Dave Funnell continues his series looking at the injury history and risk position by position. This week, he digs into the injury concerns at shortstop. For more injury analysis make sure to follow Dave on Twitter @sportz_nutt51.
When assessing the future stats of a player, it’s imperative to consider player health and injury risk when speculating on playing time. After all, getting onto the field and being given a chance to succeed only happens if the player is healthy enough. That’s why looking at a player’s track record of health gives credence to whether someone is worth drafting. A fantasy team could have all the talent in the world, but if they’re on your Injured List or bench, they lose a ton of value.
We are moving toward draft season, and all eyes will be on the top players at each position. Knowing of any inherent risk to drafting someone can help teams in the long run. That’s why going through the examinations of injury risk is important for roster construction. The following will be the Injury History of the top players at every position with special notes on their healthy or troubled pasts. Seeing trends in their health could help determine any future problems.
The players listed below will be separated into one of three categories: red light, yellow light, and green light. The timeframe that will be examined will primarily be from 2021 to 2023, though looking into the distant past might also take place.
Red Light: any players listed here have an extensive and/or concerning injury history that seems likely to come into play in the future. The potential for injury outweighs their production on the field and their selection could lead to roster problems down the line. The reoccurrence of a particular injury or multiple injuries also creates the need for a red light. Fantasy owners should be wary of drafting these players because the risk of injury is high.
Yellow Light: any players listed here have had their injury problems before, but they’re not necessarily prone to injury. These players here have situations to monitor, especially during the off-season and Spring Training, but it’s not necessarily as bleak as it could be. The types of injuries could also be freakish or due to bad luck with events leading to it being out of the ordinary. Fantasy owners should be aware of the injury history, but know the possibility for health is there too.
Green Light: any players listed here have had minimal problems and their future doesn’t appear to be in any jeopardy. There is nothing from their past that would indicate an injury-prone future. While injuries could happen at any time, there are no red flags in this player’s history to suggest it will lead to another one. Fantasy owners can feel safe in drafting these players.
Things to remember:
- The players listed are in the general order from which they are being drafted.
- The level of confidence has to do with their health and nothing to do with their abilities on the field.
- A player’s injured past is not a direct indication that they will get injured in the future.
- Pitchers tend to be more prone to getting injured as opposed to hitters, especially with long-term injuries.
- The minimum time away on the Injured List is ten days for hitters and fifteen days for pitchers.
Fantasy Baseball Injury Risk at Shortstop
1. Bobby Witt Jr. – Kansas City Royals
2024 – 161 games played, 636 at-bats, 709 plate appearances
Bobby Witt Jr. has been a fixture in the Royals lineup for quite some time and has played almost every day. He hasn’t had a significant injury of note since 2022 and is a lock to be in the lineup throughout the entire 2025 season. Draft with confidence.
2. Elly De La Cruz – Cincinnati Reds
2024 – 160 games played, 618 at-bats, 696 plate appearances
Elly De La Cruz is the Reds’ best player and one of the most electric characters in all of baseball. He stayed healthy last season after missing some of his Minor League season in 2023 due to a hamstring strain. While he has no concerns heading into this season, just be aware that he runs a lot, and his speed will allow him opportunities to stretch his hits into extra bases. The threat of an injury is subsequently increased because of this, but it is not something to warrant a drop in draft price. Draft with confidence.
3. Gunnar Henderson – Baltimore Orioles
2024 – 159 games played, 630 at-bats, 719 plate appearances
Gunnar Henderson’s breakout last year was fueled by his ability to remain in the lineup. After a nagging back injury in 2023, he suffered only a minor oblique injury in February. He was able to play almost every day last year and the Orioles reaped the rewards of his presence. He looks to repeat that this next year. Draft with confidence.
4. Mookie Betts – Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 – 116 games played, 450 at-bats, 516 plate appearances
Despite Mookie Betts being one of the league’s best players, his profile doesn’t come without its blemishes. Over his eleven seasons in baseball, he has been placed on the Injured List seven different times. His last such stint was an unfortunate one which was the result of being hit by a pitch on his left hand. As a result, he missed a big chunk of time recovering and his results from a return may have suffered. Still, he is 32 years old and while he should play every day for the Dodgers, his past can’t be ignored. He will remain as a green-lit player, but there’s a chance here that he will miss time, making his first-round price tag somewhat risky. Draft with (close to 100%) confidence.
5. Francisco Lindor – New York Mets
2024 – 152 games played, 618 at-bats, 689 plate appearances
Last year was the first time in a long time that Francisco Lindor suffered an injury that cost him significant time. It appeared like the only reason that he didn’t go to the Injured List was because the team was fighting for a playoff spot and they didn’t want to be without their best player for any stretch of time that wasn’t 100% necessary. Make no mistake though, if this injury had happened in May, he likely would have been gone for a minimum of 10 days. All that being said, he is a safe source of playing time and one of the league’s best at his position. Draft with confidence.
