Browsing: Shortstop

We’ve Never Seen A Shortstop Like Mookie Betts


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Mookie Betts (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

In Game 3 of the NLCS on Thursday, Mookie Betts made the type of play that separates the great shortstops from average ones.

With no outs in the ninth inning and in a situation where any baserunner who reached would bring the tying run to the plate, Betts fielded Andrew Vaughnâ€s grounder deep in the hole, jump-turned and uncorked an accurate bounce throw to nab the Brewers’ first baseman.

The play made highlight reels all over the internet and helped put the Dodgers one win away from returning to the World Series. Because the 33-year-old shortstop is a Hall of Fame-caliber player, itâ€s easy to just accept these types of plays as part of the complete package that has made Betts a star for more than a decade.

But in reality, Betts’ Game 3 web gem was one of the most improbable plays weâ€ll ever see.

What Betts is doing seems impossible if you think about it for a moment. The Dodgers’ biggest weakness in recent years—other than starting pitcher durability—has been the teamâ€s lack of a solid shortstop. So what did Betts do? He fixed the problem by becoming a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop on the wrong side of 30.

Betts’ versatility and baseball intelligence have long been apparent, but now heâ€s also learned to play shortstop at an elite level in the major leagues late in his career. That’s perhaps just as astounding as the jump-throw to gun down the runner at first on Wednesday.

Shortstop is a position for the best athlete and defender on the field. Players frequently move off of shortstop to other positions. No one climbs up the defensive ladder to shortstop in their 30s.

That’s not hyperbole, either—we do mean no one.

Only twice in MLB history has a player who spent five-plus seasons in the major leagues without ever playing shortstop then gone on to become a teamâ€s primary shortstop (82+ games), even for one season.

The only other exception was for another World Series-winning team. When the Yankees†plans to replace Phil Rizzuto at shortstop fell through in the 1950s, second baseman/third baseman Gil McDougald moved over to be the teamâ€s primary shortstop in 1956 and 1957 before sliding back to second when Tony Kubek took over.

McDougald, however, pulled off the feat as a 28-year-old. Betts didnâ€t play his first game at shortstop until after he had turned 30.

The list of MLB players who made their shortstop debut after age 30 is an exceedingly small list. There have only been seven to do so since the integration era began in 1947, and every other player to do so had a fleeting career at shortstop. Betts is the only one of those seven to play 200+ games at the position.

As you might expect, heâ€s also the only one to ever be considered for a Gold Glove. And that is what makes this so remarkable. Betts has shown he can thrive at a position that was seen as too much for him when he was a teenager.

Like most top pre-draft prospects who throw righthanded, Betts was a high school shortstop. But the expectation was that heâ€d quickly move elsewhere as a pro. Our pre-draft scouting report in 2011 summed it up as follows:

“Some scouts believe the speed will play better defensively and want to shift him to center field. Others believe his solid first-step quickness and quick-twitch athleticism give him a chance to stay in the infield, though more likely at second base than at short. He has some footwork issues to iron out to stay in the dirt.â€

And that’s exactly what happened. Drafted in the fifth round by the Red Sox, Betts played one game at shortstop in 2011 and then moved to second base less than a month into the 2012 season at short-season Lowell. Those 14 games at shortstop in 2011-2012 would be the last time heâ€d play there at any level until 2023.Â

Betts was an excellent second baseman in the minors, but Dustin Pedroia’s claim on that position meant he quickly moved to the outfield in the major leagues. So what did Betts do? He became one of the best outfielders in baseball.

And that’s been Betts’ story wherever he’s played. But usually players move down the spectrum to easier spots as they age. In his case, he’s leapt from right field to second base and now to shortstop. Only eight players 32 or older played a game at shortstop in the major leagues in 2025. Betts, despite never having done it before, somehow managed to do so at an elite level.

With the Dodgers set to host the Brewers on Friday up 3-0 in the NLCS, Betts is looking for his fourth World Series ring this October. Heâ€ll find out if he’s won his seventh Gold Glove next month. Heâ€s an eight-time All-Star, a seven-time Silver Slugger and the 2018 American League MVP.

This year, Betts managed to somehow add another chapter to an already overflowing Hall of Fame resume. No one has ever managed to pull off the later-career defensive accomplishment that he has this year. As usual, he’s made the nearly-impossible look almost easy.

There have been a lot of great hitters in MLB history. And there have many exceptional fielders, too.

But there’s only one Mookie Betts.

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Fantasy Baseball 2025 Shortstop Breakdown: Geraldo Perdomo’s rise, early 2026 rankings

With the 2025 MLB regular season behind us, itâ€s time to review what we learned from a fantasy perspective and how we can apply it to next year.

