{"id":102282,"date":"2025-06-17T00:49:02","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T04:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=102282"},"modified":"2025-06-17T00:49:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T04:49:02","slug":"2025-mlb-all-star-frontrunners-shortstop-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/06\/17\/2025-mlb-all-star-frontrunners-shortstop-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 MLB All-Star Frontrunners: Shortstop Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The best time in all of sports has officially arrived: the summer of baseball. What does that mean exactly? Every other league takes a backseat while Major League Baseball drives through the warm months as the only professional sport with competitive games. And with that comes one of the game\u2019s most beloved traditions: the MLB All-Star Game.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-10\">\n<div id=\"FreeStarVideoAdContainer\">\n<div id=\"freestar-video-parent\">\n<div id=\"freestar-video-child\">Each year, fans vote for who they think deserves to start\u2014and often, that includes names from their favorite teams or simply the biggest stars in the sport. But as we\u2019ve seen in years past, fan voting can be\u2026 complicated. Just ask 2021 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/harpebr03.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-06-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bryce Harper<\/a>, who posted a .282 average with 15 homers and a .899 OPS by midseason and still didn\u2019t make the cut.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-10\">\n<div id=\"FreeStarVideoAdContainer\">\n<div id=\"freestar-video-parent\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"freestar-video-child\">In <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/06\/13\/2025-mlb-all-star-frontrunners-second-base\/\" target=\"_self\">this series<\/a>, we\u2019ll go position by position, breaking down the players most deserving of MLB All-Star nods\u2014along with a few dark horse names who might sneak in if the stars align&#8211;and next up, we have the position of shortstop.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><em>*All stats entering Monday, June 16<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>2025 MLB All-Star Contenders at Shortstop<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<h3 data-start=\"255\" data-end=\"274\"><strong data-start=\"255\" data-end=\"274\">American League<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4 data-start=\"276\" data-end=\"628\"><strong data-start=\"276\" data-end=\"302\">Starter \u2013 Jacob Wilson<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"276\" data-end=\"628\">Who would\u2019ve thought that the (officially) cityless Athletics would have a starter at the MLB All-Star Game, let alone the AL shortstop position? The American League is widely known for having some of the top talent at this position. Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson are the top dogs, but it\u2019s been Jacob Wilson leading the way in 2025.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"630\" data-end=\"1026\">It was expected that the 2023 first-round pick would be a future cornerstone. But nobody knew two years later he\u2019d be taking over the league. Wilson has undoubtedly been the best rookie, batting .367\u2014an average that falls behind only Aaron Judge among all AL players. Besides his average, Wilson has an elite ability to reach base. He has a top-10 on-base percentage of .401 and can drive runners in with elite contact.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I know he had a cup of coffee last year in the majors but it makes what Jacob Wilson is doing this year even more impressive <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BZ5z1kq8gs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/BZ5z1kq8gs<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qKoEt4MO5O\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/qKoEt4MO5O<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Tony Starks \ud83c\udf1a (@portman7387) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/portman7387\/status\/1934662861998936573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1028\" data-end=\"1386\">We haven\u2019t truly seen a rookie take the league by storm like this. His 98 hits put him behind Judge by just one. His .370 average puts him on pace to post the highest by a rookie in AL history. That mark is currently held by Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, who hit .350 as an MLB rookie in 2001. If these numbers aren\u2019t worthy of starting, then really, what is?<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1694\"><strong data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1412\">Backup \u2013 Jeremy Pe\u00f1a<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1694\">Here\u2019s a name we haven\u2019t heard in a while. Jeremy Pe\u00f1a, the 2022 World Series MVP, has finally resurged. Pe\u00f1a had a few rough goings over the last two seasons after his impeccable run in the 2022 playoffs. He failed to really hold his spot as one of the league\u2019s best shortstops.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1696\" data-end=\"2117\">That has all changed in 2025. Pe\u00f1a has finally consistently flashed his potential. He\u2019s batting .325 with nine home runs and 34 RBI. He\u2019s been one of the key pieces in the Houston Astros\u2019 recent success. One of the main improvements to his game has been his strikeout rate. It dropped again for the second straight season to 15%. He\u2019s also seen a significant spike in wOBA, now sitting at .384\u2014higher than his 2024 total by .073.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2119\" data-end=\"2323\">Pe\u00f1a would\u2019ve been a strong contender to start in any other season. But due to the historic season the Athletics rookie is having, a backup position will likely have to do for his first-ever All-Star appearance.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"2325\" data-end=\"2682\"><strong data-start=\"2325\" data-end=\"2355\">Dark Horse \u2013 J.P. Crawford<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"2325\" data-end=\"2682\">A true dark horse, J.P. Crawford has gone overlooked in every single way possible. Crawford has always been a respectable starting shortstop for the Seattle Mariners. But in 2025, he\u2019s truly kicked it into the next gear. Through the first half of the season, Crawford is batting .296 with a .411 on-base percentage. He also has 29 RBI.