Top 60 Shortstop Dynasty Fantasy Baseball Rankings For 2026

Top 60 Shortstop Dynasty Rankings

1. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Royals

After three years in which he averaged 27 home runs and 37 stolen bases, the 25-year-old shortstop with the top sprint speed and most defensive range in baseball essentially hit his median outcome in 2025 with 23 home runs and 38 stolen bases while batting .295. Obviously, that’s elite production. Posting 30/30 with a .300/.350 batting average and OBP for the next three years is top-shelf material.

2. Elly De La Cruz, SS, Reds

You would think a season in which he hit 22 home runs, stole 37 bases, scored 102 runs and set a career mark in batting average at .264 wouldn’t be a disappointment for De La Cruz. But fantasy managers who were hoping for a repeat of his 67 steals from 2024 were a bit let down. The Reds’ GM revealed after the season that De La Cruz battled a quad injury for the second half. De La Cruz is essentially Bobby Witt but dialed down 10-20%. 

3. Gunnar Henderson, SS, Orioles

It was a down year for Gunnar—and the Orioles in general—but the 24-year-old still managed a .274 batting average with 17 home runs and 30 stolen bases. Although the power was a far cry from his previous two seasons in which he averaged 33 home runs, his bat speed was still in the top 10% of the league. We’re giving Henderson a mulligan for 2025 and expecting 25/25 with above-average batting average from someone still technically a few years from entering his prime.

4. Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates

The No. 1 prospect in fantasy baseball, Griffin has a ceiling few prospects in recent memory can match. There’s a real chance Griffin is pushing Bobby Witt Jr. as the top shortstop in fantasy baseball within the next three years. BA’s 2025 Minor League Player of the Year has it all: plus-plus raw power, plus-plus speed, a plus hit tool with above-average bat-to-ball skills and advanced swing decisions. Griffin put up historical numbers for a 19-year-old player in their professional debut, hitting .333/.415/.527 with 21 home runs and 65 RBIs. It was a monstrous showing, and Griffin seemed to raise his game for each new level of the minors. 

5. Zach Neto, SS, Angels

Neto has averaged 24 home runs and 28 stolen bases with a .253 batting average the last two years. Heading into his age-25 season, you should expect that as a floor, pending health. With his aggressive approach, he gets dinged a bit in OBP leagues, but a shortstop still entering his prime with yearly expectations of 25/25 is very valuable. Keep an eye on his defense, though, as for the second year in a row, his range was in the bottom 10th of the league.

6. Francisco Lindor, SS, Mets

In Neto’s blurb, we glowed about his 25/25 average. So, how about a three-year, 31-home run and 30-stolen base average? That’s what Lindor has averaged in every season since 2023, while essentially consistently getting 700 plate appearances. That volume and production is obviously elite, but he is entering his age-32 season. Of course, if you’re starting from 6.5 WAR, you will have a long way to decline before even coming within viewing distance of replacement value. Right now, the defense is still elite, but the bat speed and sprint speed have dipped into the bottom half of the league.

7. CJ Abrams, SS, Nationals

For the second year in a row, Abrams’ shortstop defense was among the worst in the game, but he also went essentially 20/30 and only just turned 25. The surface production is excellent, and he is in the part of the age curve where he should continue to get better. But, like Neto, his aggressive approach caps his value in OBP leagues, and his tenure at shortstop may begin to slip on account of his defense. For the next three years, he should be a lock for 20/30 from a middle infield position in a lineup that is improving.

8. JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals

After an injury-plagued junior season at West Virginia, we finally got to see the full breadth of Wetherholt’s abilities in 2025. The 2024 No. 7 overall pick split his season between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis, hitting .306/.421/.510 with 17 home runs and 23 stolen bases across 109 games. On top of producing power and speed numbers, he had a near-even strikeout-to-walk ratio (73 to 72). Wetherholt began to hit for more power in Triple-A and showed good angles on batted balls at 95 mph or higher. While he makes lots of hard contact, he lacks top-end exit velocities common to power hitters. Wetherholt is a sum-of-his-parts fantasy player who will boost you in batting average, OBP, power and steals and never hurt you in one category.

