The best prospects are shortstops. That's because the best prospects were their high school team's best player, and well, shortstop is where the best player plays at that level.
But more and more, those prospects are remaining at shortstop all the way to the majors, which is why the position has been so fruitful for Fantasy in recent years. That's not to say that all of the shortstop prospects featured here are ultimately destined for shortstop -- in fact, several are most certainly not -- but it is to say that there is no more important position for prospects than shortstop.
It's only fitting, then, that my shortstop rankings are longer than anywhere else on the infield. I go 20 deep here compared to 10 deep at most of the other positions, and it really does feel proportionate, like we're just beginning to stretch for talent toward the end of the list.
Of course, there's still talent to be had beyond these 20 names, but there comes a point where you could project almost any outcome onto an 18-year-old with no real stats to his name. This list ends at about that point.
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 2023 — most, in fact, will not — but among prospects, they're the names Fantasy Baseballers most need to know.
1. Jackson Holliday, Orioles
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2023: Low-A, High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .323 BA (477 AB), 12 HR, 24 SB, .941 OPS, 101 BB, 118 K
The son of former Rockies and Cardinals star Matt Holliday needed one year to establish himself as the top prospect in baseball, scaling the Orioles entire minor-league system with hardly a hiccup along the way. His on-base skills are enough to put him in the running for a job this spring, and he projects as a five-category threat who's just scratching the surface of his power potential at age 20.
2. Jordan Lawlar, Diamondbacks
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2023: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .278 BA (417 AB), 20 HR, 36 SB, .874 OPS, 56 BB, 101 K
Majors-league stats: 4 for 31 (.129 BA), 1 SB, 2 BB, 11 K
As good as Lawlar's full-season line was, it was likely his .321 batting average, 14 homers and .970 OPS from June 1 on that convinced the Diamondbacks he was ready for a big-league look in September. He doesn't hit the ball hard enough or often enough to project for a high batting average, but he's fast, can take a walk, and has power that plays to his pull side, profiling as sort of a speedier Marcus Semien.
3. Colson Montgomery, White Sox
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2023: Rookie, High-A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .287 BA (223 AB), 8 HR, .940 OPS, 56 BB, 56 K
A back strain cost Montgomery most of the first half, dragging him down midseason rank lists, but then he returned to reach base at a .456 clip while playing mostly at Double-A. His stock is at an all-time high now, and given his 6-foot-4 frame and impressive peak exit velocities, his power projection remains hopeful. A Corey Seager comparison seems a bit fanciful, but maybe Montgomery could be 80-90 percent of that.
4. Jackson Merrill, Padres
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2023: High-A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .277 BA (466 AB), 15 HR, 15 SB, .770 OPS, 35 BB, 62 K
The scouting reports gush over Merrill in a way that's belied by his numbers, but before you judge him too harshly, note that many of the building blocks are in place for a sudden surge in performance. His pitch recognition and contact skills are as good as you'll find in a minor-league, and the home runs will come once he learns to elevate to his pull side, as happened for Josh Jung once upon a time.
5. Marcelo Mayer, Red Sox
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2023: High-A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .236 BA (314 AB), 13 HR, .739 OPS, 32 BB, 86 K
Mayer's stock is in a precarious spot after he fell flat on his face in his first taste of Double-A last year, swinging through hittable pitches to undo the great numbers he put up at High-A. A shoulder impingement was partly to blame, but a 20-year-old deserves a pass for his first taste of Double-A anyway, particularly one who was in disussion to be the No. 1 overall draft pick a couple years ago.
6. Adael Amador, Rockies
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2023: Rookie, High-A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .287 BA (275 AB), 12 HR, 15 SB, .875 OPS, 39 BB, 37 K
Amador is a pure hitter with a knack for putting bat to ball whether he's hitting lefty or righty, and seeing as he's poised to play half his games at the BABIP wonderland that is Coors Field, it's easy to envision him competing for batting titles someday. Ozzie Albies had a similar prospect profile and ultimately went the way of selling out for power at the expense of batting average, but Amador may not have to make that tradeoff.
7. Jett Williams, Mets
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2023: Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .263 BA (410 AB), 13 HR, 45 SB, .876 OPS, 104 BB, 118 K
Standing only 5-feet-6, Williams plays like a small dog with something to prove, making loud contact to all fields and kicking up dirt whenever he reaches base, which was nearly 43 percent of the time in 2023. It's hard to say exactly where his power will end up, but the scouting reports aren't holding his short stature against him, potentially giving the Mets their best leadoff man since Jose Reyes.
8. Matt Shaw, Cubs
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2023: Rookie, High-A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .357 BA (157 AB), 8 HR, 15 SB, 1.018 OPS, 9 BB, 25 K
Shaw slipped to the 13th pick in a loaded draft class and immediately put his hitting prowess on display by climbing all the way to Double-A in his first couple months of professional ball. His power and speed rate more as good than great, but his hit hit tool should allow him to get the most out of both, with early-career Bo Bichette being an outcome to dream on.
9. Brooks Lee, Twins
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2023: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .275 BA (501 AB), 16 HR, 39 2B, .808 OPS, 56 BB, 91 K
Lee delivered respectable numbers in his full first professional season, but his power manifested mostly as doubles, which puts a lot of pressure on him to deliver batting averages that are difficult to sustain from year to year. His disciplined approach and line-drive stroke give him a high floor developmentally, but the gap between 25 homers and 15 is the gap between must-start and also-ran in Fantasy.
