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Top 10 shortstops for 2018

By Matt Whitener | Last updated 2/28/18

Never in the history of the game has there been such a uniquely skilled set of athletes at the shortstop position. A lot of that can be attributed to the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra and Edgar Renteria, all players who redefined the position, but not even those players could have predicted what the modern-day shortstop has matured into.

Nowadays, the premier athletes on the field no longer live simply in center field; they're making shortstop their position of choice.

Furthermore, it's remarkable to see just how good these players are so early in their careers. Of the top five shortstops that comprise this list, only one is north of 25 years old, and of the top 10 in full, only one member is in his 30s (and barely, at that). Here is the star-studded top 10 of the game's most impressive position today.

10. Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox. After a pair of Silver Slugger-winning campaigns in 2015 and '16, Bogaerts took a step backward a year ago. As a result, his already one-sided value took a bit of a tumble as well after finishing with a negative dWAR mark for the second time in as many years. While his future could very well be at third base as opposed to shortstop, his recent returns at the plate still are strong enough to warrant a mention among the position’s elite. His three-year averages include a .296 BA, .776 OPS, 34 doubles and 98 runs scored.

9. Brandon Crawford, Giants. As was the case with many of his contemporaries in San Francisco, Crawford is coming off a severe downturn in 2017. He dropped his average by 22 points and on-base percentage by nearly 40, and his OPS hit a four-year low. However, he kept up his superior defensive prowess, finishing in the NL top three in range factor, fielding percentage and fewest errors en route to his third straight Gold Glove win.

8. Jean Segura, Mariners. After making the NL All-Star team at second base the year before, Segura returned to his natural position upon arriving in Seattle. The approach at the plate that saw him top the NL in hits in 2016 followed him to his old position, as Segura hit .300 with 30 doubles and a 110 OPS+ in an injury-shortened campaign. It is no wonder the Mariners moved quickly to extend him, inking the soon-to-be 28-year-old to a five-year, $70 million extension last June.

7. Didi Gregorius, Yankees. While his more monstrously built teammates get many of the headlines for their home run hitting exploits, it should be noted that Gregorius carried clean-up responsibilities for last year’s Yankees club that topped the AL in long balls. Gregorius finished second among MLB shortstops with 25 homers in what proved to be a breakout campaign for him. He also drove in 87 runs, hit .287 and accounted for a 3.7 WAR, third among MLB shortstops.

6. Elvis Andrus, Rangers. 2017 was a revival of sorts for Andrus, who is still somehow shy of his 30^th birthday as he enters his 10th MLB season. He reinvented himself, hitting a career-high 20 home runs — 12 more than his previous season best. Personal bests in hits (191), runs scored (100) and doubles (44) also highlighted his breakout at the dish. All the while, his defensive prowess and speed stayed strong as ever. Andrus reached 20 steals for the ninth time in nine years and finished in the upper-half of AL shortstops in defensive runs saved as well.

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5. Corey Seager, Dodgers. Seager is not only the most gifted player on the National League’s best team, but also arguably among the best players in the game period. The fact that he checks in so low on this list is more of a credit to his peers than a distraction from how special of a talent he already is — and can continue to become. He is insanely talented at the plate, owning a .305/.374/.502 split line over his first 1,413 plate appearances. In his first two full seasons, Seager has averaged 24 home runs, 36 doubles and 74 RBI, while playing a better-than-advertised defensive role. He also has a three-home run game in each of the last two seasons.

4. Andrelton Simmons, Angels. The most gifted defensive player of his generation and one of the top three defensive shortstops of the last century, Simmons changes the game more frequently with his glove alone than any player in baseball. His 32 defensive runs saved in 2017 were more than double that of his closest competition, and his 4.2 dWAR was over a game greater than any other defensive presence at any position. He also contributed career bests with 38 doubles and .752 OPS in a personal-high 158 games. He provided a long-awaited high-end presence to couple with Mike Trout in the Angels lineup — a lineup only set to get better in 2018.

3. Manny Machado, Orioles. Machado finally got his longtime wish to return to his natural position when the Orioles announced their intention to shift him back to the middle infield for what could be his final season with the club. As a result, he could very well produce one of the greatest offensive seasons at the position since the heyday of A-Rod. Even after a slow start to the year (.230 first-half batting average), Machado finished with his third straight 30-homer campaign while driving in 95 runs.

As a pure talent alone, it would be easy to rank Machado as the top player at the position, but let’s see how effectively his glove carries over to a full-time load at shortstop after an elite run at third base. The odds are heavily in his favor to not skip a beat, however.

2. Francisco Lindor, Indians. Lindor added another trick to his already sizable collection a year ago in the form of a serious power increase. The switch-hitting stud clubbed 33 homers, tops in baseball at the position. He also connected for a career-high 44 doubles and equaled the 99 runs scored a year prior. While his power increase came at the expense of a lowered batting average, the Indians are unlikely to complain about the stunning collection of on-demand skills Lindor puts on display with regularity.

Lindor is the definition of a franchise centerpiece: a generational talent who will continue to be surrounded by success due to his presence. The proof is in the product. Since his debut in June 2015, the Indians have a collective .582 winning percentage. In that time, Lindor has accounted for 15.8 wins, and the Tribe twice has won the AL Central. As a capper, during the club’s historic 21-game winning streak last summer, Lindor hit .360 with nine home runs and drove in 20 runs.

1. Carlos Correa, Astros. A badly timed thumb injury derailed what was shaping up to be an MVP-caliber effort for Correa, who still outperformed many of his 2016 totals in 44 fewer games. He made up for the time lost with five postseason homers and helped guide the Astros to their first World Series victory in franchise history.

That postseason performance sealed the fact that Correa is in a class of his own even compared to the most exceptional talents the position possesses today. His power potential is seemingly limitless, launching a career-high 24 home runs in 2017 despite playing just 109 games, and while his stolen base totals are declining as his power climbs, the exceptional athleticism he possesses makes him a force in the field as well.

The edge that Correa has over Lindor is slim, but at only 23, Correa is primed to join the likes of A-Rod and Cal Ripken Jr. as one of the great anomalies ever at the position.

Left on deck: Trea Turner (Nationals), Addison Russell (Cubs), Paul DeJong (Cardinals), Trevor Story (Rockies)

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