Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 5 Shortstops
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 top 5 shortstops entering the 2025 fantasy baseball season:
1 – Bobby Witt, KC (ADP – 1.5)
In his third season with the Royals, Witt led the American League in hits (211) and batting average (.332) while setting career highs in runs (125), doubles (45), home runs (32), and RBIs (109). His contact batting average (.398) was well above last season (.340) while aligning with 2021 in the minors (.393). He had 88 extra bases hit, but his average hit rate (1.773) was a tick below 2023. Witt reached elite status with his RBI rate (22) despite only having 360 RBI chances.
His bat was impressive against right-handed pitching (.336/99/28/91/25 over 503 at-bats ~ 0.612 SLG), but Witt only had four home runs and 18 RBIs vs. lefties (eight in 2023). After a dominating July (.489/26/7/22/2 over 90 at-bats), he had his best output in home runs in August (.310/25/10/20/3 over 113 at-bats).
Witt moved to the league average with his walk rate (8.0) while posting a career-low in his strikeout rate (15.0). Witt finished with growth in his exit velocity (92.7 mph – 16th) and hard-hit rate (48.3 – 30th). He hit a few more fly-balls (44.4%) with a minimal gain in his HR/FB rate (13.4).
Bobby Witt Jr. put together one of the best seasons by a shortstop in MLB history. #Top10RightNow pic.twitter.com/6HhnnmhMiY
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 23, 2025
Fantasy Outlook: The arrival of Witt is here, and there are multiple areas where he can improve his production. His sprint speed (30.5) has been the best in the majors in the back-to-back seasons, suggesting 50+ stolen bases if he wants to run more. Once Witt solves lefties in the power department, he should hit 40+ home runs. His one concern is his RBI chances (never higher than 370), giving him a weaker RBI opportunity than the best-run producers in baseball. His growth in RBIs requires a better leadoff hitter or a drop to third in the batting order. He also had a much higher HR/FB rate (19.3) in the minors in 2021. His qualification (SS), a 40/40 season on the horizon, and an edge in runs, RBIs, and batting average point to a player with the tools to outperform Shohei Ohtani in 2025.
2 – Elly De La Cruz, CIN (ADP – 4.2)
As expected, De La Cruz whiffed like a champ in his sophomore campaign. He led the National League in strikeouts (218 – 31.3%) but avoided a disaster batting average (.259) by posting an elite contact batting average (.400) that was below his minor league resume (.438). His walk rate (9.9) beat his minor league career (8.2%). De La Cruz led the majors in stolen bases (67) and caught stealing (16).
His best stats last season came in April (.279/27/8/19/18 over 104 at-bats), helping fantasy teams jump out of the starting box. He gave back his gains in May (.208 with 10 runs, one home run, and five RBIs over 101 at-bats) other than stolen bases (14). Over the following three months, De La Cruz was an edge in all five categories (.276/53/13/37/29 over 315 at-bats). His bat was weaker against lefties (.224 with 22 runs, six home runs, 20 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases).
De La Cruz ranked 28th in exit velocity (91.9 mph) and 57th in hard-hit rate (45.7). Even with strength in his HR/FB rate (19.1), his launch angle (9.7 – 174th) is trailing in his development. He hit fewer groundballs (46.3% - 53.9%) last season, with a bump to 33% for his fly-ball rate.
Fantasy Outlook: De La Cruz finished fifth in FPGscore (9.50) for hitters last year. With an improved swing path and a lower strikeout rate, his ceiling in power and batting average would be much higher. He wants to run, and his overall skill set is excellent. I’ll set his bar at .270 with 100+ runs, 30+ home runs, 85+ RBIs, and a floor of 50 stolen bases. His desire to steal could lead to over 80 bags in 2025.
3 – Gunnar Henderson, BAL (ADP – 5.7)
Henderson jumped out of the gate in April (.291/25/10/24/6 over 117 at-bats), followed by two productive months in power (.287 with 48 runs, 16 home runs, 34 RBIs, and seven stolen bases over 209 at-bats). He lost his edge in production after the All-Star break (.273/40/9/29/7 over 253 at-bats).
His strikeout rate (22.1) improved over the second half of the year (19.9). Henderson offered an edge in his walk rate (10.9). He was a top-tier player in exit velocity (92.8 mph – 14th) and hard-hit rate (53.9 – 9th), leading to an uptick in his HR/FB rate (23.9). His swing path remains groundball favoring (46.7%).
Since arriving in Baltimore, Henderson posted a plus contact batting average (.376) while still having a higher ceiling based on his minor league career (.402). His average hit rate (1.881) supports 30+ home runs. He finished 2024 with only 348 RBI chances due to having 75.7% of his at-bats from the leadoff spot.