6. Trea Turner – Philadelphia Phillies
2024 – 121 games played, 505 at-bats, 539 plate appearances
Trea Turner had been a very healthy player who received everyday at-bats for three teams in his career prior to the 2024 season. It was here that he injured himself while running home on a passed ball, costing himself six weeks of action in the process. The good news is that while he was injured, he didn’t suffer any setbacks, as the team gave him enough time from which to recover properly. Upon his return, it was business as usual, resulting in another productive season for one of the game’s best shortstops. He looks to continue to be a pillar of Philadelphia’s World Series chances in 2025. Draft with confidence.
7. Oneil Cruz – Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 – 146 games played, 541 at-bats, 599 plate appearances
Other than his major ankle injury which cost him most of the 2023 season, Cruz has had a relatively healthy career. Last season he missed minor segments of time due to the bumps and bruises associated with the amount of running that he does. It is worth noting that he suffered from a forearm strain while in the Minor Leagues back in 2021, but there have been no symptoms relating to that during his time in Pittsburgh. Draft with confidence.
8. CJ Abrams – Washington Nationals
2024 – 138 games played, 541 at-bats, 602 plate appearances
CJ Abrams has had a relatively healthy career in his three seasons in the Major Leagues with only short chunks of time missed to recover from minor ailments. Last season he did miss time with a sore wrist that almost landed him on the Injured List, but ultimately he was kept off due to his ability to heal so quickly. Other than some off-field issues, he seems like a safe bet to give you consistent at-bats yet again. Draft with confidence. Draft with confidence.
9. Corey Seager – Texas Rangers
2024 – 123 games played, 475 at-bats, 533 plate appearances
Corey Seager is a very talented athlete. When healthy, he is one of the best players in the league. Unfortunately for him, his health remains a major concern. Over his career, he has been placed on the 10-day Injured List six times, the 60-day Injured List three times, and he has had offseason surgery for an injury that has plagued him. The good news is that he produces while on the field and he does wind up accumulating enough playing time every season so as not to cripple your lineup. However, fantasy baseball managers should have a backup plan in place for when he ultimately winds up missing time. Draft with attention.
10. Willy Adames – San Francisco Giants
2024 – 161 games played, 610 at-bats, 688 plate appearances
Willy Adames has had a relatively healthy career, with only a few minor blemishes. His last trip to the Injured List took place in 2023 because of a concussion, and before that, he had a high ankle sprain a year prior. Despite these, he still manages to rack up the playing time and be a fixture for fantasy purposes Draft with confidence.
11. Matt McLain – Cincinnati Reds
2024 – DNP
Matt McLain missed all of 2024 with a shoulder injury that was filled with setbacks throughout the season. This made his year quite disappointing to fantasy baseball owners who were expecting him to take a big leap forward after a promising rookie season. While he did return to participate in the Arizona Fall League and did so quite well, it is important to note that his history is riddled with injuries. He has twice missed time with an oblique injury and suffered from a sore wrist while in the Minor Leagues. He is likely going to be entering camp at 100% health, but at age 25, his Injury History is too much to ignore. Draft with attention.
12. Ezequiel Tovar – Colorado Rockies
2024 – 157 games played, 655 at-bats, 695 plate appearances
At age 23, Ezequiel Tovar has already accumulated 319 games played over 2+ seasons, making him a reliable source of playing time. Other than a hip and groin injury during the 2022 Minor League season, his Injury History is as clean as a whistle. Draft with confidence.
13. Anthony Volpe – New York Yankees
2024 – 160 games played, 637 at-bats, 689 plate appearances
Anthony Volpe has been a steady force in the Yankkes’ lineup without having missed any games due to injury. That trend should continue in 2025. Draft with confidence.
14. Bo Bichette – Toronto Blue Jays
Bo Bichette was once a franchise player for the Blue Jays, but now he is a big question mark heading into a contract year. Since August 2023, he has had many significant lower-body injuries that have cost him both playing time and production on the field. The concerning thing is that they all were on the right side of the body, affecting his knee, quadriceps, and calf, with the last one being a recurring injury. There is some belief that his drop in production was the result of him working through his ailments, but the fact of the matter is that he was once a top-30 pick, and now he is being drafted well outside the top 100 overall. It’s unclear what he has done this offseason to prevent a similar injury from happening again, so his status once players report will be one to monitor. Surgery was never an option before, but if things continue as they have been, it just might be the only logical solution. He is talented, and there’s a chance for league-winning value here. Draft with caution.
15. Xander Bogaerts – San Diego Padres
16. Xavier Edwards – Miami Marlins
2024 – 70 games played, 265 at-bats, 303 plate appearances
Xavier Edwards joined the Marlins midway through the 2024 season and was instantly a fan favorite. His only injury blemish was a back ailment that kept him out of action for ten days on the Injured List. Other than that, he was an everyday force for Miami. All that being said, a Minor League injury to his shoulder back in 2022 is something to monitor. Edwards made a note this offseason that he was working on improving his arm strength with a new throwing routine that will help him be a better defensive player. He has said that he feels better than ever and that he’s hopefully fixed the problem that has plagued him for so long. If that’s the case, we could see some added power in his swing too. While it may not lead to more home runs, it could help him hit more line drives and stretch some singles into doubles. Draft with confidence.
