There are a LOT of shortstops being drafted within the first 100 picks in fantasy baseball drafts this year because it’s a very top-heavy position. In fact, there are currently 11 shortstops being drafted in the top-100 based on our ADP page you can find here at FantasyAlarm. So if you miss out on the top-11 names, who are some of the top targets you can acquire in drafts? Let’s dive in and take a look.

Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs

We did a whole breakdown on why we LOVE Dansby Swanson, and you can find that HERE.

Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox

His 2025 didn’t get off to the best start, but once the summer months hit, Trevor Story turned into a different player. From June 1st on, Story flashed a .289/.334/.492 slash line with 18 home runs, 68 runs, 73 runs batted in, and 22 steals. That’s the player he largely was with Colorado, which was really the last time he’s been healthy.

Health is the primary concern.

The 157 games he played in last year were almost as many as he played in combined from 2022-’24. Only one other season, dating back to 2020, has he played more than 95 games, and that’s been the…story.

Here were Story’s shortstop rankings last year;

  • 4th in home runs
  • 9th in runs
  • 2nd in runs batted in
  • T5th in stolen bases

 

 

 

Otto Lopez, Miami Marlins

Amongst all qualified shortstops in 2025, Otto Lopez was one of, if not the most unlucky, hitters at the position. Based on Baseball Savant, here are some of his numbers versus expected numbers;

  • .246 BA / .269 xBA
  • .368 SLG% / .434 xSLG%
  • .295 wOBA / .330 xwOBA

All three of those categories have the second largest discrepancy between actual numbers and expected numbers, so better luck is on the way for Lopez in 2026. His .264 BABIP was quite bad, too. Lopez was one of 14 shortstops that had at least 15 home runs and 15 steals and if things break better for him in ‘25, he has upside for more, especially in the stolen base category with his 81st percentile speed. We saw that in ‘24 when he hit .270 and took 20 bags.

He was a really solid multi-category contributor too notching 66 runs and 77 RBI. Among shortstops that had at least 15-65-75-15, Lopez was one of eight to reach each one of those numbers.

Colson Montgomery, Chicago White Sox

The shortstop position only had two players to belt at least 30 home runs last year; Francisco Lindor and Willy Adames. Montgomery hit 21 bombs across 71 games and that ranked him tied for eighth in that category despite playing 30 fewer games than every other shortstop in the top-26.

Think about that one for a second…

Yes, Montgomery has plenty of swing-and-miss and yes, he’s not a big-time on-base guy, but at a position that is clearly lacking power, Montgomery can provide that for your fantasy teams.

 

 

 

The Rookies (Konnor Griffin, Kevin McGonigle, JJ Wetherholt)

There are THREE rookies being drafted in the top-25 at the SS position in Konnor Griffin, Kevin McGonigle, and JJ Wetherholt, and it’s possible that all three make their respective rosters out of spring training. There’s also a possibility that only one makes it, and currently, JJ Wetherholt seems like the most likely to start on his major league roster.

Griffin and McGonigle are the two most heralded prospects, possibly in all of baseball, but both are still on the cusp of making the roster or starting in the minors. Either way, we’ll see both in the majors at some point this year and for a large portion of it. The talent is undeniable for both.

Griffin is the number one-ranked prospect in all of baseball and is a five-tool player. Our very own Jim Bowden said Kevin McGonigle is a future batting title champion, and Wetherholt has a .441 OBP this spring and likely opens the year as the Cardinals' leadoff hitter. The upside in this range is tremendous, and you’re drafting them because of that fact; upside.