9. Trea Turner, SS, Phillies

From 2022 to 2024, Turner’s shortstop range was in the lower half of the league, which seemed like a potential warning sign of approaching decline. In 2025, his sprint speed remained near the top of the league while his defensive range caught up to the underlying skills, surprisingly reaching the 99th percentile. The power has been declining for a while, and Turner only hit 15 homers in 2025. With the potential departure of Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, the lineup will likely be worse in 2026 than in 2025, affecting Turner’s counting stats. But with a .280 batting average and 18 or so home runs and around 25 stolen bases, he’s a top 50 dynasty asset, even if he is 32.

10. Mookie Betts, SS, Dodgers

Now a primary shortstop, Betts needs to be compared to other shortstops. Although his range is in the top 10% of the league, his bat speed and sprint speed at 33 are in the bottom 25%. His swing decisions and approach are still elite, but the power and speed production have declined to a point where, if 2026 is a repeat of 2025 (.258 with 20 home runs and only eight stolen bases), he may find himself outside the top 10 shortstops.

11. Corey Seager, SS, Rangers

With a career average line of .289/.362/.509, Seager hasn’t had less than 4 WAR in any season since 2022. That’s even more impressive when you realize he’s only exceeded 540 plate appearances in one of those four years. In other words, if healthy, Seager is a high-average, high-on-base-percentage, 30-home run bat (albeit with very little of a speed component to his game). Heading into his age-32 season, the wear and tear on his body will likely be more of a factor, but when on the field, Seager is as much a set-and-forget 60-hit, 60-power bat as there is.

12. Geraldo Perdomo, SS, Diamondbacks

Long underrated as a middle infield type, at age 25 Perdomo broke out in a big way with 20 home runs, 27 stolen bases and phenomenal .290/.389/.462 line. With some of the better bat-to-ball and defensive ability at the position, Perdomo has an extremely high floor. Expect some regression for 2026, however, especially in the power department, as none of his bat speed, barrel rate or average exit velocity were above the bottom 25th percentile of the league. Still, a player in his mid 20s sporting a .280/.360 bat with 15-plus home runs and 25-plus stolen bases who hits at the top of a lineup with excellent shortstop defense is a very valuable commodity.

13. Jeremy Pena, SS, Astros

In 2024, Pena had 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases while hitting .266. While solid, with an OBP of only .308 and not even 3 fWAR despite 650 plate appearances, it seemed like Pena was not quite able to get into the top tier of shortstops. Well, in 2025 in his age-27 season, Pena exploded with a .304 average and 135 wRC+ while hitting 17 home runs and stealing 20 bases, dramatically improving his defense en route to a 5.7 fWAR season. He seemed to be a lock for 20/20, but a late-season oblique injury capped his season at 543 plate appearances. If healthy enough for a full season, Pena should split the difference in 2026 with a 20/20 season and a more-than-adequate .270 batting average.

14. Jesús Made, SS, Brewers

There’s a little bit of a mystery box element with Made in fantasy, as his upside is tantalizing but you know he’s still a few years away. With much hype entering his stateside debut in 2025, Made lived up to it, hitting .285/.379/.413 with 40 extra-base hits and 47 stolen bases. He walked in 12.6% of his plate appearances while striking out just 20.6% of the time. The switch-hitting Made posted nearly identical splits from both sides of the plate and showed no favoritism to either side production-wise, which is a rare trait in switch-hitters. Made showed impressive exit velocity data for an 18-year-old with a 105.2 mph 90th percentile EV in 2025. He has all the traits of a future superstar.

15. Aidan Miller, SS, Phillies

It took Miller a little while to get going in 2025, but he ended the season on a tear, hitting .356/.491/.607 over his final 36 games. Miller showed more speed than at any other point in his career and is now a potential 30-plus stolen base threat when he reaches the majors. This is particularly interesting for fantasy, because Miller has a bucket of useful fantasy tools. He shows plus raw power with a 106.3 mph 90th percentile EV, and his contact skills are also strong with a 16.8% zone whiff and 17% chase rate. Miller shows the ability to impact batting average, OBP, power and speed totals in a positive way in the very near future. He could potentially debut next summer. 

