who could dramatically outproduce his current ADP. Turner is the slightly superior option.

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Matt Brandon
MATT BRANDON

Matt Brandon has spent more than a decade in the fantasy sports and sports media world, with stops at Scout Media, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, DrRoto.com, Fantasy SP, FullTime Fantasy, and several other industry staples. A three-time Top-10 finisher in FantasyPros’ national rankings competition, Brandon has also captured multiple major DFS tournament wins on FanDuel and DraftKings. His true expertise lies in season-long fantasy football and fantasy basketball, along with sports betting analysis. A lifelong New Yorker, he proudly bleeds blue for his Giants, Knicks, Rangers, and Mets. Brandon also covers Major League Baseball, with a particular focus on the Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, and Philadelphia Phillies

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Shawn Childs
SHAWN CHILDS

With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.

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