It's never too early to start looking ahead to the next baseball season, so here we deliver our 2020 fantasy baseball rankings to those of you looking to scratch your fantasy itch. Whether you're already eliminated from fantasy football contention, or you're getting a head start on next year's keeper selections, RotoBaller has got you covered. We've assembled a collection of stout minds, including the #1 ranked expert from 2018, Nick Mariano, to help you get a jump start on your competition for the upcoming season.

With the Winter Meetings approaching and free-agency starting to materialize, there will be plenty of movement with these rankings before the draft season gets into full swing. Be sure to check in frequently during the offseason as we'll have updated rankings as soon as big names begin to change places.

Today we'll take a peek at the dynamic players that occupy the shortstop position. The immensely talented crop of shortstops that have entered the league over the last handful of years are some of the most fun players to watch on both sides of the baseball and are now amidst their prime years. We find some of the most reliable 5x5 contributors at this spot on the diamond with one of the deeper player pools we've seen in recent memory. Let's dissect these rankings to figure out who's got stud or dud potential for the 2020 season.

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Shortstop Tiered Ranks - 5x5 Mixed Leagues (December)

In case you missed it, our very own "Big Pick Nick" Mariano was named the #1 overall most accurate industry expert ranker for the 2018 season.

Tier One

Despite a stacked group of talent at the position, Francisco Lindor was still the clear-cut number one choice to top our rankings. His late start to the season didn't noticeably impact his year-end numbers (32/101/74/22/.284) as he finished nearly on par to his 2016-18 three-year average (29/109/86/20/.283). The switch-hitter is as reliable as they come to produce top-10, if not, top-5 numbers at the position in every roto category.

Trevor Story joined Lindor and Christian Yelich as the only players with back-to-back 30/20 campaigns, helping him earn his second straight Silver Slugger. His 85 RBI lagged from his 108 output from the year previous, but don't let that deter you as he moved up to the two-hole and reciprocated the move with a career-high 111 runs.

A broken index finger cost Trea Turner 40 games on the shelf last year, but he still nearly outproduced the personal bests that he set in 2018. His 96 runs sat seven shy from the year previous, while he tied his career-high with 19 dingers thanks to a boost in Barrel% (6.8%) and Hard Hit% (41.5%). The 26-year-old's 87.5% (35-for-40) SB success rate also established a new pinnacle that he paired with a .353 OBP, his highest mark since his rookie campaign. If the Nationals fail to replace Anthony Rendon in their lineup, Turner could run more than ever in 2020 to help create more scoring chances.

Tier Two

Fernando Tatis Jr. was nothing short of impressive in his rookie season, even though he disappointingly played just 84 games. His 42/118/102/31/.317 162-game pace is mouth-watering for a player in his first taste of big-league action, and even more impressive for a 20-year-old. Tatis Jr.'s only knock is his high K-rate (29.6%), but he never went more than two consecutive games without a hit all season. This feat indicates that he can maintain a high batting average since his swing-and-miss susceptibility doesn't force him into slumps. Don't be surprised if he ends 2020 as an NL MVP candidate.

Adalberto Mondesi underwent shoulder surgery at the end of September but he should be ready to go for Opening Day in 2020. His 43 steals in 102 games were eye-popping, but his 29.8% K-rate and 4.3% walk rate limits his overall ceiling. Know that you're drafting mainly for a league-leading SB total with hope for 20 HR and a .250 batting average.

I'm a bit more bearish on Jonathan Villar because this exact scenario played out just a few seasons ago. After a breakout 2016, his 2017 stock was through the roof, and he inevitably flopped. While his draft value hasn't soared up quite as high after his recent 24/40 campaign, the odds are slim that he'll play 162 games again to repeat these marks in 2020, especially with the massive downgrade in park factor in Miami.

Manny Machado unsurprisingly didn't meet the expectations of his contract in his first year in San Diego. It would be hard for anyone to live up to $30 million a season, but he wasn't even himself after finishing 2019 with career lows in K-rate (19.4%), line drive rate (21.4%), and a four-year low in Barrel% (8.0%). It's hard to think he'll rebound to the player he was in Baltimore playing in that pitcher-friendly division and on the tail-end of his prime.

Tier Three

Carlos Correa is averaging under 100 games played since 2016 and is too unreliable for me to take a shot on this year. The price will be lower than ever, and he still has the talent to hit 40 HR, but I'll pass until he can play a full season.

Bo Bichette arrived in the big leagues with a bang as he racked up 23 extra-base hits with a .338/.371/.632 slash line through his first month of action. Pitchers caught on that he liked to swing early in the count and gave him a heavy dose of breaking balls over the final month. He couldn't find the same success by totaling just six extra-base hits in September while slashing .254/.333/.444. Bichette undoubtedly proved he could hit big-league heat (.365 vs FB), but he'll have to figure out how to improve his .237 average against breaking balls to flirt with the .300 mark in 2020.

Tier Four

Tim Anderson lit the fantasy baseball world up with eight dingers, 13 stolen bases, and a .320 BA through the first month and a half in 2019. He was never the same player on the basepaths after tweaking his ankle in mid-May, but his .357 average after his IL trip made it clear he could still hit. The reigning MLB batting champ could be in for a bigger encore performance next season on an improving White Sox team.

Danny Santana came out of nowhere to put up a remarkable 28/81/81/21/.283 roto line last season for the Rangers. It's hard to trust a player like this who had 13 career home runs and a .256 BA through 364 career big-league games. The 29-year-old is someone I'll have zero shares of in 2020, seeing how it's seemingly possible he could be out of a job by May.

The Los Angeles Dodgers top prospect Gavin Lux will assuredly make an impact with the major-league team this upcoming season. When that time comes remains the question after only spending two months in Triple-A. Albeit, it was an impressive sample as he slashed .392/.478/.719 with 13 long balls before getting the September call-up. Lux's stock will have plenty of fluctuation once we get a firmer timeline for his full-time spot on the roster.

Tier Five

Didi Gregorius has a swing tailor-made for Yankee Stadium, so any other landing spot for him this offseason will downgrade his value for next year. He's also coming off setting career-lows in BA (.238) and OBP (.276) in his half-season, so there's not a lot to love going into his age-30 campaign.

In an up-and-down season for the Rockies, Garrett Hampson couldn't find much consistency without everyday at-bats. Over his final 25 games, however, he flashed his potential by slashing .330/.374/.538 with nine steals. This late-season tear helped him eventually earn the leadoff role before the season ended. Hampson is a post-hype sleeper I'm bullish on, especially if he remains at the top of the lineup card.

Tier Six And Below

It took Luis Urias awhile to get it going at the major-league level in 2019 as he hit a measly .178 through 47 games. He did rebound nicely in 23 September contests hitting a crisp .300 and he will benefit from playing in Milwaukee next season in a favorable home ballpark. Urias hit well at every minor-league stop and could be a sneaky late-round pick to aid the BA category.

Nick Ahmed is a boring, yet beneficial player for fantasy to fill out the tail-end of your roster. He posted a 19/79/82/8/.254 line last season, laudable numbers for a player getting drafted as a late-round middle infielder or backup option. Ahmed's everyday at-bats will provide a gratifying boost to your counting categories for next to no cost.

Carter Kieboom is a name to monitor as the draft season approaches. Currently the top prospect in the Nationals system, he failed to do much through 11 games in the majors last season when Turner got injured. He did raise eyebrows in the minors though with 16 big flies and a .303/.409/.493 Triple-A slash line, helping him earn his second Futures Game selection. The 22-year-old could break camp for the reigning World Series champs at second base or the hot corner, and has the plate discipline that could insert him at the top of the batting order.