Dodgers Preview 2026: Shortstop
As Mookie Betts enters his second year at shortstop, the Dodgers remain well-insured with plenty of depth ready to step in.
The shortstop position for the Dodgers is headlined by one of their biggest superstars, Mookie Betts. In 2025, Mookie Betts was subjected to scrutiny due to the decline in his numbers, a decline that was driven by an illness that caused him to lose weight, forcing him to play catch-up for the rest of the season, a feat that is impossible for any MLB player.
However, now that Betts has had a proper offseason to recover, the Dodgers are excited for the prospect of old Mookie Betts returning. Primed for a breakout year after a slow and recovering 2025 season, the Dodgers are looking to receive higher offensive production from their shortstop position. Last season, the production at shortstop was under a microscope, critics weighing in and questioning whether Mookie Betts is beginning his decline as a ballplayer. While casuals will discredit his 2025 numbers, and critics will be quick to label him on the decline, Mookie Betts, even during a slow year, is a solid baseball player.
In 2025, Mookie Betts had a .258 batting average, had an OBP of .326, and a slugging percentage of .406. These numbers couldn’t be more average. If you stack him up against the rest of the MLB, Mookie Betts hits for average in the 60th percentile, his OBP puts him in the 56th percentile of MLB hitters, and his slugging is in the 50th percentile. From his numbers in 2025, even in an off year, Mookie Betts is a solid baseball player.
However, despite being solid in an off-year, Mookie Betts still has the potential to be not just the best hitter on the field, but one of the best hitters in the MLB. In 2024, when he wasn’t faced with a body-altering illness, Mookie Betts was elite. His average was .289, putting him in the 85th percentile of MLB players. His OBP of .372 was in the 89th percentile of MLB players, making him not only an elite hitter but an effective base runner. His slugging percentage saw him in the 87th percentile. Mookie Betts wasn’t just good; he was an elite baseball player.
Mookie will return to his 2024 season form. Betts is a four time world series champion. His competitive spirit to be the best will drive him back to the dominant numbers that he put up in 2024, making the 2026 season a perfect place for Mookie to write his redemption. Coupled with his hunger to win his fifth ring and drive to return to his former offensive production, expect Mookie Betts to come out swinging this year, proving that he’s still a top player in this league.
Other Options
Should something happen to Mookie Betts, the Dodgers do have plenty of depth spread around the organization.
The most logical name would be veteran utilityman Miguel Rojas, who has played a majority of his career at shortstop but is now more of a jack of all trades, moving between shortstop, second base, and third base.
Hyeseong Kim also has his fair share of reps at shortstop throughout his career in the KBO, along with a few starts there last season in Triple-A and with the Dodgers, along with fellow youngster Alex Freeland, who figures to get more playing prototry this season.
Overall Grade: A–
