The recent World Baseball Classic confirmed what everybody in baseball already knew. Trea Turner is a star.
Turner sparked the United States to a silver medal in the WBC, leading the American team in home runs (five), runs batted in (11), and batting average (.391). If not for his eighth-inning grand slam against Venezuela, the U.S. would have been eliminated prior to the semifinal round.
Turner’s WBC power came as a bit of surprise — he hit only 124 homers in his first eight big-league seasons — but his ability to deliver in the clutch has long been taken for granted. He won the National League’s batting title in 2021 with a .328 batting average for the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers, and his career average is a solid .302.
My 10-part formula shows Turner to be the best shortstop in the major leagues, based on an analysis of statistics from the past three seasons. The rankings encompass all 28 players who made at least 750 plate appearances and spent at least 50 percent of that time playing shortstop in the 2020-2022 period. (Each player’s entire record was factored in, including any stats accumulated while playing other positions.)
The formula ranks shortstops from best to worst, then assigns scores of 1,000 points to the leader and 0 points to the tailender. Everybody else’s score is determined by his relative position between top and bottom. (Click here for a detailed explanation.)
Several of the top-rated shortstops have been on the move in recent years.
Turner was traded by Washington to Los Angeles in mid-2021, then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent over the winter. The runner-up in these rankings, Carlos Correa, left the Houston Astros in free agency two years ago, joining the Minnesota Twins. No. 3 Xander Bogaerts and No. 5 Dansby Swanson donned new uniforms this spring, respectively signing with the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs. The only member of the top five to stay put was No. 4 Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Look below for a rundown of the 15 shortstops who are currently ranked as the best in the game. Three-year statistical breakdowns are provided for the top five.
Subscribe — free — to Baseball’s Best (and Worst)
A new installment will arrive in your email each weekday morning
1. Trea Turner (2020-2022)
Score: 1,000 points
WAR: 14.2 total, 4.4 per 500 PA, 1.8 defensive
Averages: .316 BA, .514 SLG, .900 BPO
Scoring: 411 R generated, 127 per 500 PA
Totals: 367 G, 467 H
Notes: Turner topped all shortstops in raw production during the 2020-2022 span. His 467 hits were 50 ahead of runner-up Bo Bichette, and his 411 runs generated were 21 above his closest challenger. He also posted the highest three-year batting average (.316) in the group.
2. Carlos Correa (2020-2022)
Score: 830 points
WAR: 14.3 total, 4.9 per 500 PA, 5.0 defensive
Averages: .282 BA, .462 SLG, .788 BPO
Scoring: 324 R generated, 112 per 500 PA
Totals: 342 G, 360 H
Notes: Correa edged Turner for the highest 2020-2022 WAR among shortstops, 14.3 vs. 14.2. His work in the field was equally impressive. He won a Gold Glove in 2021 and was one of only two shortstops to post a defensive WAR of 5.0 or better.
3. Xander Bogaerts (2020-2022)
Score: 810 points
WAR: 12.3 total, 4.2 per 500 PA, 1.6 defensive
Averages: .301 BA, .479 SLG, .851 BPO
Scoring: 341 R generated, 117 per 500 PA
Totals: 350 G, 388 H
Notes: Bogaerts finished among the top 17 vote-getters for the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award in each of the three seasons, peaking at ninth place last year. He was named to the AL’s All-Star team in both 2021 and 2022. (There was no All-Star Game in 2020.)
4. Bo Bichette (2020-2022)
Score: 778 points
WAR: 10.5 total, 3.5 per 500 PA, 0.4 defensive
Averages: .295 BA, .480 SLG, .784 BPO
Scoring: 390 R generated, 129 per 500 PA
Totals: 347 G, 417 H
Notes: Bichette led all American League players with 191 hits in 2021 and again with 189 hits in 2022. He and Trea Turner were the only shortstops to have more than 400 hits and 380 runs generated during the three-year period.
5. Dansby Swanson (2020-2022)
Score: 755 points
WAR: 10.4 total, 3.2 per 500 PA, 3.3 defensive
Averages: .265 BA, .451 SLG, .751 BPO
Scoring: 383 R generated, 119 per 500 PA
Totals: 382 G, 388 H
Notes: Swanson’s durability has been remarkable. He appeared in every game but one during the past three seasons. He won his first Gold Glove in 2022 and finished 12th in the balloting for National League MVP.
Next 10
7. Willy Adames
9. (tie) Corey Seager
9. (tie) Trevor Story
11. Tim Anderson
12. Brandon Crawford
14. Javier Baez
15. Amed Rosario