A dozen major-league shortstops, some of them top stars, could become free agents at the same time this fall.

With more supply than demand, asking prices are virtually certain to fall. But a bigger factor is the looming prospect of a strike or lockout that could impact the start of the 2022 campaign.

Teams that seek shortstop upgrades have ample choices, including Javy Báez, Carlos Correa, Brandon Crawford, Wilmer Flores, Leury Garcia, Jose Iglesias, Corey Seager, Miguel Rojas, Marcus Semien, Andrelton Simmons, Trevor Story, and Chris Taylor.

The biggest name on the list at the start of spring training has already signed. That was Francisco Lindor, the switch-hitting slugger traded from the Cleveland Indians to the New York Mets in January. He signed a 10-year, $341 million extension the day before the 2021 season opened.

Curious about that extra million? Lindor insisted on a payday higher than the one the San Diego Padres lavished on Fernando Tatís Jr., who got a 14-year, $340 million extension in February.

With prices rising every day, what will Correa, Seager, or Story command if their current teams can’t or won’t sign them in the near future?

Consider their credentials:

Correa, who won’t hit the ripe old age of 27 until late September, is the youngest of the group and one of the biggest at 6'4" tall. In 2015, his first year, he had 45 extra-base hits and 198 total bases in 99 games, convincing writers to choose him as American League Rookie of the Year. Injuries have kept him from playing more than 110 games in a season since 2016 but his combination of power, speed, and defense is impressive. He’s even hit 11 postseason homers.

Seager also owns Rookie of the Year hardware. He was the National League pick in 2016, when he also drew votes for Most Valuable Player with a .308 season that included 26 homers. In 2020, he was MVP of both the NL Championship Series and the World Series – not bad for a guy who had Tommy John surgery two years earlier.

Like Seager, Story is 28 years old and a two-time All-Star whose resume also includes a pair of Silver Sluggers. He had 72 homers over the two-season span of 2018-19 but skeptics say that’s because he plays half his games in Coors Field, where the air is thin and the ball flies. But stats show Story hits well on the road too. And he’s a strong defensive shortstop with a good arm.

Baez, 29, might be the most versatile player in the bunch. He’s played more than 100 games at short, second, and third, but won his only Gold Glove when stationed at shortstop in 2020. The two-time All-Star was runner-up in the 2018 MVP voting after reaching career peaks with 34 home runs, 101 runs scored, 111 runs batted in, and a .290 batting average. He got some help from the prevailing winds at the “friendly confines” of Wrigley Field, his home park, but struggled early this year.

Like Baez, Rojas can use versatility as a selling point if he decides to leave Miami for a new team. Though he’s spent most of the time at shortstop, he also has considerable experience at all three bases and some in the outfield. Plus he has a decent stick, albeit with minimal power.He turns 27 next month.

Simmons, now with Minnesota, is an accomplished fielder with more Gold Gloves (four) than any of the other potential free-agent shortstops. A .268 career hitter with just 68 homers in his 10-year tenure, Simmons compensates for any shortfalls at the plate with defense so spectacular that he’s already considered a darkhorse candidate for a future berth in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He’ll turn 32 by Labor Day.

Teams that want more sock from the position could look at Semien, shunted to second this year because the Toronto Blue Jays already had Bo Bichette at short. He finished third in the voting for American League MVP in 2019 after hitting .285 with 33 homers, 123 runs scored, and 92 runs batted in for the Oakland Athletics while playing the complete 162-game schedule.

Crawford figures somewhere between Simmons and Semien. A two-time All-Star with three Gold Gloves, he’s a .249 lifetime hitter who averages 14 home runs a year. But his age might work against him; he’s already celebrated his 34th birthday.

The lure of home cooking may convince some of the players on this list to accept a “hometown discount” when negotiating new contracts. Correa and Báez, for example, have said they hope to stay put in Houston and Chicago, respectively.

Speaking on Houston radio station KBME-AM, Astros general manager Jim Click addressed the Correa situation. “It’s no secret there’s going to be a lot of [shortstop] talent on the market, and we do have some talent coming up through the system that might help us out as well,” he said.

“Our goal is to have a conversation with Carlos to see if that’s something that can line up. He’s been an Astro for his whole career and has made it clear he would like to be here. With a guy as talented as he is, it would be prudent for us to try to line that up, but it takes both sides. It’s a high priority and we’re going to get to it.”

The volume of available star shortstops, coupled with a possible labor war over the expiring Basic Agreement, is virtually certain to depress the market and decrease the probability of any bidding wars. As a result, some of the star shortstops considering their futures could sign sooner with their current clubs – even if that means negotiating during the season.

Teams unable or unwilling to meet the demands of star players could also trade them before the July 30 deadline. Since the rebuilding Colorado Rockies have already unloaded unhappy third baseman Nolan Arenado and have just hired Bill Schmidt as interim general manager, Story could be next.

Much depends on club performance during the first half. With 10 teams in the playoffs again after a one-year experiment with 16, fewer clubs will consider themselves contenders for post-season berths. They’re willing to trade assets rather than lose them to free agency. Baseball history shows that even a two-month rental of a star player can turn a contender into a champion.