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This past offseason was largely defined by elite shortstops finding new teams in free agency, but who are the best shortstops in 2023?
One could call this a golden era for shortstops with some of the current players potentially being among the greatest shortstops of all time when all is said and done. That’s why many of the MLB offseason winners and losers came down to what teams landed a free-agent shortstop.
Best shortstops 2023
But what players make the cut for the best shortstops in MLB right now and who stands alone as the top shortstop in MLB ahead of the 2023 season?
Obviously, it wasn’t hard picking out some of the shortstops in consideration. However, we took things a step further and created a ranking of the 10 best shortstops for 2023.
10. Willy Adames
In this golden era of shortstops, Willy Adames is sometimes easy to overlook. But he’s put together some good years in both Tampa and Milwaukee and is still just 27 years old, so his best days could still be ahead of him.
Granted, his plate discipline and ability to make contact are sometimes questionable, as his strikeout rate is far too high. But coming off a season with 31 homers, 31 doubles, and 98 RBIs last year, the power is there for Adames, helping to put him among the best shortstops in baseball.
9. Wander Franco
Still just 22 years old, Franco could be poised for a breakout season in 2023. Consider that through the first 153 games of his career, Franco is batting .282 with an OPS of .776 thanks to 59 extra-base hits. He’s done that at an age that would make him young for a double-A player, much less someone doing it in the big leagues.
The potential is certainly there for the switch-hitting Franco, who the Rays have already signed to a long-term deal. Keep in mind that after the all-star break last year, Franco hit .322 with an OPS of .852, so it’s not out of the question to see him explode and have a monster season in 2023.
8. Corey Seager
With the money they’re paying him, the Rangers surely expect Corey Seager to be one of the best shortstops in 2023. Despite his team continuing to struggle, Seager made a strong first impression in Texas last year, becoming an all-star for the first time since 2017 thanks to a career-high 33 home runs.
Granted, his .772 OPS in 2022 was a little disappointing. However, Seager appears to be past some of the injuries that held him back earlier in his career. He’ll turn 29 in 2023, so he should be in his prime right now and poised for one of the best seasons of his career.
7. Dansby Swanson
Dansby Swanson is fresh off the best season of his career and looking to keep it going as he joins the Cubs. After helping the Braves win a World Series in 2021, Swanson became an all-star for the first time and won his first Gold Glove in 2022.
He’s rarely missed a game over the past few years and has crushed 52 home runs over the past two seasons while also hitting a career-high .277 last year. He’s not quite at the same level as the other shortstops who hit the free-agent market this past offseason, which is reflected in their contracts. But Swanson also isn’t that far behind.
6. Tim Anderson
There have been moments over the past few years when Anderson looked like he might be the best shortstop in baseball. Unfortunately, a down season in 2022 that was hampered by injuries has knocked Anderson down a few spots.
That being said, he has a batting title under his belt and has hit over .300 in four straight seasons. Anderson was also a Silver Slugger winner in 2020 and has been an all-star in back-to-back seasons. He won’t turn 30 until this summer, and if he can healthy, there’s no reason to think that Anderson can get back to being one of the top shortstops in baseball in 2023.
5. Bo Bichette
Even after leading the American League in hits in back-to-back seasons, the best could be yet to come from Bo Bichette. On top of collecting hits like they’re going out of style, the power is starting to come from Bichette, who had 60 extra-base hits in 2021 and 68 last year.
Keep in mind that he’s stolen 38 bases over the past two seasons and is a career .297 hitter with a career OPS of .831.
A sluggish first half in 2021 cost him his second straight all-star appearance. However, Bichette more than made up for that by hitting .337 with an OPS of .921 during the second half of the season, perhaps setting him up for the best season of his career in 2023.
4. Xander Bogaerts
Xander Bogaerts is one of several top-flight shortstops who will be with a new team this season. But there’s no reason to think that Bogaerts will have a problem adjusting to life in San Diego.
He’s arguably been the best offensive shortstop in baseball for a long time, winning five Silver Slugger Awards since 2015.
Even if his power numbers were down a little in 2022, Bogaerts has hit .300 or better in three of the last four seasons. In fact, his .833 OPS last year was the lowest in the last five years, so he’s bound to be even better in 2023, as he looks to become an all-star for the fourth straight season (not including 2020).
3. Carlos Correa
It’s safe to say that no MLB player has ever had the kind of offseason that Carlos Correa had before the 2023 season. It seems fair to wonder if his infamous ankle injury will hinder him at some point after returning to the Twins on a six-year, $200 million deal.
However, Correa is still one of the best shortstops in MLB right now.
He’s still only 28 and is just one year removed from winning the Platinum Glove, so his defense is second to none. He’s also hit at least 20 home runs and posted an OPS over .800 in six of his eight seasons. Correa’s .291 average last year was the second-highest of his career, so he appears to be coming into his own as a hitter while also being an elite defensive shortstop. His wealth of postseason experience doesn’t hurt his case either.
2. Francisco Lindor
The Mets perhaps didn’t get the Francisco Lindor they were expecting in 2021, but they surely got that guy in 2022. Lindor got his bat going in 2022 after looking a little sluggish the previous year.
Don’t forget that he’s a two-time Gold Glove winner who also has a Platinum Glove on his mantle. With the new shift rules in MLB, Lindor’s defensive prowess will become even more important, making him a little more valuable.
If his bat can continue to produce the way it did last season, Lindor’s speed, defense, and energy will help to make him one of the elite shortstops in baseball this season.
1. Trea Turner
As he embarks on a new part of his career with the Phillies, Trea Turner tops our list of the best shortstops in 2023. Not only did he help the Nationals win a World Series in 2019 but Turner has been at his best over the past two seasons.
He’s been an all-star in back-to-back seasons and also won the batting title in 2021. Not only has he batted .298 or better in four straight seasons but Turner has also racked up at least 32 stolen bases in five of the last seven seasons and hit over 20 homers in back-to-back seasons.
Turner’s bat has been as good as any shortstop in the game while his speed takes him to another level. Only time will tell how his speed might diminish over the course of his 11-year deal with the Phillies. However, Turner will be 29 at the start of the 2023 season and looks to be in the prime of his career, and there is no better shortstop in baseball right now.
