MLB’s shortstop crop is loaded heading into Week 16, and the All-Star rosters only sharpen the picture. With the 2026 All-Star Game a week away and the teams already announced, the position has a little bit of everything: breakout power, steady production, speed, and a few notable snubs.
At the top of the list sits CJ Abrams, who has put together a monster season for Washington. He enters the week as one of only two shortstops in MLB with at least 19 home runs and double-digit stolen bases, and he’ll start the All-Star Game at shortstop for the National League.
Right behind him is Bobby Witt Jr., who keeps pushing his career into rare territory. He leads all MLB shortstops in stolen bases and ranks second overall in the league. Witt Jr. will start at shortstop for the American League in the All-Star Game.
Colson Montgomery has also forced his way into the conversation with a huge power season for the White Sox. He leads MLB shortstops in home runs entering the week, yet still ended up as an AL All-Star snub.
Elly De La Cruz checks in fourth after working back from a stint on the injured list. He’s one of seven MLB shortstops with double-digit home runs and stolen bases, but he came up short of making the NL All-Star team.
Otto Lopez has been one of the steadiest bats in the sport this season. He leads all of MLB in hits entering the week and has earned a spot on the NL All-Star team.
Kevin McGonigle lands at No. 6 after a strong rookie campaign for Detroit. He is third among MLB shortstops in hits and will be a reserve on the AL All-Star roster.
Brayan Rocchio deserves more attention than he’s gotten. He’s been one of Cleveland’s most reliable hitters and enters the week seventh in hits among MLB shortstops.
Zach Neto keeps delivering for the Angels, and his power production has him tied for second in home runs among MLB shortstops. He could also be in line to replace an injured AL All-Star representative.
Dansby Swanson has found a real groove with the Cubs over the past month. He added eight home runs in the last two weeks and is tied for third in home runs among MLB shortstops entering the week.
Brooks Lee rounds out the top 10 and continues to look like a long-term piece for Minnesota. In his second full season, he’s tied for fourth in home runs among MLB shortstops, and he’s one Twins player who won’t be going anywhere at the deadline.
In Other News...
Nationals Top Prospect Just Delivered A Rochester Night Worth Watching
Rochester got the kind of night it has been searching for, and Brady House was right in the middle of it. The Nationals top prospect helped fuel a 10-4 win over Worcester, a result that snapped a four-game losing streak and gave the Red Wings a much-needed lift after a rough stretch.
Houses performance was the headliner, but it also fit into a broader night of movement across the organization, with Luke Young settling in after coming over from Harrisburg and picking up his fifth hold for Rochester. For a system that is always being watched for signs of progress, nights like this matter because they can hint at more than one player finding his footing at once. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals No 11 Pick Feels Like A Toboni Draft Statement
The Nationals used the 11th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on a bat-first college hitter with a familiar local backstory, turning to Chris Hacopian, a Gaithersburg native who also played at Maryland before moving on to Texas A&M. The selection fits the kind of early draft statement Washington has been trying to make, especially for a player whose value has been built more on his offensive polish than on any settled defensive home.
Hacopians rise has been driven by the kind of production that keeps evaluators leaning in, and MLB Pipeline had him ranked 14th on its draft board. What comes next is the part the Nationals will have to sort out, because his bat is the carrying tool, but his long-term position is still very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Have Every Reason To Question This Bullpen Approach
The Nationals bullpen plan has become hard to ignore, especially when it reaches the late innings and the margin is thin. Against a Yankees lineup stacked with left-handed bats, Washington leaned into its platoon-heavy approach and turned to Matt Krook in the ninth, a move that fit the clubs stated philosophy even if it came with obvious risk in a game that was still there to be won.
Blake Butera did not hide from the scrutiny after the loss, acknowledging the decision was fair to question even as he stood by the broader idea behind it. That is where the tension now lives for Washington: the organization keeps betting that the matchup edge will eventually pay off, but the bullpens late-inning struggles have made every one of those calls feel heavier, and every misfire more expensive. [Read more 🡒]