16. Sebastian Walcott, SS, Rangers

Walcott has all the tools to be a potential superstar, but he’s yet to put together a loud season that would boost him to the top of prospect rankings. He’s always been extremely young for every level he’s played at. For example, in 2025 Walcott at 19 years old spent the entire season with Double-A Frisco. He was over four years younger than the average age of competition in the Texas League and still produced a 110 wRC+. It might take a little bit longer for everything to gel, but with plus raw power, plus speed and improving plate skill, Walcott has the tools to be a five-category star in fantasy.   

17. Leo De Vries, SS, Athletics

The trio of Jesús Made, Sebastian Walcott and De Vries might forever be tied together as the prodigious group of premier shortstops matriculate to the majors. De Vries, though he’s ranked third in the trio for fantasy, is every bit the equal in real-life terms. His offensive identity is more heavily tied to his plus-plus hit tool and nifty barrel work than raw power and speed like Made and Walcott. De Vries holds his own with plus bat-to-ball skills, a good balance of patience and aggression at the plate and lofty launch angles. His body still has remaining strength projection that, when it hits, should allow him to get to above-average power with regularity. However, at present, his raw power is fringy (101.6 mph 90th percentile EV). It will take a few more years for it all to come together, but De Vries is worth the wait.   

18. Bryce Rainer, SS, Tigers

A dislocated right shoulder and subsequent surgery ended Rainer’s debut season after 35 games. During that time, the 2024 No. 11 pick showed advanced hitting ability with on-base skills and plus power. Rainer’s 108 mph 90th percentile EV is an eye-popping figure for a teenager and hints at 30-plus home run upside at peak. He’s likely to have some swing-and-miss in his game but will get on base at a high rate to help offset it. Rainer is a good runner now but is likely to slow down as he matures. He fits into the mold of a power-hitting middle infielder with strong hitting traits. 

19. Bo Bichette, SS, Free Agent

In his walk year to free agency, Bichette stepped up, hitting .311 with a .357 on-base percentage and 94 RBIs. He topped 628 plate appearances despite missing 23 games with a sprained knee from a collision at home plate, but he only hit 18 home runs and stole four bases. The bat speed is low, the sprint speed is low and the defense at shortstop is borderline inadequate, but Bichette’s worst case as a second baseman should be good for .290/.350 and 20/5. And that’s not too far off from Ketel Marte’s production.

20. Willy Adames, SS, Giants

In 2024, Adames set career highs in home runs, runs, RBIs and stolen bases with a .251 batting average to accrue 5 fWAR. Regression in 2025 was inevitable, but Adames still reached the 30-home run mark, stole 12 bases and accumulated over 180 runs plus RBIs—surprisingly solid numbers after a slow start in the first half. As he heads into his age-30 season, the batting average will be in the .230s, but he should top 25 home runs and steal about 12 bases. The defense gives him a high floor.

21. Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics

In the first half of 2025, the 23-year-old had a .329 batting average with nine home runs and looked like he was headed for a power breakout to go with his elite bat-to-ball skills. After being hit in the left arm with a pitch in July, the power seemed sapped, and he was later found to have a fractured forearm. When he finally returned at the end of August, he hit .267 with four home runs the rest of the way. On the year, he still had a reasonable .311/.355/.444 line with 13 home runs. For 2026, it’s possible projections are underestimating his production by factoring in his lowered production while playing with a broken arm for three weeks. The real Wilson is probably somewhere in between, suggesting he’ll be good for a .300 batting average with 15-20 home runs the next three seasons.

22. Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners

After a slow start to the season in which he hit .246/.346/.369 over his first 45 games, Emerson caught fire. From June 1 on, he hit .306/.404/.508, propelling himself to Triple-A by the end of the season. Likely to return to Triple-A Tacoma to begin 2026, Emerson could find himself in the mix in the Mariners’ infield by mid-to-late 2026, making him all the more appealing in fantasy formats of all types entering the season. Emerson is an advanced hitter with plus bat-to-ball skills, approach and above-average game power.  

