MLB The Show 21was released in April 2021 witha new pitching mechanic, a new stadium creator feature, and a new audience following its inclusion in Xbox’s Game Pass service. Of course, it also gained an updated roster of players. Thus far, the game has been well-received by fans and critics, which is a rarity formodern sports games, particularly those released by 2K and Electronic Arts.
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MLB The Show 21is still in the early stages of the franchise’s yearly release cycle, so many players will still be tweaking and fine-tuning their rosters. To help those who are looking for improvements at the shortstop position, here are the ten best options available.
10Jean Segura
Kicking off this list is the pictureless Jean Segura. The Dominican shortstop leaves a lot to be desired with his batting stats this year. Yet, his fielding attributes more than makeup for it, especially his 90 rated ARM stat.
Jean Segura was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Angels in 2007, and made his MLB debut with the team five years later. After just one game for the Angels, Segura was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. He has since played for the Diamondbacks and Mariners before arriving at his current team, the Philadelphia Phillies.
9Tim Anderson
Tim Anderson ties Jean Segura for an 83 rating. However, their strengths and weaknesses are opposing, as this 27-year-old is a stronger batter than fielder. Anderson’s main strength is clear to see, as his maxed-out Contact rating makes him a nightmare for left-handed pitchers.
The 6'1" shortstop was originally heading for a career in basketball, until an injury changed his plans. The Chicago White Sox selected Anderson as the 17th overall pick in the 2013 draft, and he still plays for the team today.
8Corey Seager
Corey Seager is one of the best batters on this list, exemplified by his 90+ Contact and Power against right-handed pitchers. The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Seager in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft as the number 18 pick, and he made his debut three years later.
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The Dodgers' shortstop has been awarded numerous accolades throughout his career thus far. These honors include the Silver Slugger Award in 2016 and 2017, and the World Series' Most Valuable Player in 2020.
7Adalberto Mondesí
Adalberto Mondesí’s MLB career started with a bang, as he became the first player to debut in the World Series since Bug Holliday all the way back in 1885. The dream start would only get batter, as the Kansas City Royals would go on to win the World Series. Mondesí found himself in the headlines again the following season, after being banned for 50 games due to testing positive for clenbuterol.
Adalberto is one of the fastest players currently in the MLB. This has helped him reach an elusive 99 Steal rating in this year’s game.
6Trea Turner
From one of the game’s fastest players to another, Turner falls short of Mondesí’s Steal rating. However, he outclasses the latter in Speed and Baserunning Aggression, with his maxed-out attributes. Trea Turner is one of two players on this list to have center field as a secondary position, along with second base and third base.
San Diego Padres drafted Turner as the 13th overall pick in the 2014 draft. They traded him to the Washington Nationals shortly after.
5Carlos Correa
Carlos Correa is one of the best fielders inMLB The Show 21, thanks to his deadly combination of 95 throwing strength and 94 throwing accuracy. The 26-year-old is also a problem for left-handed pitchers, due to his Contact L rating of 90.
Correa is another entry on this list to have been drafted in 2012, selected by the Houston Astros as the first overall pick. He went on to make his MLB debut in the 2015 season, winning the American League’s Rookie of the Year award.
4Javier Báez
Javier Báez is the second and final player on this list to be comfortable in three secondary positions. The Puerto Rican shortstop has the weakest Accuracy rating of the players listed here. This may be a cause for concern when selecting the 28-year-old; however, his FLD, ARM, and REAC stats all do a fantastic job of compensating for it.
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Unfortunately for El Mago, many consider him a victim of the so-calledMLB The ShowCurse, following his drop in form after appearing on the cover ofMLB The Show 20.
3Francisco Lindor
Coming in at the number three spot is Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets. Lindor has proven his proficiency in both batting and fielding other the years. This has earned him numerous accolades including four All-Star appearances, two Silver Slugger awards, and 2 Golden Glove awards in 2016 and 2019.
However, Lindor will be looking to improve in the 2021 season. His 88 rating is a three-point drop from hisMLB The Show 20rating,following a lackluster season where he batted .258.
2Trevor Story
Trevor Story is one of the best picks in all ofMLB The Show 21when it comes to swinging against left-handers, thanks to his Contact and Power ratings of 94 and 95. This makes him a problem for lefties all over the league.
Story’s power-hitting has already broken records, including whenhe hit seven home runs in his team’s first six gamesduring his rookie season. Thus far, the Texas-born shortstop has spent his entire MLB career at the Colorado Rockies after they drafted him as the 45th overall pick in the 2011 draft.
1Fernando Tatis Jr.
Fernando Tatis Jr. tops this list with a whopping rating of 95. At just 22 years of age, Tatis is likely to dominate the shortstop position for years to come. He may even find himself in consideration for an elusive 99 rating in future iterations of the game. There were worries that Fernando would be the latest player to suffer from the cover curse after he suffered an injury early into the 2021 season. Thankfully though, the injury wasn’t too serious.
Tatis will be looking to build upon his fantastic 2020 season, where he won his position’s Silver Slugger Award.
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