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2684\" data-end=\"2834\">Crawford could make the roster as a reserve or as an injury replacement. Either way, his start has been an excellent source for the Mariners offense.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"2841\" data-end=\"2860\"><strong data-start=\"2841\" data-end=\"2860\">National League<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h4 data-start=\"2862\" data-end=\"3214\"><strong data-start=\"2862\" data-end=\"2892\">Starter \u2013 Francisco Lindor<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"2862\" data-end=\"3214\">Did you know that Francisco Lindor has yet to appear in an All-Star Game as a New York Met? No matter what Lindor does, he\u2019s always been left out of the conversation. This could definitely be due to his poor first halves over the last three seasons. But he\u2019s finally produced numbers that show how capable he really is.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3216\" data-end=\"3511\">Lindor was one of the best players in baseball after the All-Star break in 2024. He batted .306 with 16 home runs and 39 RBI over that frame. Lindor\u2019s strong and consistent start to 2025 gives him a real shot to be the National League\u2019s starter. He\u2019s batting .278 with 14 home runs and 38 RBI.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Francisco Lindor leads National League shortstops in All-Star voting by a huge margin \ud83d\udd25 <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/f5TBJjHJlf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/f5TBJjHJlf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SNY_Mets\/status\/1934704980721627483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"3513\" data-end=\"3816\"><strong data-start=\"3513\" data-end=\"3541\">Backup \u2013 Elly De La Cruz<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"3513\" data-end=\"3816\">The newest cover athlete for MLB The Show has been on a phenomenal run in 2025. But for now, it\u2019ll be Francisco Lindor in the driver\u2019s seat. Elly is one of MLB\u2019s next big stars. He\u2019s a marketable talent with tons of potential and flashy skills from every part of the game.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_102312\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-102312\" style=\"width: 524px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-102312\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26463455_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"524\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26463455_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26463455_168400885_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26463455_168400885_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26463455_168400885_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26463455_168400885_lowres-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26463455_168400885_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26463455_168400885_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 524px) 100vw, 524px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-102312\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jun 15, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Elly De La Cruz (44) celebrates after he hits a two run home run in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-start=\"3818\" data-end=\"4066\">The 23-year-old was a reserve at the All-Star Game last season. He now has the chance to do the same for a second year in a row. Through 72 games, Elly has batted .273 with 16 home runs and 50 RBI. He also leads all NL shortstops with an .850 OPS.<\/p>\n<h4 data-start=\"4068\" data-end=\"4353\"><strong data-start=\"4068\" data-end=\"4096\">Dark Horse \u2013 Trea Turner<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p data-start=\"4068\" data-end=\"4353\">Trea Turner has finally returned to the consistent, pure hitter he once was. He\u2019s done all this while flying under the radar. The 31-year-old Philadelphia Phillis shortstop started in the 2024 MLB All-Star Game due to an injury to Mookie Betts. He was also batting .349 at the time.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4355\" data-end=\"4634\">Turner hasn\u2019t gotten off to quite that dominant a start in 2025. But he\u2019s still leading NL shortstops in batting average with a strong .300. He also has 85 hits and 31 RBI. Turner has made a strong case for a reserve spot, especially if injuries affect the National League stars.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>Photo Credit: \u00a9 Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The best time in all of sports has officially arrived: the summer of baseball. What does that mean exactly? Every other league takes a backseat while Major League Baseball drives through the warm months as the only professional sport with competitive games. And with that comes one of the game\u2019s most beloved traditions: the MLB [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5548,"featured_media":102311,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1071,15,28,14,22,35,23,17],"tags":[5899,380,4307,5080,5332,300],"class_list":["post-102282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","category-athletics","category-reds","category-astros","category-mets","category-news","category-phillies","category-mariners","tag-elly-de-la-cruz","tag-francisco-lindor","tag-j-p-crawford","tag-jacob-wilson","tag-jeremy-pena","tag-trea-turner"],"modified_by":"Lewis Masella, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102282","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5548"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102282"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102282\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102313,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102282\/revisions\/102313"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102282"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102282"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102282"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}