Top 10 shortstop list shows how much work is ahead of Cardinals' Masyn Winn

MLB Network has been compiling their Top 10 list of players at each position and most recently announced their Top 10 shortstops right now. At first glance, it was shocking to not see St. Louis Cardinals future star Masyn Winn not listed among the game's best, but a further look shows he has some work to do to crack the list.

How does Winn compare to the Top 10 Shortstops according to MLB Network?

The Cardinals have seen players show up on three lists so far, with closer Ryan Helsley, third baseman Nolan Arenado, and utility player/second baseman Brendan Donovan garnering attention at their respective positions. However, arguably their best all-around player last year and future face of the franchise Masyn Winn was not mentioned among the game's elite shortstops.

In a crowded 2024 Rookie of the Year class, Winn did not make it to the final four candidates for the award that was eventually won by phenom Paul Skenes. In most other years, though, Winn would have had a real shot at taking home the first-year player hardware. Among all shortstops last season, Winn's rookie season qualified as 11th in the league by measure of fWAR while providing well-above-average defense and base running according to Baseball Savant.

Looking at players who made the list above Winn, the top shortstop right now is headlined by MVP candidate Gunnar Henderson who is coming off an outstanding 2024 season. There is not much argument among the start of the list, which sees Corey Seager, Francisco Lindor, Bobby Witt Jr., and Mookie Betts, who is moving back to short this season, round out the top five. The next five spots are where things get a little dicey and where the argument for Winn to make the list begins.

Six through ten are Dansby Swanson, Carlos Correa, Elly De La Cruz, Willy Adames, and Trea Turner. In order to make the list, MLB Network's research team (AKA "The Shredder") takes past performance and advanced metrics into account. Names like Swanson and Correa definitely rode the past performance coattails in order to jump Winn.

The above chart compares the 2024 seasons of Winn and Swanson, and then the 2023 season of Carlos Correa since this was his most recent full season. As evidenced by the offensive output, Winn's season was head and shoulders above the aging stars. Even more impressive is the fact that Winn did so as a 22-year-old while providing enough defensive value to make him a Gold Glove finalist alongside Swanson and winner Ezequiel Tovar. Correa, the Twins shortstop, had a bounceback 2024 season but only played in 86 games. His performance in that shortened season was on pace to be his best since 2022, so those counting stats, along with the name value had to be a determining factor in ranking him at the seventh spot.

Newcomer to the rankings is Reds superstar Elly De La Cruz, whose combination of speed, power, and flair for the dramatic put him above established stars like Willy Adames and Trea Turner. Winn's first half of the season was impressive as the shortstop went into the All-Star break with a .284 average, but the Cardinals needed him to play every day to stay in the playoff race. Nagging injuries along with his first full big league season played a role in his second half drop off. Winn hit a middling .247 after the Midsummer Classic but found an increase in power as he hit 10 of his 15 homers after July.

If Masyn Winn continues to develop at the plate and can maintain his above-average defense at a premium position, it would be no surprise to see him crack the Top 10 list and become a household name with the others on the list by this time next year. Expectations are high for the soon-to-be 23-year-old and he has the potential to be a key piece in the St. Louis Cardinals' future for a long time.