2022 SHORTSTOPS
(Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire)
by Pat Cloghessy
Three picks inside the top 5. Then none until Tim Anderson (pictured) at ADP 36. Then, fireworks. Welcome to the wonderful world of shortstops in 2022.
The power assets are present, though maybe not high-end. Speed is plentiful, with nine full-timers sporting SB or S+. Batting effectiveness assets are easy to snipe.
Here are the BABS ratings for shortstops who will potentially provide positive value to your team:
| ADP | R$ | SHORTSTOPS | Pos | Tm | PT | Pw | Sp | Av | * | Rg | Sk | Inj | Ex | Ag | Rg | RISK | |
| 2 | $51 | Tatis Jr.,Fernando | 6o9 | SD | F | P+ | SB | AV | inj- | 3.00 | |||||||
| 2 | $51 | Turner,Trea | 64 | LA | F | S+ | A+ | Rg- | 0.25 | ||||||||
| 40 | $22 | Story,Trevor | 6 | COL | F | PW | SB | a | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 5 | $42 | Bichette,Bo | 6 | TOR | F | p | SB | AV | inj- | 3.00 | |||||||
| 64 | $17 | Baez,Javier | 64 | DET | F | p | SB | AV | Rg- | 0.50 | |||||||
| 78 | $15 | Seager,Corey | 6 | TEX | F | p | A+ | INJ | 3.25 | ||||||||
| 36 | $23 | Anderson,Tim | 6 | CHW | F | SB | AV | inj- | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 263 | $3 | Gimenez,Andres | 64 | CLE | P | S+ | EX | 2.00 | |||||||||
| 54 | $19 | Franco,Wander | 6 | TAM | F | A+ | EX | 3.00 | |||||||||
| 136 | $10 | Adames,Willy | 6 | MIL | F | PW | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 44 | $21 | Bogaerts,Xander | 6 | BOS | F | p | AV | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 221 | $5 | Lux,Gavin | 64 | LA | M | SB | a | inj- | e | 2.00 | |||||||
| 230 | $5 | Cruz,Oneil | 6 | PIT | M | p | SB | EX | 2.00 | ||||||||
| 49 | $20 | Lindor,Francisco | 6 | NYM | F | p | a | inj- | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 97 | $13 | Correa,Carlos | 6 | HOU | F | p | a | * | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 125 | $10 | Swanson,Dansby | 6 | ATL | F | p | a | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 161 | $8 | Urias,Luis | 654 | MIL | F | p | a | inj- | e | 2.00 | |||||||
| 203 | $6 | Crawford,Brandon | 6 | SF | F | p | a | Rg- | 0.25 | ||||||||
| 719 | $(7) | Estrada,Thairo | 6 | SF | P | AV | EX | Rg- | 2.25 | ||||||||
| 480 | $(3) | Wade,Tyler | 65o | LAA | P | S+ | -P | EX | Rg- | 3.25 | |||||||
| 152 | $9 | Torres,Gleyber | 6 | NYY | F | a | INJ | 3.00 | |||||||||
| 470 | $(2) | Urias,Ramon | 64 | BAL | F | a | inj- | EX | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 513 | $(3) | Farmer,Kyle | 6 | CIN | F | a | INJ | e | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 361 | $0 | Rojas,Miguel | 6 | MIA | F | s | AV | -P | INJ | 4.00 | |||||||
| 580 | $(5) | Ahmed,Nick | 6 | ARI | F | s | inj- | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 164 | $8 | Rosario,Amed | 6 | CLE | F | SB | a | -P | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 228 | $5 | Lopez,Nicky | 6 | KC | F | SB | a | -P | Rg- | 1.25 | |||||||
| 316 | $1 | Kiner-Falefa,Isiah | 6 | TEX | F | SB | a | -P | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 598 | $(5) | Andrus,Elvis | 6 | OAK | M | s | a | -P | INJ | 4.00 | |||||||
| 631 | $(5) | Iglesias,Jose | 6 | BOS | P | AV | -P | inj- | EX | 4.00 | |||||||
| 446 | $(2) | DeJong,Paul | 6 | STL | M | PW | Rg+ | -A | INJ | 6.00 | |||||||
| 1000 | $(10) | Barrero,Jose | 6 | CIN | P | SB | -P | EX | 3.00 | ||||||||
| 329 | $1 | Crawford,J.P. | 6 | SEA | F | a | -P | 1.00 | |||||||||
| 395 | $(1) | Sosa,Edmundo | 64 | STL | M | a | -P | inj- | EX | Rg- | 4.25 | ||||||
| 672 | $(6) | Newman,Kevin | 6 | PIT | F | a | Rg+ | -P | 1.00 | ||||||||
| 672 | $(6) | Simmons,Andrelton | 6 | FAA | P | a | -P | INJ | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 731 | $(7) | Castro,Harold | 64 | DET | P | a | -P | INJ | e | 5.00 | |||||||
| 380 | $(0) | Kim,Ha-Seong | 654 | SD | M | s | Rg+ | -A | EX | 5.00 | |||||||
| 437 | $(2) | Gregorius,Didi | 6 | PHI | F | Rg+ | -P | INJ | 4.00 | ||||||||
