Much has been said and written this off-season about the depth the Dodgers have heading into spring training – the result of several key trades and signings by Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi this winter. In fact, it is because of this depth that Baseball Prospectus has projected the Dodgers to win their fourth consecutive National League West title with a record of 94-68 in their annual PECOTA rankings – seven games better than the projected second-place Giants. But even though the Dodgers will have 16 starting pitchers (and three one the mend) heading into major league camp when pitchers and catcher report on Friday, there is one position that they are seriously lacking depth at – and it isn’t third base.

When you look at the Dodgers depth chart – at least the one as of today – you get the impression that the team is just fine at the shortstop position. It lists baseball’s unanimous number one overall prospect Corey Seager as the likely everyday shortstop – as it should – followed by utility infielders Kiké Hernandez and Justin Turner as potential depth behind the 21-year-old rookie phenom. The problem with this is, Turner will most likely see more time starting at third baseman than anyone else. And to be perfectly honest, Hernandez is better suited at second base or in the outfield than he is at shortstop.

(Image courtesy of Dodgers.com)

During the 2015 season veteran shortstop Jimmy Rollins played a total of 134 games at shortstop, where he committed only nine errors in 526 total chances for an excellent fielding percentage of .983. After that you have Seager appearing in 21 games at short – all in September – where he committed five errors in 98 total chances for a .949 FPCT. Then comes Hernandez with a total of 16 games at the position committing two errors in 47 total chances for a .957 FPCT, and then Turner who played exactly one game at shortstop committing one error in five total chances for a .800 FPCT. In other words, with Rollins now gone, the Dodgers basically have Corey Seager at shortstop and then … well … no one.

Even at only 21 years old, Dodgers rookie shortstop Corey Seager is going to need an occasional day off. The question is, who will replace him? (Photo credit – Danny Moloshok)

But wait, you say. What about utility infielder Elian Herrera, who the Dodgers re-acquired this off-season after his brief stint with the Milwaukee Brewers, giving him a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training camp? Brace yourselves, Dodger fans – Herrera has played a grand total of 16 major league games at shortstop (including two with the Dodgers in 2012) where he committed four errors in 56 total chances for a less-than-stellar .929 FPCT. And then there’s 26-year-old utility infielder Charlie Culberson who is also a non-roster invitee and can play short, but he has never done so at the major league level and only five games at the Triple-A level where he committed one error in 21 total chances for a .952 FPCT.

There is, of course, the possibility that 37-year-old / 13-year MLB veteran Chase Utley or 32-year-old / 10-year MLB veteran Howie Kendrick can spell Seager once in a while, but between their combined 23 years of major league experience they have exactly zero games at the shortstop position. So, too, is the case with recently acquired 25-year-old second baseman Micah Johnson.

But as usually happens during spring training, someone will step up and emerge as a viable backup shortstop for Seager and the most likely candidate will probably be Hernandez. But if this is indeed the case, the Dodgers better hope that potential superstar center fielder Joc Pederson doesn’t fall into the same offensive black hole he did last season, because if he does, Kiké may once again be called upon to be the Dodgers’ everyday center fielder.

As it stands right now, 24-year-old super-sub Kiké Hernandez is the most likely candidate to be the  backup shortstop for Corey Seager. (Photo courtesy of MLB.com)

May the best man win.