The shortstop position is about as stacked as it’s ever been in MLB and fantasy baseball. There are big drop offs in talent with certain tiers.
The strategy with drafting is to attack quickly. There is a massive drop off in between certain tiers and you can be left without a good option after the top 15 at the position.
Here are my shortstop tiers for 2026.
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Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Primer: Rankings & Tiers (2026)
Tier 1 & Notes
Witt is the clear #1 at the shortstop position. He hit .295/.351/.501 with 23 home runs and 38 stolen bases in what was a “down” season. He will benefit from the moving in of the fences at Kauffman Stadium and should go back to being a 30/30 player.
Tier 2 & Notes
Elly De La Cruz (STL)
Gunnar Henderson (BAL)
Zach Neto (LAA)
Some people might have Elly De La Cruz in the first tier along with Witt, but there are some concerns with his profile. He still struggles with consistent contact, and he struggled in the second half, hitting just four home runs and stealing 12 bases. He is still a top-tier talent that could easily be the best player in fantasy, but the floor is lower than most top-tier guys.
Gunnar Henderson was never able to get his power stroke going in 2025 after dealing with an early injury, but there isn’t much reason to worry that it won’t return in 2026. However, he did struggle against lefties, which is something that was an issue for him in the minors, which is a bit concerning. That being said, he is still very young and talented, and we may not have seen the best from him yet.
Had it not been for starting the year on the IL, Neto would have posted a 30/30 season and would likely be going near or in the first round. The only real issue for him is the lack of a supporting cast around him, with Taylor Ward having been traded and Mike Trout struggling to stay healthy, but he is a stud and still getting better.
Tier 3 & Notes
Trea Turner (PHI)
Francisco Lindor (NYM)
Trea Turner still is a premium talent, but the power is beginning to decline. He has also missed more time than he used to over his last two seasons. However, he still offers quality production in runs, stolen bases, and average, and is not a zero in the power department.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Francisco Lindor may start the year on the IL after breaking his hamate bone earlier this spring, he would likely be going in the first round. He has been a perennial 30/30 guy in a fantastic lineup and is worth stashing even with the injury.
Tier 4 & Notes
Mookie Betts (LAD)
Nico Hoerner (CHC)
CJ Abrams (WAS)
Corey Seager (TEX)
Mookie Betts is coming off the worst season of his career, and it is hard to exactly pinpoint what led to it. He did get very ill at the start of the season last year in Japan, where he lost 20lbs. That could be responsible for some of the struggles, or it could be natural regression for a player in his 30s. That being said, this is the cheapest he has ever been, and at worst, he is an affordable player in the best lineup in baseball.
Nico Hoerner was one of the most underrated players in drafts last season because he was coming off surgery in the offseason. He rewarded believers, hitting seven home runs and stealing 29 bases with a .297/.345/.394 triple slash. He has very little power, but he can be a massive asset in speed, runs, and average.
CJ Abrams is what he is at this point. A lead off hitter with a mediocre average and terrible on base skills that can steal a ton of bases and hit for some power. He likely isn’t going to change that profile, but he does have a stable floor.
For years, Corey Seager was overpriced because he consistently misses time. He only has one season with 600 plate appearances since 2018, but when he is on the field, he is still an elite player. With his price being more affordable this year, he is turning into a bargain that can deliver an elite power/average combination.
Tier 5 & Notes
Willy Adames (SF)
Geraldo Perdomo (ARI)
Jeremy Pena (HOU)
Trevor Story (BOS)
Dansby Swanson (CHC)
Xavier Edwards (MIA)
Bo Bichette (NYM)
Jacob Wilson (ATH)
After a slow start, Willy Adames hit .242/.341/.512 with 21 homers and eight stolen bases in the second half with the Giants. The team is getting better around him, and while the Giants may not run much, he is a pretty good bet for a 30/10 player.
Geraldo Perdomo hit .290/.389/.462 with 20 home runs and 27 stolen bases in 2025, which was the best season of his career. He is almost guaranteed to regress some, especially in the power department, but as long as he is healthy, he should deliver a good average and speed.
Jeremey Pena might be in the above tier if not for breaking a finger and starting the year on the IL. He has a super safe floor, but not a massive ceiling, which means he needs to play a lot to accumulate.
Trevor Story has struggled to stay on the field since leaving Colorado, but he managed to do so in 2025, racking up 600+ plate appearances for the first time since 2019. In spite of this amazing output, it’s hard to believe he will be able to do it again, which is why, in spite of a 25/31 season, he is this low.
Xavier Edwards doesn’t have much power, but he hits high up in the lineup, and he will steal a bunch of bases for the Marlins and should hit for a pretty good average, which makes him a nice play for certain constructions later in the draft.
Bo Bichette is now in New York and is expected to be the everyday third baseman for the Mets. This will be a worse park for him from a power perspective, but he could steal more bases as the Blue Jays rarely pushed it on the base paths, while the Mets ran in comparison.
Tier 6 & Notes
Kevin McGonigle (DET)
JJ Wetherholt (STL)
Konnor Griffin (PIT)
Kevin McGonigle is expected to make the Tigers’ Opening Day lineup and lead off for the Tigers. He doesn’t have a massive carrying tool for fantasy, but does everything well, and as long as he hits, he could return a lot of value this season.
Like McGonigle, JJ Wetherholt is expected to make the Cardinals roster and lead off in St. Louis. He has a great hit tool and enough power and speed to become a valuable accumulator in fantasy.
Konnor Griffin is the least likely of this tier to make the Opening Day roster, but he easily has the most upside of the trio. He is a generational talent, and at only 19 years old, the fact that there is even a discussion of him making the roster is really impressive. If he makes the team, he would move up two tiers at a minimum.
Tier 7 & Notes
Ezequiel Tovar (SD)
Xander Bogaerts (SF)
Colson Montgomery (CWS)
Nasim Nunez (WAS)
Masyn Winn (STL)
Otto Lopez (MIA)
Joey Ortiz (MIL)
Andres Gimenez (TOR)
Carlos Correa (HOU)
Willi Castro (COL)
Chase Meidroth (CWS)
Jose Caballero (NYY)
Brooks Lee (MIN)
Anthony Volpe (NYY)
Ha-Seong Kim (ATL)
Brayan Rocchio (CLE)
J.P. Crawford (SEA)
Colson Montgomery was amazing in 2025, hitting 21 home runs in just 284 plate appearances last season. He struggles with swing and miss, but actually had a passable contact rate last year. If he can even get close to league average contact again, there is a ton of power potential.
Nasim Nunez doesn’t have much power, but he has a great understanding of the strike zone, a good hit tool, and a ton of speed. He is also a premium defender, which the Nationals are starting to prioritize, so there is a chance for him to keep the second base job even if he struggles. There is 50 stolen base upside here.
Masyn Winn is a slick defender, but he has yet to find his niche with the bat. He has a good hit tool and speed, but he struggled with patience and swing decisions that held him back. There is 15/20 upside here if he can improve his patience.
Willi Castro is going to be a full time player now that he is out of Minnesota and in Colorado. There is not much power, but he can hit for average and steal a bunch of bases. He is multi-positional eligible, which is always valuable as well.
Chase Meidroth doesn’t have much power, but he is a fantastic on-base guy with some speed that will lead off for the White Sox.
Jose Caballero will play regularly for the Yankees until Anthony Volpe returns from offseason surgery. Caballero has the ability to steal 50+ bases if he gets enough playing time and he is eligible almost everywhere this season.
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