In the coming days throughout October, weâ€ll be breaking down the standout seasons, the breakout candidates, the prospects to know, and our early 2026 rankings.

Here are the other positions we have covered so far:

Weâ€re moving on to shortstop now though and in terms of top talent and volume of strong producers, there isnâ€t a more impressive group across the game.

MLB: Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves

Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani at the top? Our early 2026 Top 300 rankings highlight key fantasy storylines heading into the MLB offseason.

2025 POSITION BREAKDOWN: SHORTSTOP

ðŸŽï¸ STATE OF THE POSITION

This is absolutely, no-doubt the best position group in real-life baseball and fantasy alike. Littered with elite talent, shortstops accounted for two of the top-10 players, three of the top-12, and 15 of the top-70 players in 5×5 leagues according to FanGraphs†Player Rater.

At the top was an expected duo of Bobby Witt Jr. and Francisco Lindor, the stalwarts at this position.

Then, the rest of the first round picks here all floundered. Elly De La Cruz didnâ€t take a step forward and 30 fewer stolen bases made him take a step back in fantasy value. Gunnar Henderson never snapped all the way back after an oblique injury in spring training. A virus stole Mookie Betts†power and a broken toe not long thereafter sent his season into a spiral. This whole trio has questions to answer before 2026.

Shockingly, Geraldo Perdomo filled that void and played like a legit superstar. Heâ€s sure to get top-of-ballot MVP votes and was literally one of the best players in baseball. Anyone who spent a very late pick on him or scooped him off their waiver wire reaped tremendous rewards.

Jacob Wilson was the other huge, unexpected story at shortstop this season. He wouldâ€ve won the batting title if not for Aaron Judgeâ€s heroics and showed more power than anyone expected. It will be fascinating to watch his growth as a hitter.

Otherwise, Trevor Story and Bo Bichette each enjoyed huge bounceback seasons while Zach Neto and Jeremy Peña broke out in huge ways despite each spending ample time on the injured list. Corey Seagerâ€s slow start followed by some injuries of his own were too much to overcome for him though.

Then, what was expected to be an upside filled middle-class of shortstops mostly flopped. Nothing more needs to be said about Anthony Volpeâ€s struggles. Ezequiel Tovar spent much of the year out and wasnâ€t particularly good when he played.

Willy Adames looked like a cataclysmic bust until a second half surge saved his season. Dansby Swanson puttered his way to another 20-20 season despite some serious cold stretches and a poor batting average. Masyn Winn was an abomination at the plate. Xander Bogaerts wasnâ€t too good there either.

This season was a good lesson that shortstop is a position filled with tons of top-end talent, but you could be left scrambling if you miss on that top tier and try to find a value later on.

🆠2025â€s Top Five Shortstops

1. Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)

.295 / .351 / .501, 23 HR, 99 R, 88 RBI, 38 SB

Witt was the top shortstop again despite not being able to measure up to his historically great 2024. A .332 batting average, 32 home runs, 31 stolen bases, and 234 combined runs and RBI from then pushed him to be the number one overall pick in many drafts. Those expectations make his final numbers from this season feel pedestrian. Yet, he turned in one of the most balanced stat lines in the league and led this hyper-talented position in a season that felt close to his floor.

2. Francisco Lindor (Mets)

.267 / .346 / .466, 31 HR, 117 R, 86 RBI, 31 SB

Even in his age-31 season Lindor did not miss a beat. He hit 30 homers for the third straight season and was one of seven players to go 30-30. In fact, heâ€s a short-term back injury in 2024 and one stolen base away from joining Barry Bonds as the only players ever to have three straight 30-30 seasons. His power and rate stats lagged a bit compared to last year due to an early summer toe injury and prolonged slump that followed, but all of his numbers wound up exactly where weâ€d expected them to by seasonâ€s end. This man is a baseball metronome.

3. Geraldo Perdomo (Diamondbacks)

.290 / .389 / .462, 20 HR, 98 R, 100 RBI, 27 SB

Respectfully, where on earth did this come from? Perdomo had spent the first few years of his career as a contact oriented, slap hitting shortstop who was best known for his silky smooth defense. Before this breakout campaign, his career-highs were six home runs, 47 RBI, 16 stolen bases, 30 extra-base hits, and a .718 OPS. He didnâ€t just improve on each, but blew them so far out of the water they seem comical looking back. If you play in a points based league, Perdomo was more than likely the top shortstop and one of the five or so highest scoring players overall. It was nothing short of a legendary breakout season which will lead to tons of questions heading into next year as to how much we should believe it and where he should be drafted.