23. Caleb Bonemer, SS, White Sox

There’s a lot of Gunnar Henderson in Caleb Bonemer, as he shows similar athleticism, power and overall skills. The 2024 second-round pick hit the Carolina League like a wrecking ball in 2025, slashing .281/.400/.458 with 10 home runs and 27 stolen bases across 96 games. Bonemer earned a late-season callup to High-A and held his own over 11 games, hitting .278/.409/.611. There’s potential for above-average hitting ability, 25-plus home run power and mid-teens stolen bases from an everyday infielder. Bonemer is a name that will be climbing lists. 

24. Luis Peña, SS, Brewers

Jesus Made’s partner in crime blows up fantasy-based models like RoboScout due to his ability to make lots of contact and consistently find the barrel while doing it. Peña hit .270/.335/.422 with nine home runs and 44 stolen bases last year. His combination of hitting ability, power and speed rivals Made’s, but overall, he lacks the power and on-base skills of his Brewers teammate. 

25. Anthony Volpe, SS, Yankees

After averaging 16 home runs and 26 stolen bases over his last two seasons, optimism was high for the 24-year-old in 2025, especially as his sprint speed heading into the season was in the top 20% of the league and his defensive range was graded as being in the 97th percentile. Unfortunately, at the beginning of May, Volpe dove for a ball and heard a pop. It ultimately led to shoulder surgery this offseason that might cause him to miss the first month next season, and his entire game fell apart and never recovered, including his range falling to the bottom 10th percentile and a .212 batting average. He will be 25 in 2026 and, in a full season, should be a 20/20 hitter. Yankee fans have limited patience, however, meaning it’s possible we’re on the optimistic side of his potential dynasty value outcomes.

26. Jordan Lawlar, SS/3B, Diamondbacks

Based on his minor league career, Lawlar should peak as a .280 hitter with 20/20 potential. When you hear that and see that he is heading into his age-23 season while being in the 98th percentile for sprint speed, you would think he would be ranked higher than 26th on a list of shorstops. However, in a major league career spanning 108 plate appearances, Lawlar has never hit a home run and has a .165/.241/.237 slash line, inspiring fear he may just be a Quad-A player who is overmatched by major league pitching. The truth, as it always is, is somewhere between the two extremes. With Geraldo Perdomo firmly entrenched at shortstop, Lawlar may become a third baseman for his major league career, though he has been playing some outfield this offseason, where his speed may suit him better. With a solid 2026, Lawlar could be in the top five of this list a year from now.

27. Masyn Winn, SS, Cardinals

With JJ Wetherholt knocking on the door of the majors, there has been some talk about Winn being a trade candidate. That’s surprising for a shortstop heading into his age-24 season with over 3.5 fWAR accrued in each of his last two seasons, but Wetherholt ranks significantly higher on this list for a reason. Although Winn has a high floor from a fantasy perspective, he’s never exceeded 15 home runs, 11 steals or an OBP of .314 in any season. Still, as a shortstop who, per Baseball Savant, had the most range in the majors in 2025 while having top-quartile sprint speed, he is a very valuable real life baseball player who is still a few years before his prime. All that means is that, over the next three years, he should hit 15-18 home runs, steal 10-15 bases while having an average batting average and fringe-average on-base ability. The question is whether he will be producing those numbers with the Cardinals.

28. Xavier Edwards, 2B/SS, Marlins

Stolen bases and batting average—need we say more? Edwards saw full-time playing time for the first time in his career in 2025 and ranked as the 17th-best second baseman in 5×5 roto leagues. Edwards is a difficult player to roster in certain types of leagues. You’ll need to make up for his lack of power in other areas, but he can offset some of the batting average risk associated with big sluggers. He’s the perfect player for a team in need of stolen bases and a batting average boost. 

29. Otto Lopez, 2B/SS, Marlins

While Lopez’s glove keeps him in the lineup, he found a way to rack up 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 2025, finishing as the 13th-best second baseman in 5×5 roto. Even more encouraging is that Lopez underperformed his expected stats with a .328 xwOBA. He shows plus contact skills and ran a 7.9% swinging-strike rate last season. He hits the ball harder than you’d expect, with a 38.3% hard-hit rate and a career-high 7.1% barrel rate. It’s hard to know how much of Lopez’s low BABIP (.264) was really just bad luck, but under-the-hood numbers hint at Lopez beginning to scratch the surface of a strong overall profile. 

