Shortstop is one of the most challenging jobs in all of baseball. You’ve got to have a rocket arm, cat-like reflexes, and enough swagger to lead a defense while turning double plays with flair.
Over the decades, the position has evolved from all-glove, no-bat guys to full-blown superstars who rake at the plate and flash leather in the field. These are the 20 shortstops who did it best, ranked from all-time great to “please put me in the Hall twice.”
20. Jimmy Rollins
Rollins brought energy, leadership, and lightning-fast legs to the Phillies. He wasn’t just a spark plug—he was the engine of a championship team.
19. Joe Cronin
Cronin was a player-manager before, and that was cool. He played with brains and guts and was a steady presence in the game’s early days.
18. Barry Larkin
Larkin could do it all: hit, run, defend, and even win an MVP. He was the definition of dependable, and he did it all with one team.
17. Alan Trammell
He spent his whole career in Detroit and aged like a fine wine. Trammell had the kind of quiet greatness that gets more impressive the more you look at it.
16. Omar Vizquel
Vizquel’s glove was a magician’s wand. He made the impossible look routine, even if his bat was more singles than fireworks.
15. Lou Boudreau
A player-manager who helped invent the shift before it was cool, Boudreau was ahead of his time. Oh, and he was also a batting champ.
14. Pee Wee Reese
Reese was the heart and soul of the Dodgers during a pivotal era. He backed up Jackie Robinson and brought class and leadership every single season.
13. Troy Tulowitzki
For a while, no one was better at the position than Tulo. Injuries stole his prime, but in his peak years, he was a total menace at the plate and in the field.
12. Nomar Garciaparra
Nomar was a hitting machine with a beautiful, borderline obsessive batting ritual. When healthy, he looked like a lock for Cooperstown.
11. Dave Concepción
Concepción was the glue guy in the Big Red Machine and a defensive rock. He wasn’t flashy, but he was incredibly effective year after year.
10. Francisco Lindor
Lindor mixes style and substance like few others. He plays with joy, and when he’s locked in, he’s one of the most complete players in the game.
9. Arky Vaughan
Vaughan was a hitting wizard back when people wore suits to games. His bat was elite and doesn’t get talked about nearly enough.
8. Derek Jeter
Jeter didn’t just win—he oozed big-moment magic. Say what you want about his defense, the man was born for October.
7. Ernie Banks
Mr. Cub was all smiles and 500+ home runs at shortstop. His power and personality made him one of the game’s most beloved figures.
6. Robin Yount
Yount was a two-time MVP and one of the most versatile stars ever. He made the leap from shortstop to center field and still kept raking.
5. Cal Ripken Jr.
Ripken played more consecutive games than most people attend in a lifetime. He helped redefine what a shortstop could look like—big, strong, and built to last.
4. Luke Appling
Luke Appling hit over .300 with a mix of patience and bat control that would make today’s analytic gurus swoon. He was annoyingly complex to escape and even more challenging on defense.
3. Ozzie Smith
The Wizard of Oz made defense an art form. Every kid who dove for a grounder dreamed of being Ozzie, backflips.
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2. Alex Rodriguez
Say what you want about the off-field stuff, but peak A-Rod at shortstop was a cheat code. He combined insane power with Gold Glove-caliber defense—an MVP trapped in a middle infielder’s body.
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1. Honus Wagner
Wagner was the first great shortstop; a century later, he might still be the best. You’ve probably earned this spot if you’re on a baseball card worth millions.
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