2016 Prospect Watch: Top 10 shortstops
Dodgers' Seager tops list, Philly's Crawford and Brewers' Arcia next up
MLBPipeline.com will unveil its 2016 Top 100 Prospects list on Friday on MLB.com. The Top 50 will be revealed during a one-hour show on MLB Network at 9 p.m. ET. Leading up to the release, we look at baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.
Even with Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor and Addison Russell graduating to the big leagues, shortstop remains the glamour position for up-and-coming talent. Corey Seager, J.P. Crawford and Orlando Arcia rank among the elite prospects in the game, while Dansby Swanson, Alex Bregman and Brendan Rodgers were the first three picks in the 2015 Draft. Interestingly, the top six shortstop prospects and eight of the 10 best belong to National League clubs.
• Scouting reports, grades, stats and video on Prospect WatchTop 10 Prospects by Position
1. Corey Seager, Dodgers
His brother Kyle is an All-Star, and Corey should be even better. He led the Minors in hitting (.349) and doubles (50) in 2014, then batted .337/.425/.561 during a September callup last year -- at age 21. Seager may eventually move to third base, but his combination of a sweet left-handed stroke, bat speed, strength, uncanny feel for hitting and mature approach give him a higher offensive ceiling than any Major League shortstop except for Carlos Correa.
2. J.P. Crawford, Phillies
Several teams regret passing on Carl Crawford's cousin in the 2013 Draft, when he somehow lasted 16 picks despite projecting as an all-around shortstop who undoubtedly would stick at the position. Though Crawford has just average speed, he has tremendous range to go with soft hands and a strong arm, and he's also a mature hitter who controls the strike zone and owns some gap power.
3. Orlando Arcia, Brewers
He had established himself as one of the premier defenders in the Minors entering 2015, and now he's considered one of the game's very best prospects after batting .307/.347/.453 in Double-A at age 20. Arcia is a potential Gold Glover and .300 hitter with some developing pop. He's yet another player on this list with baseball bloodlines, as his brother Oswaldo plays for the Twins.
4. Dansby Swanson, Braves
The Diamondbacks made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 Draft, then shockingly gave him up to get Shelby Miller in a Winter Meetings trade. Swanson stands out most for his offense, as he's an advanced hitter with some power and plus speed, and he's also a solid defender who will stay at shortstop.
5. Trea Turner, Nationals
Another first-round pick who was traded in the same year he signed, he was the player to be named headed from San Diego to Washington via Tampa Bay in the three-team Wil Myers deal in December 2014. Turner's hitting ability and well-above-average speed make him a prime leadoff candidate, and he's a steady if unspectacular defender.
6. Brendan Rodgers, Rockies
MLBPipeline.com's top-rated prospect in the 2015 Draft, he went No. 3 overall as the first high school player selected. Rodgers' combination of explosive bat speed and strength give him plus power that rival's Seager's as the best on this list, and Rodgers' game resembles Seager's at the same stage of their careers.
7. Alex Bregman, Astros
The No. 2 overall pick last June, he relegated Swanson to second base on the U.S. collegiate national team in 2014 and beat him out for first-team all-Southeastern Conference honors in 2015. Bregman draws comparisons to Dustin Pedroia, which works offensively though he has a better chance to stick at shortstop.
8. Franklin Barreto, Athletics
The best part of the thus-far one-sided Josh Donaldson trade for Oakland will be Barreto, who hit .302/.333/.500 in Class A Advanced at age 19 last year. He's a little guy with an electric bat, though he may have to tone down his approach and isn't a lock to remain at shortstop despite his strong arm.
9. Gleyber Torres, Cubs
Chicago's logjam of talented infielders is only going to get worse when Torres is ready in a couple of years. He has solid-or-better tools across the board, and he ranked as the Class A Midwest League's top prospect and helped Myrtle Beach win the Class A Advanced Carolina League championship last year as an 18-year-old.
10. Ozhaino Albies, Braves
Before the Swanson trade, Atlanta already had a quality shortstop prospect in Albies, who batted .310 with 29 steals in Class A at age 18 a year ago. He's a high-energy player with plus-plus speed and advanced hitting ability from both sides of the plate, and he may be a better defender than Swanson.
Next up
Jorge Mateo began earning Jose Reyes comparisons as soon as he made his U.S. debut in 2014, and he lived up to them by leading the Minors with 82 steals in his first taste of full-season ball last year. His top-of-the-line speed, offensive upside and defensive chops make him the Yankees' shortstop of the future.
The son of former National League Rookie of the Year Award winner and All-Star Raul Mondesi, Raul Adalberto Mondesi became the first player to make his big league debut during the World Series last October. He's even more interesting because he's a switch-hitter with well-above-average speed and sterling defensive ability, though he has struggled at the plate the past two years because the Royals have promoted him so aggressively.