30. Trevor Story, SS, Red Sox

In 2023 and 2024 combined, Story managed to accrue only 274 plate appearances, hitting .220 with five home runs and 16 stolen bases. While his defense and sprint speed were both still above-average, the pessimistic assessment was that, heading into his age-32 season, the chance for improvement—or even reaching the 20/20 mark he attained in 2021 as a 28-year-old in Colorado—was low. Well, Story hit 25 home runs, stole 31 bases and hit .263 to accrue 3 fWAR in 2025. Even so, much of Story’s reds flags still hold true, and regression to around 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases is in store. As a 33-year-old, we’re reasonably confident that 2026 might be the last time Story is able to hit those marks in a season.

31. Ezequiel Tovar, SS, Rockies

In his age-22 season in 2024, Tovar hit 26 home runs with a .269 batting average while having a 99th percentile range at shortstop. Between that information and having Coors Field as his home park, managers imagined 20-plus home runs with a .280ish batting average for the next eight years. Unfortunately, Tovar’s 2025 season cratered due to a litany of hip and side injuries that led to only 390 plate appearances, eight home runs and five stolen bases with an OBP below .300 for the fourth-consecutive season. In batting average leagues, Tovar should be a 20-plus home run bat with an average batting average due to the inflated BABIP of Colorado. But there are red flags, namely, a chase rate that has him as one of the top 3% of free-swingers and a contact rate in the bottom 10%. Still, Coors forgives a multitude of sins and just from standard aging curves alone, this ranking might be too low.

32. Xander Bogaerts, SS, Padres

For the fourth year in a row, the 32-year-old Bogaerts was unable to reach the 20-home run mark. Last year also saw his lowest batting average since 2014 when he played his first full season as a 21-year-old. The good news is that Bogaerts has changed his game and has become a 20-stolen base threat and is still a 3+ fWAR player over a full season with elite shortstop defense. He should be a 15/15 bat with a batting average and on-base percentage that shouldn’t dip below league average and a high floor of playing time, assuming health. Unfortunately, this is the likely beginning of the decline of a 44-WAR career.

33. Dansby Swanson, SS, Cubs

Swanson has put up consistent production over the past three seasons, averaging 20 home runs and 16 stolen bases while hitting .243. Like with Bogaerts, with solid shortstop defense as a 32-year-old, he should be in no danger of losing playing time over the next three seasons. A 3+ WAR season seems safe for 2026, but understand that the decline phase has begun.

34. Carlos Correa, SS/3B, Astros

The Astros brought a franchise legend in Correa back at the 2025 trade deadline and now have him under contract for the next several seasons. After a nice small sample size season in 2024, Correa played 144 games in 2025 and produced fewer home runs and RBIs than his 86-game campaign the year before. Correa still hits the ball hard, however, and he underproduced his expected stats last season, so there is some reason for optimism for 2026. There has definitely been some degeneration of his skills, but he could be a valuable option in a corner infielder spot in deeper leagues. 

35. Josuar Gonzalez, SS, Giants

The best hitter in the Dominican Summer League in 2025, Gonzalez is a switch-hitter with good skills from both sides of the plate and five-category fantasy potential. He blends plus-plus bat-to-ball skills, projectable above-average power and on-base skills with premium baserunning skills. His 11% in-zone whiff rate this season was elite, and his 103.6 mph 90th percentile EV was plus for a 17-year-old in pro ball. Gonzalez has all the tools to be a fantasy-relevant player for a decade. 

36. JoJo Parker, SS, Blue Jays

One of the top players in this year’s FYPD class, you wouldn’t be wrong to view him as the potential top player in the class. Parker has the best combination of hit and power tools among the high school hitters in the 2025 draft class, and the Blue Jays have shown the ability to develop hitters with advanced plate skills. Parker will likely move off shortstop to third base eventually. 

37. Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox

RoboScout and other projection systems have not been as optimistic as conventional scouting when it comes to Montgomery, as data-based analysis doesn’t directly know of the athleticism and make-up. So, when Montgomery debuted, he exceeded all expectations and hit 21 home runs in fewer than 300 plate appearances (albeit with a .239 batting average) as a 23-year-old. Under the hood, the bat speed and barrel rates are both in the upper echelons of the league, but the swing-and-miss is at the other extreme. His defense was better than expected, and he should get a long leash whether he stays at shortstop or moves off to the hot corner. The power seems real, but the batting average may never reach .250. In other words, his high-range outcome is Willy Adames.

38. Dax Kilby, SS, Yankees

Few players, if any, raised their stock like Kilby following the 2025 draft. The Yankees’ first-rounder shot up like a rocket, as he hit .353/.457/.441 with 16 stolen bases over 18 games. Small sample size caveats apply, but Kilby is an explosive athlete with a blend of skills sure to satisfy dynasty managers hungry for upside. He posted strong exit velocity data with a 91.9 mph average EV, 104.2 mph 90th percentile EV and a 108.9 mph max EV. His 7.7% in-zone whiff rate is comically low and his 7.6% chase rate matches that insanity. While managers should expect his whiffs and chases to rise some, it goes to show the blend of advanced plate skills and power Kilby possesses. 

39. Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Twins

Culpepper put together an impressive first full professional season in 2025, hitting .289/.375/.469 with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases while striking out just 17.4% of the time. Culpepper’s blend of speed and batting average comes as no surprise, but the 20 home runs are a bit of a shock. He did run an 18.9% HR/FB, which is high, but Culpepper also shows the ability to launch his hardest-hit balls at his best angles. It’s perhaps a touch of luck and some contact optimization at play. Culpepper looks like a .270-or-better hitter with solid OBPs, 15-18 home runs and 25-30 stolen bases at peak. He could develop into a very nice fantasy asset if it all comes together. 

40. Steele Hall, SS, Reds

Hall was one of the most divisive players in the 2025 draft class. If you believe he can hit, then you think he has the potential to develop into a Trea Turner-type player long term. If you don’t think he can hit, he’ll be another great athlete with a high bonus who never puts it together. We think Hall’s athleticism and plus speed is worth gambling on. If he does hit, he could be the prospect that climbs the most in 2026. 

41. Eli Willits, SS, Nationals

The top pick in the draft, Willits is a blend of developed plate skills, advanced baseball IQ and projection to dream on. While Willits will likely never be a fantasy star, he should hit for a high average, get on base and produce runs. He could grow into a Brice Turang-type of fantasy asset. It’s his ability to do a variety of things well that will ultimately allow Willits’ fantasy managers to derive value.  

42. Cooper Pratt, SS, Brewers

A lot of what you’re hoping for with Pratt comes down to projection. He shows advanced plate skills at present, running a 14.4% in-zone whiff rate in 2025 with a solid balance of aggression and patience in his approach. The power is still blossoming, as Pratt shows below-average exit velocity data but launch angles with enough loft to suggest incremental improvements in strength will yield future results. Be patient with Pratt, as he could grow into an average-or-better hitter with 18-25 home run power at peak. 

43. Aiva Arquette, SS, Marlins

It wasn’t the debut Marlins fans or Arquette truthers hoped for, as he hit just .242/.350/.323 with one home run and seven steals after the draft with High-A Beloit. However, Arquette showed plus power and average hitting ability during his final collegiate season, and at 6-foot-5 with athleticism, things should come together for Arquette in 2026. He possesses the ability to hit .250 or better with 25-plus home runs and a dozen or so stolen bases. Arquette will never be a top five shortstop in fantasy, but he should be a starting option one day in 12-15 team mixed leagues.

44. Ha-Seong Kim, SS, Free Agent

Across 626 plate appearances in 2023, Kim hit 17 home runs and stole 38 bases with a .260 batting average (.245 xBA) while accruing 4 fWAR. Unfortunately, Kim accumulated 661 plate appearances in 2024 and 2025 combined due to injuries, including late-2024 shoulder surgery. Still, the production last year was similar to his 2023 season with 16 home runs, 28 stolen bases with a .245 xBA. In other words, at age 30, he should be fairly similar to the player he’s shown himself to be in his major league career thus far. Unfortunately, Kim’s defense really diminished in 2025, making him a below-average defender whose work was a far cry from the excellent defense he had shown in his previous three major league seasons. As a result, Kim is projected for sub-3 fWAR, meaning his leash for being able to reach the 15-home run, 25-stolen base mark in 2026 and beyond is shorter than for those ahead of him on this list.

