2016 Fantasy Baseball: Top 15 Shortstops

15. Wilmer Flores - New York Mets

Projected 2016 Stats: .254 batting average, 11 HRs, and 40 RBI. Flores won't be the Mets' everyday shortstop this season, but he will be eligible at the position in fantasy. He will be a utility player who gets plenty of at bats and produces at a fairly high level. The Mets' infielder is still more of a backup option in most fantasy leagues.

14. Jhonny Peralta - St. Louis Cardinals

Projected 2016 Stats: .278 batting average, 12 HRs, and 49 RBI. Peralta would be much higher on this list, but he's projected to miss three months after injuring himself in spring training. Obviously, that means you shouldn't be drafting him high. However, if he's available in the later rounds, he might be worth stashing away on your DL slot.

13. Jean Segura - Arizona Diamondbacks

Projected 2016 Stats: .254 batting average, 4 HRs, 38 RBI, and 29 steals. Segura hasn't taken a step forward since his rookie season, but a change of scenery could be exactly what he needed. In a very good Arizona lineup, he will have less pressure on him. He will also likely be asked to run a little more since the team lost Ender Inciarte, someone who consistently sparked the offense with his speed.

12. Didi Gregorius - New York Yankees

Projected 2016 Stats: .274 batting average, 12 HRs, and 70 RBI. As the replacement for Derek Jeter, Gregorius actually played admirably last season. Expect him to build on that performance this year, especially in a lineup that should be healthier than it was a year ago. He's not going to take the league by storm or anything, but he could develop into a low-end starter in most fantasy leagues.

11. Freddy Galvis - Philadelphia Phillies

Projected 2016 Stats: .272 batting average, 11 HRs, and 62 RBI. Very quietly, Galvis had a solid season last year. He's already 26 years old, but there's plenty of time for him to improve his game. Galvis will likely take on a bigger role in the offense this season, so look for him to be a surprisingly serviceable option at middle infield spots.

10. Asdrubal Cabrera - New York Mets

Projected 2016 Stats: .260 batting average, 17 HRs, and 67 RBI. Cabrera has been up and down the past couple seasons, so it's hard to tell how he will adjust to the move to New York, but chances are he will still be above average. New York's lineup isn't phenomenal, but it's a good fit for Cabrera, who whack 20 home runs and contribute in other ways offensively.

9. Elvis Andrus - Texas Rangers

Projected 2016 Stats: .266 batting average, 8 HRs, 71 RBI, and 31 steals. Gone are the days of Andrus having the potential of a superstar, but he's still a low-end fantasy starting option. He will drive in runs well for a guy without much power and he will get you plenty of steals. If the Rangers' offense is as stable as it was last year, Andrus could be surprisingly productive.

8. Andrelton Simmons - Los Angeles Angels

Projected 2016 Stats: .271 batting average, 15 HRs, and 74 RBI. Simmons is the best defensive shortstop in the game, but expect his offensive game to take strides in a much better Angels lineup. As he enters what should be his prime, look at Simmons as a high-upside backup, with the potential to develop into an established fantasy starter.

7. Marcus Semien - Oakland Athletics

Projected 2016 Stats: .274 batting average, 19 HRs, and 73 RBI. Semien might be the most underrated player on this list as not many fantasy owners are aware of him. However, last season it seemed like he was on the verge of an offensive breakthrough. If he carries through on that promise this season, 25 home runs and 80-plus RBI aren't out of the question for the infielder.

6. Erick Aybar - Atlanta Braves

Projected 2016 Stats: .272 batting average, 5 HRs, 52 RBI, and 16 steals. Aybar is dependable, but you know you're not going to get superstar numbers from him. Especially in a weak Braves lineup, nobody should expect more than what he's done in the past few years. However, he's far less risky than some of the other guys on this list and in fantasy baseball drafts, that's worth a lot.

5. Addison Russell - Chicago Cubs

Projected 2016 Stats: .258 batting average, 17 HRs, and 74 RBI. In his age-21 season, Russell established himself as one of the best fielding shortstops in baseball while showing plenty of upside offensively. His 29 doubles in less than a full season were extremely impressive and he's only going to get better. He easily jumps into the top five conversation at the position.

4. Jose Reyes - Colorado Rockies

Projected 2016 Stats: .280 batting average, 8 HRs, 48 RBI, and 21 steals. Reyes is likely to be suspended for a similar amount of time as Aroldis Chapman was, because they both face similar domestic violence incidents. That would mean 30 games. Of course, this will bring his production down. Still, his high average and ability to steal 20-30 bases a season makes him a top five option at the position.

3. Brandon Crawford - San Francisco Giants

Projected 2016 Stats: .264 batting average, 18 HRs, and 79 RBI. Crawford often gets overlooked, but he established himself as one of the game's best offensive shortstops last season. With a healthier and deeper lineup in San Francisco, his numbers could even see a spike this year. Look for Crawford to be one of the steals of your draft.

2. Xander Bogaerts - Boston Red Sox

Projected 2016 Stats: .305 batting average, 14 HRs, and 85 RBI. Bogaerts has shown promise as one of the best shortstops in the game and 2016 is a good bet to be his breakout season. After batting .320 a year ago, he will build on his power potential and become a great all-around hitter. That makes him one of the most valuable fantasy shortstops available.

1. Troy Tulowitzki - Toronto Blue Jays

Projected 2016 Stats: .284 batting average, 24 HRs, and 91 RBI. If Tulowitzki wasn't so injury prone, it would be a lot easier to put him No. 1 on this list, but there are so few serious offensive threats at the position, he's still the best shortstop in the game. Nobody can approach his power numbers, which is extremely rare from a shortstop. If he stays healthy, he could be the best player on your fantasy team this season.