4. Elly De La Cruz (Reds)

.264 / .336 / .440, 22 HR, 102 R, 86 RBI, 37 SB

Itâ€s a bit surprising to see De La Cruz as the fourth-ranked shortstop and 15th hitter overall in earned value considering the discourse that surrounded him. Yet, those are the high standards a player is held to after earning MVP votes in their age-22 season and rising up to a consensus top-five pick in fantasy drafts. Funny enough, the main gripe with De La Cruz was always that his high strikeout rate was untenable for what some considered an elite player. Well, he finally got that in check and whiffed at far fewer breaking balls in the process. He also did far less damage and itâ€s fair to wonder if he can ever marry his outrageous power with an acceptable contact rate or if heâ€ll be spending the next few years on this same see-saw. With that, itâ€d be nice if he could steal something closer to the 67 bags from 2024 to give this profile more of a steady floor. Thereâ€s also a growing trend that heâ€s a much, much better hitter from the left side compared to the right.

5. Trea Turner (Phillies)

.304 / .355 / .457, 15 HR, 94 R, 69 RBI, 36 SB

Turner turned in his best overall season as a Phillie that likely wouldâ€ve seen him in the top-three at this position if not for a hamstring injury that knocked him out for September. Still, he hit .300 for the first time since 2021 and stole 30 bases for the second time since then. His home run power appears to be gone though, a trend that has held up for a few years now and is matched by the fading of his underlying power metrics. There remains an avenue for him to stay near-elite through his 30s with a speed and contact-based profile, just without the gaudy ceiling that pushed him to the front half of the first round for many of the last five years.

📈 2026 Breakouts

It can be difficult to identify a “breakout†per se at shortstop because itâ€s the most established position in the league and littered with stars. So, for these breakouts weâ€re seeking players who were outside the elite group at this position and who have the skills to rise to near first round value after next season.

CJ Abrams (Nationals)

Still only 25 years old, Abrams has all the tools to be one of the leagueâ€s most dynamic players. He just lacks the consistency required to do so. Heâ€s learning to be a bit more selective compared to the free-swinger he came in the league as and can do more damage now than ever before. Maybe his on-base percentage or defensive ability rise enough to be considered a star in real life, but more incremental improvements to his swing decisions can push him to a 30-30 season with a high batting average. New coaches and a new philosophy in Washington could help him move in the right direction this coming season.

Zach Neto (Angels)

It felt like Neto was on his way to a truly massive breakout this year, but just enough of a step back in the second half pushed him outside the top-10 in earned value at shortstop by seasonâ€s end. That did come in 128 games played though due to some missed time with an early shoulder injury and late hand injury. Nevertheless, he played at better than a 30-30 pace and made massive improvements with his swing decisions to the point where that facet of his game should be considered elite. He also figured out how to go out and get the baseball, making contact far more out in front of the plate compared to 2024. Thatâ€s how he gets to so much power without top-end bat speed. With 30 homers and 30 stolen bases as something like the 50th percentile outcome, there are plenty of ways for Neto to jump up a level and be considered a near first round pick entering 2027.

📠2026 Prospects To Know

Konnor Griffin (Pirates)

To plant a flag in the ground, Griffin has a great chance to contribute at the major league level next season. If he does, watch out. This is the most physically gifted top prospect weâ€ve seen in quite some time and he could take the entire league by storm. Think on Ronald Acuña Jr.â€s level. Itâ€s plus-plus power, speed, defense, and contact ability with a howitzer for an arm for the five-tool Griffin. He just put up 21 home runs and 65 stolen bases with a .333 batting average and .941 OPS in his first season of pro ball. That wasnâ€t all in the low minors either. He skipped the complex league altogether and closed the season with 21 games in Double-A, where he didnâ€t miss a beat as a 19-year-old. Heâ€s the best shortstop in the Pirates†organization by far and should get a chance to show that if they are interested in winning baseball games.

Kevin McGonigle (Tigers)

The number one prospect in the game on some lists over Griffin, McGonigle tormented Double-A pitching with a .919 OPS, 12 homers, and more walks than strikeouts across 46 games this past season at 20 years old. That type of pedigree and advanced profile gives him a great chance to debut early next season and he could become a fixture at the top of the Tigers†lineup immediately. Expect more of a hit over power profile off the bat though with more doubles than home runs until he finds his second gear.

Aidan Miller (Phillies)

Miller is unlikely to contribute at shortstop next season with Trea Turner still ensconced in that spot, but is too good to spend another full season in the minors. He just stole 52 bases and hit 13 home runs across 108 games at Double-A and closed the season in Triple-A at just 21 years old. Heâ€s never played an inning anywhere besides short in the Phillies†organization, but could easily mix in at second or third depending on what happens with Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott in what could be a turbulent offseason in Philadelphia.

