Shortstop is typically where the most gifted athlete plays, whether that is in high school or even college. They have to be fast to cover ground to get to balls, they have to be quick to get a good jump on it, they have to have a good arm to make many of the complicated throws and last of all they need to be able to hit the ball. Many players drafted as shortstops fall short at one or several of these needs. Most end up not having the range or the quickness and move to second base. Some just grow too large and need to move to 3B or if they don’t have the arm, left field. Some are quick enough but don’t have the arm accuracy needed and can move to center field.
Shortstop is the position that the fewest stay at when drafted there. Most of the best picks here end up as third baseman. As I stated yesterday, they are the players that just outgrew the position but still have many of the skills of a shortstop and it makes them good defenders and good hitters. Alex Rodriguez, Chipper Jones, Travis Fryman and Michael Young are a few of these.
The other group of top players listed here are players that moved to second base. Chuck Knoblauch, Delino DeShields, Brian Roberts and many more are in this group.
Then again, there are a few that spend most of their career playing shortstop; Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra, John Valentin and Jimmy Rollins.
There are a lot of players that fit somewhere in between. They become utility players like Chone Figgins and Michael Cuddyer or move to the outfield like Reggie Sanders and Michael Tucker.
When a player is drafted as a shortstop, it is likely that they will have to move at some point. If you hear that your team picked a shortstop in the draft, it is more likely he will make it to the majors as your second baseman or third baseman. If he can stay at shortstop, give all the credit in the world to your scouting director for finding this rare player.
|
1st round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
10.34% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
31.25% |
6.90% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
12.50% |
13.79% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
12.50% |
6.90% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
6.25% |
3.45% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
37.50% |
24.14% |
0.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
0.00% |
34.48% |
0.00% |
||
|
1st supp |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
16.67% |
9.09% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
33.33% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
0.00% |
18.18% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
0.00% |
18.18% |
0.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
50.00% |
54.55% |
0.00% |
||
|
2nd round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
0.00% |
3.57% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
13.33% |
3.57% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
0.00% |
3.57% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
6.67% |
3.57% |
100.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
46.67% |
28.57% |
0.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
33.33% |
57.14% |
0.00% |
||
|
3rd round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
12.50% |
6.25% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
6.25% |
0.00% |
50.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
12.50% |
9.38% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
18.75% |
28.13% |
0.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
50.00% |
56.25% |
50.00% |
||
|
4th round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
0.00% |
5.26% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
7.69% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
15.38% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
23.08% |
15.79% |
100.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
53.85% |
78.95% |
0.00% |
||
|
5th round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
10.53% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
5.26% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
10.53% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
10.53% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
21.05% |
15.38% |
0.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
42.11% |
84.62% |
0.00% |
||
|
6th round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
12.50% |
7.14% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
12.50% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
12.50% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
62.50% |
92.86% |
0.00% |
||
|
7th round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
6.25% |
0.00% |
100.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
6.25% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
0.00% |
7.14% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
12.50% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
31.25% |
7.14% |
0.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
43.75% |
85.71% |
0.00% |
||
|
8th round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
4.55% |
4.55% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
0.00% |
9.09% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
9.09% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
18.18% |
4.55% |
0.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
68.18% |
81.82% |
100.00% |
||
|
9th round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
7.14% |
0.00% |
25.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
7.14% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
21.43% |
8.33% |
25.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
64.29% |
91.67% |
50.00% |
||
|
10th round |
SS |
SS |
SS |
||
|
4-yr |
HS |
JC |
|||
|
All-time great |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Superstar |
0.00% |
8.33% |
0.00% |
||
|
Occasional All-Star |
0.00% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Starter-Solid Regular |
7.69% |
0.00% |
20.00% |
||
|
Part-time player |
15.38% |
0.00% |
0.00% |
||
|
Bench warmer |
15.38% |
25.00% |
20.00% |
||
|
Minor leaguer |
61.54% |
66.67% |
60.00% |