| 646 | $(6) | Escobar,Alcides | 6 | WAS | M | -P | 1.00 | ||||||||||
| 638 | $(5) | Walls,Taylor | 6 | TAM | P | * | -A | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 745 | $(7) | Alcantara,Sergio | 64 | CHC | P | * | -A | EX | 5.00 | ||||||||
| 751 | $(7) | Martin,Richie | 6 | BAL | P | SB | -PA | INJ | EX | 9.00 | |||||||
| 621 | $(5) | Tucker,Cole | 6 | PIT | P | s | -PA | inj- | EX | 7.00 |
ASSETS: PT (Playing time), Pw (Power), Sp (Speed), Av (Batting Effectiveness), * (OBP help), Rg (Regression help). LIABILITIES: Sk (Skills risk), Inj (Injury), Ex (Inexperience), Ag (Age decline), Rg (Regression hurt), Risk cost
As stated, once Tim Anderson (SB,AV) leaves the board, shortstops go off at a rate of 20 percent between picks 40 and 64. Trevor Story (PW,SB,a) sits in limbo at ADP 40 while the drafting public awaits his final destination. A triple-asset threat at that slot seems like a steal, regardless of what ballpark he calls home in 2022.
Mining for upside in that range unearths Wander Franco (A+). Yes, he’s green. BABS hasn’t seen anything at the major league level to warrant a power asset, and his poor SB success rate in the minors leaves speed as a bonus, if anything. That said, Franco’s elite ability to get on base at such a young age (turns 21 on 3/1/22!) portends future success. If the power comes this season, an ADP of 54 will likely have all that passed Wander-ing why they didn’t pounce.
The (p,a) asset group yields a wide range of possibilities. Francisco Lindor’s stock has fallen after his nosedive in Queens. However, Lindor isn’t dead yet. His assets are right in line with where BABS historically projects him during draft season. It’s true, Citi Field is not as kind to LHH as Progressive Field, but at ADP 49 it might pay to find out about season No. 2 in NYC. Like Story, Carlos Correa is another SS without a home. Correa’s apparent linear decline since he lit the league on fire way back in 2015 surely factors in (ADP 97). But wait! Last year, Correa’s BB/K% crept back near his salad days of 2015-16. The end of his story is yet to be written. In fact, we may be on the cusp of Chapter 2.
If shying away from “fading” stars is your strategy, BABS probably wouldn’t bristle. Fortunately, she has other (p,a) asset mavens that can be selected well after pick 100. Dansby Swanson (ADP 126) and Luis Urias (161) have skills in line with the aforementioned big names, at a fraction of the cost. Perennial afterthought Brandon Crawford is still here, and while not “undrafted” according to ADP, pick 203 is a comfy slot for a MI.
Willy Adames (PW,a) sports hefty assets, especially at a position starved of top end power. Looking back, was his breakout 2021 season really such a step up? He surpassed the 20 HR mark in 2019 and the power metrics remained consistent during the lost season of 2020. A full season in Milwaukee tabs him as a prime target (30 HR plateau is within reach!) at ADP 136.
BABS knows you came here for her take on late speed. Well, here it is: Amed Rosario, Nicky Lopez and Isiah Kiner-Falefa all come with (SB,a) assets. Real speed paired with batting effectiveness adds up to late round target material. Rosario goes earliest (ADP 164) while the other two go off at picks 228 and 316, respectively. All are projected for full-time at-bats.
Speaking of full-timers, some names to tuck away for reserve/watch list spots. The (a) asset group can net Ramon Urias and Kyle Farmer, both near 500 ADP. Guess who rounds out this three man asset group? Gleyber Torres (ADP 152). Torres might be one of the toughest projections out there. Good luck!
NOTES: The chart above may vary slightly from the latest database update which was run after this analysis was written. To engage with other readers on this topic, head over to the Reader Forums. If you have a question that would be best answered by one of our experts and benefit everyone, submit it on our Contact Page and put MAILBAG in the Subject Line.