Ah, prospects. Everyone’s favorite subject. They represent all that is good in the world and hope for a better tomorrow. This week we’ll be focusing on the next generation of shortstops. While nearly every club has a promising young star developing at the difficult position, these next select few should be the ones to make a significant impact this season.
In the fantasy world, it’s important to be one step ahead of the competition and if we know who the next contributors will be, you’re likely ahead of the pack. When it comes to prospects, we want to know who’s going to help us win a championship now and how soon they’ll start contributing.
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Top Fantasy Baseball SS Prospects
Jackson Holliday (SS – BAL) | ADP: 172
The son of Matt Holliday easily sits atop the list. The young phenom possesses every tool you want a player to have. He torched minor league pitching as a teenager last year and all signs point to early success. It just comes down to how the Baltimore Orioles choose to deploy him. The way the game has shifted the past few years, Holliday should be in the lineup on Opening Day. Organizations are finally realizing wins in April count just as much as they do in September and now are rolling out their talented youth earlier than ever.
Jackson’s ranked as the top overall prospect in baseball and deserves to be drafted in fantasy leagues accordingly. However, it should be noted that Holliday is still growing into his body and he may not produce much in the power department yet. 15-18 home runs are likely his ceiling to begin his career as he matures and continues to grow throughout the season.
Zach Neto (SS – LAA) | ADP: 347
The Angels shortstop is a bit of a stretch as a prospect but considering he was drafted just two years ago, I’m including him on this list. I like Neto not only because he shares his name with one of my favorite characters on Narcos, but because he can do a bit of everything on the baseball field. Neto tore up Minor League pitching, producing nearly a .400 average and .820 slug before earning his call-up this past year.
While his numbers weren’t optimal in the Big Leagues, plenty of blame can be placed on an unlucky .272 BABIP. Neto did hit for nearly a .260 average over his first 200 plate appearances and collected a handful of home runs and steals. The Angels don’t currently have a better option at shortstop and with the organization finally moving on from David Fletcher, an experienced Neto could be a solid producer for your MI (middle infielder) spot.
Jordan Lawlar (SS – ARI) | ADP: 374
Lawlar may not be given as early of an opportunity as the following two players, but he has a higher ceiling. The future shortstop for the NL defending champs had dealt with his fair share of minor injuries already, but few are better when healthy. The former No. 6 overall pick in the draft, Lawlar has the tools and abilities to eventually become a top-30 player in fantasy. He may not earn Bobby Witt or Corbin Carroll status but it could be close, and 30 steals and 20 homers are well within reach. As well as a .275 batting average. Lawlar’s legs are his greatest asset, totaling 76 stolen bases on 87 attempts in the Minor’s. He won’t turn 22 until mid-summer but if given the opportunity, he could rival all the top prospects for rookie of the year.
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Austin Lowell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Austin, check out his archive.