Highest single-season WAR since 2021:
— StatMuse Baseball (@statmusemlb) January 2, 2025
10.8 — Aaron Judge (2024)
10.5 — Aaron Judge (2022)
9.4 — Bobby Witt Jr (2024)
9.2 — Shohei Ohtani (2024)
8.7 — Gunnar Henderson (2024) pic.twitter.com/BZcDH6YvaT
Fantasy Outlook: Last year, the Orioles ranked fourth in runs scored (786) and second in home runs (235). Baltimore moved in their left field wall in some areas in the offseason, but it won’t help Henderson too much due to him batting lefty. His success on the basepaths (31-for-38) over the past two seasons invites more chances in 2024. In a way, Henderson has a chance to develop into the player in the realm of Mike Trout while trailing him in launch angle and his fly-ball swing path. Trending toward a batting title with the tools to be a 120/40/120/40 player. Ideally, I’d like Jackson Holliday to seize the Orioles’ leadoff job, giving Henderson a chance to bat third.
4 – Mookie Betts, LAD (ADP – 12.1)
Over the past three seasons, Betts had been an exceptional player for the Dodgers, highlighted by his uptick in power (93 home runs over 410 games) and his already high floor in runs (318). He missed 46 games in 2024 with a broken left wrist. His stats projected over 150 games came to 97 runs, 25 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases.
Last year, Betts was on an elite path in April (.368/29/6/23/8 over 125 at-bats), but he gave back his gains over his next 40 games (.253 with 21 runs, four home runs, 17 RBIs, and one steal over 158 at-bats). After returning from the injured list, his bat never reached his early form (.264/25/9/35/7 over 167 at-bats). In the postseason, Betts went 18-for-62 (.290) with 14 runs, four home runs, 17 RBIs, and two stolen bases, giving him his best playoff run in his career.
His strikeout rate (11.1) was his best since 2017 while being an asset in every season in the majors. He continues to have a favorable walk rate (11.8). Betts was an elite hitter with runners on base (RBI rate – 23). Unfortunately, his RBI chances (256) have been low in his time with Los Angeles (256, 329, 344, and 256), which lowers his ceiling in expected RBIs. He did overcome this shortfall in 2023 due to smashing 39 home runs. The Dodgers hit him first or second in the batting order for 449 of his 450 at-bats last season.
Betts has had a fly-ball swing path for most of his career, but his top launch angles (20.6 and 21.4) and fly-ball rates (48.5 and 48.6) have come over the past two years. He finished 2024 with a sharp decline in his exit velocity (89.9 mph – 92.4 in 2023 ~ careen best), hard-hit rate (39.3 – 48.1), and HR/FB rate (9.8 – 16.7 in 2023) due to his wrist injury.
Fantasy Outlook: Based on his results over the final five months, Betts gives the feeling of being a trap. He only had 24 barrels last season (106 over the past two seasons), but how much of his decline in power was due to his injury? The Dodgers have a top-scoring offense, giving Betts one of the best scoring opportunities in the game. His shortstop qualification is a huge plus, and he has been willing to run more since MLB changed the stolen bases rules. Betts's quest for more power leads to easier outs via fly balls. His 2025 outlook is .280 with 125 runs, 30 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 15 steals with 150+ starts.
5 – Francisco Lindor, NYM (ADP – 15.1)
Over the past three years, Lindor ranked 10th (6.97), 10th (6.64), and 8th (7.72) in FPGscore for hitters, giving fantasy teams a high foundation in four categories. His RBI chances declined over the last three seasons (483, 414, and 353) due to his flexibility hitting in the Mets lineup. In 2024, New York gave him 72.2% of his at-bats from the leadoff spot compared to mainly batting second and third in 2023 (87.5%) and primarily third in 2022 (81.3%).
Lindor hit only .193 last season over his first 187 at-bats with 28 runs, seven home runs, 22 RBIs, and six stolen bases, giving fantasy drafters some buyer’s remorse. His bat started to round into form on May 21st, leading to a dynamic end to the season (.309/79/26/69/123 over 431 at-bats). He missed 10 games in September due to a back injury.
His strikeout rate (18.4) has been higher with the Mets while still beating the league average each season. He finished with a step back in walks (8.1%). Lindor’s contact batting average (.344) was a five-year higher while falling in a tight range over the past three seasons. His average hit rate (1.828) supports 30+ home runs with 550 at-bats.
Lindor has a rising HR/FB rate (15.5) that remains below his best two seasons in 2018 (17.3) and 2029 (17.4). He posted a career-best hard-hit rate (47.4 – 40.2 in his career) while having a fly-ball swing path (43.2%) and launch angle (17.0). His exit velocity (90.9 mph) has been about the same over the past two seasons.
FRANCISCO LINDOR.
— ESPN (@espn) September 30, 2024
GAME. OF. THE. YEAR. pic.twitter.com/xoHiDI8mkz
Fantasy Outlook: The addition of Juan Soto should be a big win for Lindor’s value in runs, with added potential if Pete Alonso returns. He comes off the board as the 14th hitter this season in the NFBC in early January, which makes him a slight value based on his success over the past three years. More of the same, with his only shortfall coming in his neutral batting average.
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Bobby Witt Profile, Preview, Predictions
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.