45. Emil Morales, SS, Dodgers

While other players from his signing class might have gotten more headlines and accolades, the Dodgers’ Morales put together a nice 2025. He hit .314/.396/.515 with 14 home runs and 11 stolen bases split between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A Rancho Cucamonga. Morales shows some swing-and-miss, but he pairs it with on-base skills and plus power potential. He posted a 90th percentile EV of 105.7 mph in 2025 with a .337 xwOBA. He shows lofty launch angles on his balls hit at 95-plus mph and has a nose for the barrel. There’s some hit tool risk, but you’re buying into Morales’ plus contact quality. 

46. Jett Williams, SS, Mets

For the second-consecutive season, Williams saw time in Triple-A, this time struggling to make contact but hitting seven home runs over 34 games with a .224 isolated slugging. Williams’ style of play is geared around his on-base skills and blend of above-average power and plus speed. He has average raw power but gets the most of his hard contact with good launch angles. He should run high OBPs with a chance for 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in his peak years. 

47. Carson Williams, SS, Rays

Williams is a difficult profile to rank, as he is extreme in many regards. He plays excellent shortstop defense, and his power is excellent with top 25th percentile bat speed and a 107 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in the minor leagues. At the other end, his swing-and-miss has been far below average his entire professional career. With 15-20 stolen bases, Williams’ low-end projections look like Dylan Moore with Trevor Story on the high-end. As you might guess from this ranking, we feel the likelihood of hitting those more optimistic projections comes with longer odds.

48. Gavin Fien, SS, Rangers

Considered the top prep hitter available in many teams’ analytical draft models, Fien is likely to move off shortstop, but he pairs above-average hitting ability and above-average power. Yet to make his official debut, Fien is likely to see a full season level to begin 2026, and if he impresses, he could gain real helium in dynasty leagues. It’s a bat-first profile without a lot of speed, so Fien needs to really hit.

49. Ethan Holliday, SS, Rockies

Arguably the most famous player in the 2025 prep draft class, Holliday is the brother of the Orioles’ Jackson Holliday and the son of former Rockies and Cardinals great Matt Holliday. Ethan’s style of play is more like his dad’s, as he has a taller, broader frame than Jackson with a swing that’s geared for power. Unfortunately, that swing also comes with plenty of swing-and-miss, as Holliday ran a 42.8% whiff rate in his pro debut.  

50. George Lombard Jr., SS, Yankees

After an outstanding spring training, Lombard started the season off hot with High-A Hudson Valley. He hit .329/.495/.488 over the first 24 games and earned the callup to Double-A on May 6. From there, Lombard struggled heavily against Double-A competition, hitting .235/.337/.358 over 108 games. While it wasn’t the best showing for Lombard, he did fair better over his final 29 games, hitting .248/.380/.410. It’s still a bit of a risky projection bet, but Lombard will likely earn the opportunities to get everyday playing time in the majors if only just for his defense.   

51. Arjun Nimmala, SS, Blue Jays

Consistency is something that seems to escape Nimmala, as he has yet to put together a strong full season. After a dreadful first half and outstanding second half in 2024, Nimmala had an outstanding first half and dreadful second half in 2025. What lies in store in 2026 is anyone’s guess, but it’s important to keep in mind that Nimmala was 19 years old for the entire season in High-A. He showed much improved strikeout rates this season, even through the turmoil of his second half. Nimmala still has 25-plus homer upside with the ability to hit .240 or better. 

52. Joey Ortiz, SS, Brewers

As a 25-year-old in 2024, Ortiz showed excellent infield defense and versatility. He paired it with a 105 wRC+ in 511 plate appearances, leading to a 3.2 fWAR. From a fantasy point of view, he reached double digits in power (11 homers) and speed (11 steals). It was natural to expect more of the same last year, but unfortunately, Ortiz took a step back with a .230/.276/.317 line, seven home runs and 14 stolen bases in 506 plate appearances. The real Ortiz is somewhere in between. The defense should keep him in the lineup and the speed and bat-to-ball will give him a fantasy floor, but there is very little power. In other words, he is essentially a doppelganger of Chase Meidroth below.

