Michael Simione’s Shortstop Rankings
February 28, 2022
Check out Michael’s shortstops:
Michael Simione’s Shortstop Rankings
| Rank | Player | Team | Position(s) | ADP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trea Turner | LAD | 2B, SS | 1.75 | The clear number one in my opinion, very consistent and will give you all five categories. Expect a ton of runs from Turner sitting on top of that Dodgers lineup all season. |
| 2 | Fernando Tatis Jr. | SD | SS, OF | 2.21 | There are some concerns with the shoulder but he still played great after the injury and is easily a top three fantasy player. |
| 3 | Bo Bichette | TOR | SS | 4.71 | Bichette always had the skill set and he was able to put together a great season. He does everything and should continue to do everything. |
| 4 | Tim Anderson | CWS | SS | 32.79 | I feel like Anderson is still somewhat underappreciated. The high batting average and speed while still giving you double digit power is huge. |
| 5 | Trevor Story | COL | SS | 35.5 | Leaving Coors is the main concern but Story should still hit 25 home runs with 20 stolen bases no matter where he ends up. |
| 6 | Francisco Lindor | NYM | SS | 48.96 | Lindor had a disappointing season but seemed to be making strides in the second half of the season. Personally, I think he pushed too hard at the plate thinking he had to compensate for his big contract. |
| 7 | Marcus Semien | TEX | 2B, SS | 43 | After a monster season, Semien moves to a pitcher’s ballpark and into a lineup that is nowhere near the one in Toronto. He should still be good, just not as good. |
| 8 | Xander Bogaerts | BOS | SS | 50.21 | Bogaerts saw a dip in power last season but his underlying metrics still show the power is there. His projection of 27 home runs while hitting .284 seems accurate. |
| 9 | Jorge Polanco | MIN | 2B, SS | 79.46 | Those who have read my work know I am a huge Jorge Polanco and Jonathan India fan. Both can be grabbed in the middle rounds and both provide you with some pop and some speed. I really think these two should be targeted. |
| 10 | Javier Baez | DET | 2B, SS | 62.29 | Sure his plate discipline is horrendous but he keeps producing. K% is a bit overblown. |
| 11 | Wander Franco | TB | SS | 62.83 | Projections peg him for about 18 home runs 160 R+RBI and 8 SBs with a .290 average. Seems about right. |
| 12 | Jazz Chisholm Jr. | MIA | 2B, SS | 71.71 | There is a lot of Jazz love out there and I totally get it. I just think there could be a low floor there with his low contact rates. |
| 13 | Corey Seager | TEX | SS | 89.13 | Seager moves into a pitcher’s ballpark and into a weaker lineup. Still an injury risk but his high floor gives him value. |
| 14 | Carlos Correa | — | SS | 110.17 | Correa and Seager are essentially the same player to me, neither provide speed but produce in four categories across the board. Let’s see where he ends up. |
| 15 | Dansby Swanson | ATL | SS | 113.96 | Swanson can be hot and cold but hitting 25 home runs with double-digit steals brings a ton of value. The step forward in plate discipline is a welcomed surprise. |
| 16 | Bobby Witt Jr. | KC | SS | 90.46 | Do I think he will be on the opening day roster? Likely. Rookies typically struggle though so I will watch from the sidelines. |
| 17 | Luis Urias | MLW | 2B, 3B, SS | 147.71 | I am a big Luis Urias fan and I think his breakout could continue. In the second half he hit for a 123 wRC+, .850 OPS, and .217 ISO |
| 18 | Willy Adames | MLW | SS | 126.63 | In his time with the Brewers, he saw 413 plate appearances where he hit .285 with 20 home runs, 61 runs, 58 RBI, and four stolen bases. If you put those numbers to say 500 plate appearances he would land at roughly 25 home runs, 74 runs, 70 RBI, and five stolen bases. |
| 19 | Chris Taylor | LAD | 2B, SS, OF | 132.17 | Chris Taylor was a nice surprise last season as he finished 2021 with 20 home runs, 92 rubs, and 13 stolen bases. You can expect more of the same in 2022. |
| 20 | Jake Cronenworth | SD | 1B, 2B, SS | 126.96 | His multi-eligibility makes him an attractive option for your UT, CI, or MI position. While he doesn’t provide a ton of counting stats in one specific category he does help contribute in all five of them. |
| 21 | Amed Rosario | CLE | SS | 143.29 | Rosario has a clear path to playing time and stays healthy for the most part. Expect another 10/10 season from him. |
| 22 | Gleyber Torres | NYY | SS | 146 | Gleyber really benefited from the bouncy ball in 2019 as his power has completely disappeared. The good thing is that his speed has now popped up as he stol 14 bases last season. The question is, will it carry over into 2022? |
