The 2023 fantasy baseball season will be here before we know it. That means it’s time for you to prepare for your fantasy baseball drafts. Beyond our draft prep articles and mock draft simulator, we will have you covered with 2023 fantasy baseball rankings. You can find our updated 2023 fantasy baseball expert consensus rankings here. And below you’ll find rankings from our analysts to help you prepare for the 2023 fantasy baseball season.
2023 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Draft Rankings
Fantasy Baseball Advice
Fernando Tatis Jr. is the glow-in-the-dark, neon-colored wild card sitting in every fantasy baseball draft of 2023. Tatis missed the entire 2022 season with injuries and a PED suspension in August. The injuries have been addressed: He surgically repaired his torn labrum shortly after his suspension for a nagging shoulder issue that plagued him, and he had surgery on his left wrist in October. The suspension will end on April 20, so fantasy managers don’t have to take a long absence into account. It’s just every other part of the picture that muddies the water. Tatis’s raw skills are phenomenal; he hits the ball as hard as anyone in the game, runs extremely well, and gets on base. He will be surrounded by superstar talent in the San Diego lineup, and he will have SS and OF eligibility in 2023, but he probably won’t be playing the demanding infield position. If someone could guarantee that 2021 Tatis is who we’re getting, he’d be a Top 5 pick, but the variables are numerous, and the impact is unknown. Someone will spend a high-round draft pick on him, so you only have to ask yourself if it will be you.
Francisco Lindor had an abysmal 2021 after signing a huge contract with the Mets, but he returned to form in 2022, tallying 26 HR, 107 RBI, 98 runs, and 16 SB. He hit .270, though his xBA was only .254. With the Mets starting lineup getting stronger by the day, Lindor should continue to see good counting stats in the 25/80/90 range, and the new stolen base rules may help him get back to 20 in that department. Lindor is the definition of a “safe” pick in a good lineup with some upside, but he won’t be returning to 2017-2019 numbers anytime soon.
Corey Seager can hit. While most analysts thought there might be some regression after he signed his 10-year contract with Texas, Seager proved those fears unnecessary. He crushed a career-high 33 home runs while scoring 91 runs and driving in 83. One area that did prove disappointing was his .245 batting average, but this is misleading due to his extremely low .242 BABIP. While his OBP sat at .317, his xwOBA was .372, meaning that he should see a positive correction to this in 2023. The shortstop position feels deeper than in years past, but heading into his age-29 season, Seager remains at or near the top. Fantasy managers should hope he drops to the sixth or seventh round to maximize his value.
Beyond our fantasy baseball content, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you prepare for your draft this season. From our free mock Draft Simulator – which allows you to mock draft against realistic opponents – to our Draft Assistant – that optimizes your picks with expert advice – we’ve got you covered this fantasy baseball draft season.
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