There is nothing more exciting (or demoralizing) to a baseball fan than when a base hit is taken away by an unexpected, acrobatic defensive play. The Royals' Alcides Escobar doesn't just provide that moment every so often — he does it seemingly every game. We expected him to be a terrific defensive player when the organization acquired him from Milwaukee in the Zack Greinke trade, but we didn't expect him to be the best young defensive shortstop this town has seen in decades. Unlike some flashy shortstops whose numbers don't match their tools, Escobar is the second best shortstop in the American League, according to FanGraphs' complex, Moneyball-like defensive rankings. At 24, he has the potential to win multiple Gold Glove awards.