53. Chase Meidroth, 2B/SS, White Sox

The middle infield version of the Nolan Schanuel/Luis Arraez/Steven Kwan phylum of excellent bat-to-ball skills with leisurely bat speed, Meidroth started his big league career impressively, playing MLB-worthy shortstop defense while stealing a surprising 11 bases in his first 69 games. The stolen bases dried up as the season wore on, but he did post a .267 batting average in the second half. Put it all together, and you have a middle infielder who should have .350+ on-base percentages, hit 10 home runs and steal around 20 bases while playing defense that should give him full-time at-bats for at least the first few years of his major league career. If he starts 2026 off slowly, the above remains true, but he might find himself in the bottom of the batting order as opposed to the top.

54. Brooks Lee, SS, Twins

Lee is a less extreme version of Ortiz and Meidroth in that his bat speed and power isn’t as anemic, and his speed and bat-to-ball skills aren’t as good. Put it all together, and it’s a .250/.310 batting average and on-base percentage with 15-20 home runs. Because the defense is much worse than Ortiz and Meidroth, the former first-round draft pick is ranked lower.

55. Jose Caballero, 2B/SS/3B/OF, Yankees

Caballero had a very valuable 2024 fantasy season as a utility man with positional eligibility all over the field who hit nine home runs with a whopping 44 stolen bases. Heading into 2025, it wasn’t clear what role the 28-year-old would play, especially on a Rays team that makes it difficult to foretell future lineups. Well, Caballero got traded to the Yankees and essentially duplicated his 2024 season, even leading the American League in stolen bases. His 2026 outlook is very similar to his 2025 preseason outlook: If he plays, he will be a source of speed. His versatility is valuable to help fill roster holes, but the question is how many plate appearances he will get.

56. Josh Smith, SS/3B, Rangers

If you’re rostering Smith, more than likely he’s a bench option whose multiposition eligibility provides flexibility as an injury fill-in or daily league at-bat booster. Smith ranked 27th among third basemen and is a solid but unspectacular option. He has advanced contact skills but a very limited power upside.  

57. Tyson Lewis, SS, Reds

Risk and reward is the name of the game with Lewis, as he shows an exciting pairing of plus-plus power and plus speed while also working with a 30-grade hit tool. If you believe Lewis will hit enough to be consistent contributor, you’re likely to value him highly, perhaps even among the Top 100 Prospects in the game. Should it all click, he possesses the ability to put up 30-home run and 30-stolen base seasons.

58. Zach McKinstry, SS/3B/OF, Tigers

McKinstry is a fantasy Swiss Army knife, as he’s eligible at a majority of positions in most formats. In his age-30 season, McKinstry had a career year, ranking as the 11th-best third baseman in 5×5 roto leagues by hitting .259/.333/.438 with 12 home runs, 19 stolen bases and 68 runs—all career highs. While it was a nice season, there’s little reason to believe he’s going to repeat his success or even see the same amount of playing time. McKinstry is valuable in deeper leagues as a utility or bench option. 

59. Juan Sanchez, SS, Blue Jays

Sanchez was one of the breakout stars of the 2025 Dominican Summer League, hitting .341/.439/.565 with eight home runs and a 17.4% strikeout rate. A slugger likely to move to third base long term, he’ll profile well there thanks to above-average hitting ability. Sanchez shows the ability to hunt barrels without sacrificing contact or approach—a rare combination in a teenage slugger. Sanchez will make his stateside debut in 2026, and if he hits on the complex, he could quickly force his way to Low-A Dunedin.

60. Franklin Arias, SS, Red Sox

One of the hardest players to strike out in the minor leagues in 2025, Arias shows plus-plus contact skills with a strong approach to match. He hit .278/.335/.388 in 2025 with eight home runs and 12 stolen bases. He has below-average speed and a swing that isn’t going to generate the loft to hit for consistent power, but his hit tool is a 70, and he likely will flirt with .300-plus averages at peak. Arias isn’t the sexiest fantasy profile, but he’s going to be a valuable player year in and year out.