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In recent years, shortstop has become a position of studs, and by the looks of the current prospect crop, that doesn't figure to change anytime soon.

Granted, not all of them will remain at shortstop. Truth is the shortstop position, even in its barren days, has never lacked for up-and-comers. Just as part of the development process, an organization will push a player's defensive limits with a goal of acclimating him to a more premium position. It's only when he's at the precipice of the majors that an organization installs him where he actually fits best.

Top prospects: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | P

Still, he's a shortstop until he's not, which means we just have to accept that half of all infield prospects are housed at this one infield position. Heck, it may be more than half.

Bottom line is that I have to go 20 deep at shortstop instead of the usual 10. I'd be leaving out too many high-end prospects otherwise. As it is, I'm having to exclude a dozen who I originally thought would make the cut. For some, questions about their eventual ceiling have taken them out of the running:

Others may have a more optimal ceiling but still have so much developing to do that it makes for a wide range of possible outcomes:

And then there's the Red Sox's Jeter Downs, a consensus top-100 prospect a year ago who flopped so miserably at Triple-A, batting .190 with a .606 OPS, that it's hard to know how to evaluate him now.

I'm nitpicking. Each of the aforementioned prospects has a chance to become an impact Fantasy player, and my very reason for listing them upfront is because I want you to know about them. Maybe some of them will even make the cut in my top 100 prospects, where all the positions get mashed together. But for now, I've had to limit the selection to the most glittering of prizes ...

Note: This list is intended for a variety of Fantasy formats and thus weighs short-term role against long-term value. Not all of these players will contribute in 2022 — most, in fact, will not — but among prospects, they're the names Fantasy Baseballers most need to know.

1. Bobby Witt, Royals

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .290 BA (497 AB), 33 HR, 29 SB, .936 OPS, 51 BB, 131 K

The Royals teased us with the possibility of Witt making the team last spring. It may be a foregone conclusion in 2022. The second pick in the 2019 draft took a wrecking ball to the upper minors in his first season of full-season ball, establishing himself as arguably the game's top prospect and the sort of power/speed threat Fantasy Baseballers covet.

2. Anthony Volpe, Yankees

Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .294 BA (412 AB), 27 HR, 33 SB, 1.027 OPS, 78 BB, 101 K

Volpe is the prime example of a prospect whose development caught everyone by surprise because it happened behind closed doors. The strength he added during the 2020 shutdown filled in the missing pieces of a profile characterized by instincts and work ethic, and the result was a player with so few flaws that he may push for a promotion by his 21st birthday.

3. Marco Luciano, Giants

Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .258 BA (395 AB), 19 HR, .815 OPS, 48 BB, 122 K

Hyped as one of the game's top prospects from the time he was 18, Luciano got a rude awakening with his move up to high Class A, where he struck out 37.2 percent of the time while homering just once in 36 games. The Giants may want to take their time, then, with their burgeoning superstar, whose power in particular stands to be special.

4. Noelvi Marte, Mariners

Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .273 BA (444 AB), 17 HR, 24 SB, .825 OPS, 60 BB, 117 K

The Hanley Ramirez comp is one you'll sometimes see for Marte, and it looked particularly apt in his introduction to full-season ball. The power and speed were both on display, but it's his hit tool that earns the highest marks. Like Ramirez, he may be stretched at shortstop, but the bat would play just as well at the hot corner or the outfield.

5. C.J. Abrams, Padres

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: Double-A
Minor-league stats: .296 BA (162 AB), 2 HR, 13 SB, .782 OPS, 15 BB, 36 K

I may be a little behind the consensus here, but I've come to realize, particularly with the way the new baseball played last season, that I value power way more than I do speed. Still, they don't come much faster than Abrams, who's also blessed with a top-of-the-scale hit tool. Rest assured, the No. 5 shortstop is still a top-20 prospect overall.

6. Oneil Cruz, Pirates

Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2021: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .310 BA (271 AB), 17 HR, 19 SB, .970 OPS, 28 BB, 69 K
Major-league stats: 3 for 9, HR, 0 BB, 4 K

Conventional wisdom says that, at 6-feet-7, Cruz can't help but have strikeout issues and couldn't possibly stick at shortstop. He made it all the way to the majors without either scenario coming true, having instead developed the power to match his size. Major-league pitchers may well find holes to exploit, but having played only two games, Cruz already owns the Pirates' record for hardest-hit ball (via Statcast).

7. Marcelo Mayer, Red Sox

Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2021: complex
Minor-league stats: .275 BA (91 AB), 3 HR, 7 SB, .817 OPS, 15 BB, 27 K

The fourth player off the board in the 2021 draft but the first in our hearts, Mayer has the sort of hitting instincts rarely seen among high school picks, standing out not just for his plate discipline and barrel control but also his situational approach. He's a little behind in power development but figures to make big strides in that area. 

8. Oswald Peraza, Yankees

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: high Class A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .297 BA (465 AB), 18 HR, 38 SB, .834 OPS, 37 BB, 111 K

If not for Anthony Volpe's meteoric rise, Peraza would be better known in Fantasy Baseball circles, himself enjoying a power surge simply by putting the ball on the ground less. It's his hit tool that stands out the most, which is critical since he's lacking in on-base skills otherwise. The lofty steals total may not be a realistic outcome for him.

