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’s most beloved traditions: the MLB All-Star Game.
2025 MLB All-Star Contenders at Shortstop
American League
Starter – Jacob Wilson
Who would’ve 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’s been Jacob Wilson leading the way in 2025.
It was expected that the 2023 first-round pick would be a future cornerstone. But nobody knew two years later he’d be taking over the league. Wilson has undoubtedly been the best rookie, batting .367—an 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.
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 https://t.co/BZ5z1kq8gs pic.twitter.com/qKoEt4MO5O
— Tony Starks
(@portman7387) June 16, 2025
We haven’t 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’t worthy of starting, then really, what is?
Backup – Jeremy Peña
Here’s a name we haven’t heard in a while. Jeremy Peña, the 2022 World Series MVP, has finally resurged. Peña 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’s best shortstops.
That has all changed in 2025. Peña has finally consistently flashed his potential. He’s batting .325 with nine home runs and 34 RBI. He’s been one of the key pieces in the Houston Astros’ 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’s also seen a significant spike in wOBA, now sitting at .384—higher than his 2024 total by .073.
Peña would’ve 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.
Dark Horse – J.P. Crawford
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’s 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.
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.
National League
Starter – Francisco Lindor
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’s always been left out of the conversation. This could definitely be due to his poor first halves over the last three seasons. But he’s finally produced numbers that show how capable he really is.
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’s strong and consistent start to 2025 gives him a real shot to be the National League’s starter. He’s batting .278 with 14 home runs and 38 RBI.
Francisco Lindor leads National League shortstops in All-Star voting by a huge margin
pic.twitter.com/f5TBJjHJlf
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 16, 2025
Backup – Elly De La Cruz
The newest cover athlete for MLB The Show has been on a phenomenal run in 2025. But for now, it’ll be Francisco Lindor in the driver’s seat. Elly is one of MLB’s next big stars. He’s a marketable talent with tons of potential and flashy skills from every part of the game.
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.
Dark Horse – Trea Turner
Trea Turner has finally returned to the consistent, pure hitter he once was. He’s 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.
Turner hasn’t gotten off to quite that dominant a start in 2025. But he’s 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.
Photo Credit: © Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
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