| 23 | Eugenio Suarez | CIN | 3B, SS | 203.04 | I’m hoping the addition of the DH means Suarez won’t be on the field anymore. It would only benefit him and every single Reds pitcher. |
| 24 | Brandon Crawford | SF | SS | 212.63 | He had the fourth highest EV/FB and third highest OPS at the position. |
| 25 | Brendan Rodgers | COL | 2B, SS | 174.29 | Rodgers looks to fill in the two hole and should see plenty of PAs. A solid average floor with some power potential. |
| 26 | Oneil Cruz | PIT | SS | 207.58 | If you havent heard, last season Cruz hit a ball 118.2 MPH which is a ridiculous number. Playing time and character issues are a concern. |
| 27 | Josh Rojas | ARZ | 2B, SS, OF | 225.21 | Rojas is a popular name for draft and holds due to his playing time path and his multi-eligibilty. He is a decent late speed option otherwise. |
| 28 | Gavin Lux | LAD | 2B, SS | 227.33 | With the DH coming we will no doubt see more of Gavin Lux. It’s now or never. |
| 29 | Andres Gimenez | CLE | 2B, SS | 243.71 | After an impressive campaign with the Mets Gimenez disappointed in 2021 with the Guardians. He does have an intriguing skill set though. |
| 30 | Gio Urshela | NYY | 3B, SS | 284.75 | Urshela will be a starter as the Yankees love him and need his glove. He took a major step back in terms of offensive production with his wRC+ dipping below 100. Just a solid backup in deeper leagues. |
| 31 | Jonathan Villar | NYM | 3B, SS | 264.08 | Villar is an accumulator who can get you stolen bases, we have to see where he signs though. |
| 32 | David Fletcher | LAA | 2B, SS | 332.54 | Average, speed and PA’s make Fletcher a decent bench bat to have. |
| 33 | Nicky Lopez | KC | SS | 238.92 | Some people love Nicky Lopez for his speed and batting average. The problem is the power, it is such a negative where you likely won’t profit off of his ADP. |
| 34 | J.P. Crawford | SEA | SS | 313.17 | A hitter who doesn’t do much of anything, but if you are in a draft and hold league he becomes valuable because of the guaranteed PA’s. |
| 35 | Miguel Rojas | MIA | SS | 326.88 | Rojas will give you double-digit steals in Miami but that’s about all. |
| 36 | Joey Wendle | MIA | 3B, SS | 346.71 | Joey Wendle signed with Miami and should see consistent playing time, he is basically a twin of Rojas. |
| 37 | Isiah Kiner-Falefa | TEX | SS | 352.13 | IKF now has a clear path to playing time with the recent Josh Jung injury news. You are getting good average with speed, but they could sign someone who could block IKF once again. |
| 38 | Ha-Seong Kim 김하성 | SD | 2B, 3B, SS | 347.67 | Kim will once again battle to see PA’s but the 10/10 potential makes him a decent bench bat. |
| 39 | Paul DeJong | STL | SS | 397.04 | DeJong will likely be platooned as the Cardinals have come out saying they would like to do it more. |
| 40 | Jose Barrero | CIN | SS | 363.71 | Barrero should see playing time in Cinncinatti but I wouldn’t expect too much. He will likely have a decent average with 10/10 potential. |
Oneil Cruz – “character issues are a concern.” What?
He had a terrible car accident where he hit a motorcycle with no lights on it, no evidence that he was drinking, and no charges filed.
That is a… generous assessment of what happened.
A spokesperson for the Attorney General stated that he smelled of alcohol, no breathalizer was performed. This is evidence, but not proof.
Even if he wasn’t under the influence, the mere fact that he was out driving at that time is a possible character red flag (we don’t know much about why he was out, was it a medical emergency? was he joyriding? etc.).
It also bears mention that he was driving on the wrong side of the road, and the accident was a head-on collision. In the US, this would be criminally reckless 100% of the time… in the DR is it possible that the correct side of the road was impassable?
WE DON’T KNOW, despite the fact that these are relatively easy answers to get, just publish one photograph of the road from the scene…
I also didn’t find anything indicating that there were no charges filed… All I found was that he was released on bail (indicating charges were filed). I did not find a court date, so maybe charges were dropped? but they were filed.
In any case, there are a lot of unknowns here, and while it MIGHT be true that there won’t be a legal decision, there is still a lot of room between “not guilty of triple homicide” and “no character concerns”
I have heard through some sources that his work ethic isn’t necessarily that great.