9. Orelvis Martinez, Blue Jays

Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .261 BA (395 AB), 28 HR, 26 2B, .895 OPS, 43 BB, 113 K

Hitting 28 home runs at age 19 is no small feat, but there's still work to be done. His approach is pull-heavy and fastball-focused, which led to inconsistent exit velocities with the move up to high Class A. But he still put the bat on the ball there while also delivering a premium ISO, so the next step for him doesn't seem particularly daunting.

10. Jordan Lawlar, Diamondbacks

Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2021: complex
Minor-league stats: 2 for 5, 2B, SB, BB, K

The sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft draws comparisons to Bobby Witt and has a better approach than Witt did at the same age. He may not compare in terms of ceiling (because who can?), but his ceiling is plenty high enough, particularly if he ratchets up the power. He's the rare shortstop prospect who's a near lock to remain there.

11. Kahlil Watson, Marlins

Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2021: complex
Minor-league stats: .394 BA (33 AB), 2 3B, 3 2B, 4 SB, 8 BB, 7 K

Watson lasted to the Marlins at Pick 16, but it wouldn't shock anyone if he turned out to be the best of a loaded shortstop class, bettering even the more projectable Marcelo Mayer. He's loaded with tools, making up for his diminutive stature (5-feet-9) with a lightning-quick bat that should produce power without sacrificing contact. And then there's his speed ...

12. Brady House, Nationals

Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2021: complex
Minor-league stats: .322 BA (59 AB), 4 HR, 3 2B, .970 OPS, 7 BB, 13 K

Of the four 2021 first-rounders highlighted in this space -- Marclo Mayer, Jordan Lawlar and Kahil Watson being the others -- House seems the least likely to stick at shortstop, but his power might be the loudest singular tool. He's not exactly swinging from his heels, though, employing a short strike with an advanced approach that could make for a decent batting average as well.

13. Bryson Stott, Phillies

Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2021: high Class A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .299 BA (418 AB), 16 HR, 26 2B, .876 OPS, 65 BB, 108 K

A breakout 2021 made it abundantly clear that Stott's time is coming and coming soon, but it's possible there isn't enough thump in his bat to impact traditional Fantasy leagues. His plate discipline stands out most of all, particularly his 24 walks to 14 strikeouts in 26 AFL games. I generally bet "yes" on this profile, particularly when there's so little wait.

14. Jose Barrero, Reds

Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2021: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .303 BA (330 AB), 19 HR, 16 SB, .919 OPS, 36 BB, 84 K
Major-league stats: .200 (50 AB), 3B, 4 2B, .606 OPS, 3 BB, 17 K

Unlike during the pandemic-shortened 2020, Barrero (formerly Jose Garcia) actually earned his promotion in 2021, having learned to lay off breaking balls out of the zone to better take advantage of his raw power. It's still unlikely he becomes a middle-of-the-order force, but his profile isn't so defensive-minded anymore (which is fortunate since his path is clearer in center field right now).

15. Cristian Hernandez, Cubs

Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2021: complex
Minor-league stats: .285 BA (158 AB), 5 HR, 21 SB, .822 OPS, 30 BB, 39 K

Now may be your last chance to get in on a big-bonus international signee whose earliest returns last season were as promising as anyone could have hoped for. The plate discipline will make for a quicker ascension whenever the power develops, with his upside having been compared to Manny Machado.

16. Jordan Groshans, Blue Jays

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2021: Double-A
Minor-league stats: .291 BA (278 AB), 7 HR, 23 2B, .817 OPS, 34 BB, 61 K

Considering a foot injury cost him the final four months of 2019, and the pandemic all of 2020, Groshans' performance on an aggressive Double-A assignment was respectable enough, but we had hoped to see more power by now. The patient approach and feel for the bat give him a sturdy foundation to build from, but his stock is beginning to slip.

17. Royce Lewis, Twins

Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2021: did not play -- torn ACL
2019 stats: .236 BA (517 AB), 12 HR, 22 SB, .661 OPS, 38 BB, 123 K

Lewis still has the traits of a former No. 1 overall pick: quick and athletic, with natural pop in his bat. But he missed all of last season with a torn ACL, forfeited his 2020 to the pandemic, and was a mechanical mess back in 2019. He could regain top form quickly or never be the same, with hundreds of potential outcomes in between.

18. Brayan Rocchio, Guardians

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: high Class A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .277 BA (441 AB), 15 HR, 21 SB, .807 OPS, 33 BB, 106 K

Rocchio stands out more for his floor than his ceiling, but he has more of a ceiling than fellow Guardian Tyler Freeman. There's at least usable power here, perhaps more to come given how young he is for his level. He'll probably need to run some to make a real impact in Fantasy, but he's a better long-term bet than, say, Andres Gimenez.

19. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles

Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: low Class A, high Class A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .258 BA (399 AB), 17 HR, 16 SB, .826 OPS, 56 BB, 143 K

The Orioles view Henderson as a quick study, which explains why they promoted him so aggressively in 2021. It may have been too much for a 20-year-old who was striking out nearly 30 percent of the time even while tearing the cover off the ball at low Class A. He has the makings of a middle-of-the-order bat but some developing left to do.

20. Eddys Leonard, Dodgers

Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .296 BA (425 AB), 22 HR, 29 2B, .929 OPS, 51 BB, 116 K

Among the dozen different directions I could have gone here (see intro), Leonard had the most impressive stat line for his age and level, with few obvious drawbacks in his scouting report. He sustained his power breakthrough between two levels, knows how to take a walk, and is athletic enough to play all over for an organization that knows how to finish off prospects.