17. Masyn Winn – St. Louis Cardinals
2024 – 150 games played, 587 at-bats, 637 plate appearances
Masyn Winn Has had a relatively healthy start to his career. It looks like he will receive everyday at-bats for the Cardinals in 2025. Draft with confidence.
18. Jeremy Pena – Houston Astros
2024 – 157 games played, 602 at-bats, 650 plate appearances
While Jeremy Pena has only been placed on the Injured List once in his career, he has missed time smaller bouts of time for injuries all over the place, such as his neck, hamstring, and knee. Still, nothing has ever been major enough for him to miss major amounts of time, making him quite durable. He is set to be the team’s starting shortstop in 2025 and should receive everyday at-bats. Draft with confidence.
19. Dansby Swanson – Chicago Cubs
2024 – 149 games played, 534 at-bats, 593 plate appearances
Despite missing time on the Injured List on four separate occasions over his nine seasons in baseball, Danssby Swanson has always been able to put in regular time and not hurt fantasy baseball owners for drafting him. No matter what the injury may be, he’s been able to tough it out and produce. A prime example of this happened in 2024 when it was revealed after the season that he underwent core muscle surgery for a condition that has ailed him since the end of the 2023 season. It is anticipated that he will be fully healthy by spring training and ready to start the season. As such, he will be the team’s everyday starting shortstop and will receive everyday at-bats. Despite the history here, his surgery to fix the problem exudes confidence. Draft with confidence.
20. Ceddanne Rafaela – Boston Red Sox
2024 – 152 games played, 544 at-bats, 571 plate appearances
Ceddanne Rafaela has had a healthy career. It is unclear what his role will be with the Boston Red Sox next year, as he could be a starter or used as depth. He will be focussing on playing in the outfield, but that is not an area of need for the team. Draft with confidence for health, but with attention to availability.
21. Zach Neto – Los Anglees Angels
2024 – 155 games played, 542 at-bats, 602 plate appearances
Zach Neto broke out in a big way in 2024, but his status for next year remains a big unknown. Over the final week of the season, the 24-year-old injured himself on a slide which would wind up requiring surgery after the season had concluded. Here’s the tricky part about it though. The team has been very quiet regarding the type and date of the surgery, leading to speculation being all over the place as to the extent of his recovery time. Furthermore, the team revealed that he is expected to miss the start of the season, but that vague assessment only clouds his draft price even further. With so much unknown at this time, his future remains a giant question mark. Draft with caution.
22. Willi Castro – Minnesota Twins
23. Tyler Fitzgerald – San Francisco Giants
2024 – 96 games played, 314 at-bats, 341 games played
Tyler Fitzgerald has had a healthy career and should receive everyday at-bats for the Giants as their starting second baseman in 2025. Draft with confidence.
24. Trevor Story – Boston Red Sox
2024 – 26 games played, 94 at-bats, 106 plate appearances
Trevor Story’s career has been a tale of polar opposites with regard to health. In Colorado, he was an everyday player who showed an ability to stay relatively healthy and reap the benefits of Coors Field. Since his flight to Boston, he has been anything but that, struggling to piece together a string of health. Over the past three seasons, he has played in just 33.5% of games for Boston, working out the kinks of injuries such as a fractured shoulder, torn UCL, and also bumps and bruises on his body. It has not been a smooth transition for him, and while the team is hopeful for a healthy season, his history is too checkered to ignore. Draft with caution.
25. Carlos Correa – Minnesota Twins
2024 – 86 games played, 319 at-bats, 367 plate appearances
Carlos Correa has missed significant time, multiple times over the years, and yet he just turned 30 years old last season. He has been on the Injured List ten times in his career for various ailments and viruses and is anything but a sure thing when it comes to health. Most recently, he has struggled with plantar fasciitis in both feet for the past two years, making it difficult for him to draft and roster. Draft with caution.
26. Jose Caballero – Tampa Bay Rays
2024 – 139 games played, 441 at-bats, 482 plate appearances
Jose Caballero had a mini-breakout of sorts last season with regard to showcasing his speed on the basepaths. He has a relatively healthy injury history, making him safe to draft in that respect. One has to wonder if his playing time will be cut short due to the talent surrounding him. Draft with confidence.
27. Ha-Seong Kim – Tampa Bay Rays
2024 – 121 games played, 403 at-bats, 470 plate appearances
Prior to 2024, Ha-Seong Kim had minor issues with various parts of his body, with some being close calls for something more serious. Unfortunately, he suffered a jammed shoulder which ultimately led to offseason surgery in October, and the hope is for him to be ready to play in games by the middle of April, which would be the six-month anniversary of his operation. Still, shoulder injuries are scary for a hitter, and his estimated timeframe assumes no setbacks. Draft with attention.
For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.