10. Tommy Troy, Diamondbacks
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2023: Rookie, High-A
Minor-league stats: .271 BA (96 AB), 4 HR, 9 SB, .843 OPS, 16 BB, 28 K
Troy is actually a few months older than Jordan Lawlar, but he has some catching up to do given that he was drafted (12th overall) just this year. With Lawlar expected to settle in at shortstop, Troy's future is likely at second base, where he should deliver similar batting outcomes, highlighted by plus power and on-base ability, but without the massive stolen base totals.
11. Masyn Winn, Cardinals
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2023: Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .288 BA (445 AB), 18 HR, 17 SB, .834 OPS, 44 BB, 83 K
Major-league stats: .172 BA (122 AB), 2 HR, 2 2B, 2 SB, 10 BB, 26 K
There was some hope based on his Triple-A performance last year that Winn had developed real power to go along with his plus speed and above-average contact rate, but the exit velocities tell another story. It doesn't help that his first major-league stint was a miserable failure, but he's sure to get more as a solid defender with an incredible arm. There's still hope for a Bryson Stott-like outcome in Fantasy.
12. Carson Williams, Rays
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2023: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .258 BA (435 AB), 23 HR, 20 SB, .853 OPS, 59 BB, 158 K
From the superlative defense to the enticing power/speed combo, Williams is a prospect defined as much by his impressive tools as his debilitating, potentially disqualifying, flaw. He doesn't make enough contact, striking out more than 30 percent of the time even while still in A-ball, and unless that changes, his best-case outcome for Fantasy may be something like Willy Adames. His defense should secure him plenty of chances, though.
13. Luisangel Acuna, Mets
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2023: Double-A
Minor-league stats: .294 BA (510 AB), 9 HR, 57 SB, .769 OPS, 52 BB, 106 K
The Mets gave up Max Scherzer and many millions of dollars for Acuña, and while it's clear that his power stroke is nowhere near the level of his more famous brother's, Luisangel has comparable speed to Ronald and good enough bat-to-ball skills to get a look as a big-league regular. It's more likely to come at second base or center field with the Mets also boasting Francisco Lindor and Jett Williams at shortstop.
14. Cole Young, Mariners
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2023: Low-A, High-A
Minor-league stats: .277 BA (495 AB), 11 HR, 22 SB, .848 OPS, 88 BB, 90 K
Young has one of those picturesque left-handed swings that sets scouts' hearts aflutter, spraying line drives all over the park with his plus pitch recognition and barrel control. It's a hit-over-power profile for sure, but there's hope he develops enough of the latter to string together a few 20-homer seasons, which would make his upside something akin to Michael Young or Daniel Murphy.
15. Roderick Arias, Yankees
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2023: Rookie
Minor-league stats: .267 BA (101 AB), 6 HR, 17 SB, .928 OPS, 27 BB, 29 K
We've grown so accustomed to high-profile international signings fading into obscurity in the lower minors that I think some are already writing off Arias as yesterday's news, but his second professional season was basically everything we could have hoped for, demonstrating considerable power and speed with strike-zone judgment beyond his years. It was a teeny-tiny sample in a baby step of a league, but it nonetheless validated Arias as a bona-fide prospect.
16. Sebastian Walcott, Rangers
Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2023: Rookie, High-A
Minor-league stats: .246 BA (187 AB), 7 HR, 12 SB, .806 OPS, 23 BB, 64 K
Walcott is one international signing who hit the ground running in his first taste of pro ball, doing enough damage in the Rookie leagues to get a look in A-ball by season's end. His carrying tool is power, with reports of him hitting the ball 110 mph at only 16 years old, and while his contact skills leave something to be desired, he has plenty of time to work those out in the upper levels.
17. Aidan Miller, Phillies
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2023: Rookie, Low-A
Minor-league stats: .303 BA (66 AB), 1 3B, 3 2B, 4 SB, 12 BB, 15 K
Power and plate discipline -- those are mostly what Miller brings to the table. It was the latter that showed up most in his pro debut debut, which frankly serves as a clearer indication that he's ready for the next step. His profile is more befitting of a corner infielder, and in fact, evaluators agree that his future is at third base. Don't get used to seeing him ranked as a shortstop, but do get used to seeing him ranked as a prospect.
18. Colt Emerson, Mariners
Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2023: Rookie, Low-A
Minor-league stats: .374 BA (91 AB), 2 HR, 10 2B, 8 SB, 17 BB, 20 K
Emerson beat out the Yankees' George Lombard and the Mets' Colin Houck as a speculative high school pick to round out this list, and I came to like him so much that I bumped him up to 18th. His plate discipline and bat control make for a potential plus-plus hit tool, with room to speculate on power. He had barely turned 18 when the Mariners promoted him to full-season ball, where he more than held his own.
19. Marco Luciano, Giants
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2023: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .223 BA (269 AB), 15 HR, .777 OPS, 46 BB, 100 K
Major-league stats: .177 BA (47 AB), 1 HR, 1 2B, 12 BB, 18 K
Luciano was so highly regarded for so long that I feel obliged to feature him here still, but injuries did such a number on him developmentally that he may be a lost cause. He can hit the ball hard, which is perhaps the most important thing a hitter can do, but he struck out 32.3 percent in his first taste of the upper minors with an unconscionable 69 percent zone-contact rate in his 18 games at Triple-A.
20. Orelvis Martinez, Blue Jays
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2023: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .243 BA (448 AB), 28 HR, .835 OPS, 67 BB, 126 K
There was a time when Martinez seemed like a lost cause, namely when he hit .203 at Double-A in 2022, but a more disciplined approach led to far more damage on contact just a year later, with his Triple-A slash line (.263/.340/.507) in particular standing out. Power is his calling card, with the big question being whether he's all-or-nothing or all-or something. His future is almost certainly at either second or third base.
