Shortstop, once the second biggest wasteland, is now an area full of riches! There’s 7 players who you can take in standard 12 team leagues within the first three rounds. After that, there are many players in the second tier who can be a fine addition to round out your roster.
Before I begin, here are the OBP risers and fallers for shortstops. 
Machado is not on the chart because Steamer does not consider him a SS. He’s projected for a .294 batting average and .355 OBP by them. Correa is argubaly the top dog in OBP leagues as his OBP is projected for .358. Jonathan Villar and Danny Espinosa are tow players who get big boosts in OBP leagues. Addison Russell is another, making him an even more intriguing player in OBP leagues. Speedsters Jose Peraza and Tim Anderson both have poor walk rates.
Tier 1
- Manny Machado (3B/SS, Baltimore Orioles): Arguably the biggest wildcard in the 3B Big Four, Machado’s value this season might just hinge on stolen bases. He’s averaged 36 HR over the past two years with a .290 batting average and strong counting stats. He stole 20 bases in 2015 but had a goose egg last year. Machado saw an uptick in strikeout rate thanks to a higher swinging strike percentage and a greater swing percentage at pitches outside the zone. Machado needs to show these improvements from 2015 will stick. Despite this, Machado is in line for another strong season with the Orioles.
- Carlos Correa (SS, Houston Astros): One of the games few five category producers, Correa had a solid sophomore season finishing with a .274 batting average to go along with 20 HR and 13 steals. Correa certainly has the talent to be the top fantasy player. He hasn’t reached the maturation of his power and contact ability. Despite a higher strikeout rate, Correa showed improvement getting it back to 2015 levels while keeping his improved patience. Based on Statcast xStats, Correa should have had a higher average and slugging. Correa will continue improving and will likely justify that first or second round draft pick. He’s a player with an already high floor and a ceiling matched by few in the game. I do think Correa gets to the 30 HR mark with a .290 average with a bunch of steals.
- Jonathan Villar (2B/3B/SS, Milwaukee Brewers): Villar came out of nowhere to become arguably the fantasy MVP of 2016. Villar’s 62 SB were 15 more than second place Starling Marte; this is the main area of Villar’s value. Villar has the profile of a player who can sustain an above average BABIP thanks to his total field approach and speed. He does tend to strikeout a lot, something that will keep him from being a .300 hitter. With a lower BABIP and all those strikeouts, Villar’s batting average will be closer to .270 than the .285 he put up. That combined with 15/45 should make Villar one of the better second fantasy players this season.
Names Shown For Those Players Projected For 10 or More HR and 30 or More SB
- Corey Seager (SS, Los Angeles Dodgers): The NL rookie of the year had an incredible season and showcased his full bag of tricks. While Seager should still be a top 5 SS in 2017, Seager did benefit from a .355 batting average on balls in play. On a more positive note, the power is sustainable and his infield flyball rate was only 2.1%!
- Trevor Story (SS, Colorado Rockies): The best part about Story is that he plays in Colorado which means Coors field for home games! Story had a strikeout problem which I do believe will not be as big of an issue due to a swinging strike rate that was high but does not suggest something over 30%. Story’s a power + speed threat with 30/10 being a realistic target for Story. His ISO approaching .300 will surely go down. Stanton has a career .273 ISO and is generally heralded as the strongest hitter in the game. What that means is that Story will hit likely hit 30 HR in a full season as opposed to him getting there in nearly 100 games. Story’s a top five SS this season. It wouldn’t surprise me if he finishes first.
- Francisco Lindor (SS, Cleveland Indians): Over two seasons, Lindor has amassed 27 home runs, 31 stolen bases, in addition to a .306 batting average. In 2016, Lindor improved his walk and strikeout rate while also proving his showing his power from 2015 wasn’t a fluke. I’d expect more of the same from Lindor.
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