Colt Emerson (Mariners)

An injury-riddled 2024 season dulled some of Emersonâ€s shine after tons of excitement during his first taste of pro ball in 2023. He made up for lost time this past year blazing through High-A and Double-A to get a late season cup of coffee with Triple-A Tacoma in September. Only entering his age-20 season, it wouldnâ€t be surprising to see Emerson spend all of next season in the upper minors. Yet, JP Crawford is entering the final year of his contract in Seattle and thereâ€s a world where Emerson forces the issue sooner rather than later. Be advised weâ€re still waiting to see whatâ€s expected to become plus power from Emerson though.

Leo De Vries (Athletics) / Jesús Made (Brewers)

Itâ€s worth mentioning these two superstar-caliber prospects despite them each entering their age-19 season because they have the potential to be that good and both reached Double-A this past season. Keep them on your radar for a late season call-up if everything goes perfectly again in 2026.

🔮 2026 Top 12 Shortstops

1. Bobby Witt Jr.: The hands down best shortstop in the league even if he canâ€t get back to that 30 HR mark. No question whatsoever that heâ€s a high first round pick.

2. Gunnar Henderson: An oblique injury during spring training set him off track, but expect a return to elite status.

3. Francisco Lindor: A baseball metronome who we can expect to go 30-30 once again.

4. Elly De La Cruz: Bet on talent and hope the stolen bases sneak back near 50.

5. Mookie Betts: An .828 OPS through August and September followed by a strong showing in the playoffs has me believing in Betts for next season.

6. Trea Turner: Calm, cool, and a near .300 batting average with 30 steals will come again.

7. CJ Abrams: 30 steals, 20 homers, and a .250 average feel like a floor at this point.

8. Corey Seager: Itâ€s foolish to expect him to play 162 games ever again, but heâ€s still a star-caliber hitter when on the field.

9. Willy Adames: Reports of his demise were overstated as he was an easy top-10 shortstop in the second half.

10. Geraldo Perdomo: It feels disrespectful to put him here after this season, but the other talent at this position is too much to overcome for what could be a volatile, batting average driven profile.

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Xander Bogaerts activated from injured list, starts at shortstop

SAN DIEGO — Xander Bogaerts is back, and the Padres†offense is just about whole again.

What a time to be getting healthy, too.

The Padres activated Bogaerts off the 10-day injured list after he missed four weeks with a fracture in his left foot. He was in the starting lineup at shortstop against the Brewers on Tuesday night at Petco Park.

“Iâ€m definitely happy to be able to come back a little bit sooner and be able to play in some big league games,†Bogaerts said. “To get a couple games in me before we head into the playoffs will be really nice.â€

Not to say that the Padres’ offense was whole on Tuesday. The day after they clinched their spot in the postseason with a dramatic 11-inning, walk-off victory, a handful of regulars were given the day off. Plus, Fernando Tatis Jr. remained sidelined by an illness that could keep him out Wednesday, as well.

But the point is this: Barring anything unforeseen, the Padres should have a whole offense come next week, when theyâ€ll open their National League Wild Card Series on Tuesday (most likely against the Cubs at Wrigley Field).

Bogaerts†return raises a handful of the usual good-problem-to-have lineup questions. Manager Mike Shildt has noted that Bogaerts will return to the full-time shortstop role, which pushes Jake Cronenworth back to second base and Luis Arraez either to first base or DH.

Presumably, the Padres would then choose between Gavin Sheets and Ryan Oâ€Hearn for a lineup spot — which leaves one of those two available to come off the bench in a big moment. Again, a good problem to have.

Bogaerts, meanwhile, would presumably slot into the No. 7 spot in the lineup when the Padres have their full contingent of hitters available. To combat the effects of the injury, heâ€s wearing both an insert in his shoe and, when he bats, a foot guard. Bogaerts sustained the injury on Aug. 27, when he fouled a ball off his left foot in Seattle.

Bogaerts had a .262/.330/.387 slash line with 10 homers and 20 steals at the time of the injury. Those numbers are well below his career averages, but he had begun to look much better in June, July and August after a very slow start. Heâ€s also been excellent defensively throughout the season, worth 7 Outs Above Average.

Itâ€s unclear exactly what Bogaerts†schedule might look like in the coming days. That could depend on how he feels day to day. But heâ€s confident that returning with five games remaining in the season gives him the right amount of runway to prepare for the playoffs.

“The most important thing is feeling good these couple days, and just keep the momentum going as a team,†Bogaerts said.

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