Below are our rankings of third basemen entering the 2018 season. The list was last updated on February 4, 2018.
1 | Nolan Arenado (COL) | His three-year average is 40 HR, 131 RBI, and 104 runs. His lowest BA during that span was .287. It’s easy to see why he’s an early first-round pick. |
2 | Kris Bryant (CHC) | His power numbers will be much closer to his 2016 results, than what we saw in 2017. |
3 | Jose Ramirez (CLE, 2B) | He took the first step in 2016. Improved upon that considerably last year. Is there still a higher level to be attained in 2018? |
4 | Manny Machado (BAL) | The shortstop eligibility is going to be a nice bonus. He also found a way to swipe nine bases in 2017, which would be nine more than in 2016. |
5 | Anthony Rendon (WAS) | Solid production across the board, but take note of those on-base skills. A .403 OBP is truly elite. |
6 | Josh Donaldson (TOR) | At the end of July he had missed five weeks due to injury and hit a total of eleven homers. At year-end he had slugged 33 bombs. Any talk about the imminent decline of Josh Donaldson is premature. |
7 | Alex Bregman (HOU, SS) | He just missed being a 20-20 player in his sophomore campaign. He’ll blow by both of those numbers in 2018. |
8 | Travis Shaw (MIL) | If the 31 homers and 101 RBI didn’t impress you, finishing fifth in stolen bases at his position, with ten, really should. |
9 | Joey Gallo (TEX, 1B) | Last year he mashed 41 homers in 449 at-bats. Is the 50 home run barrier about to be passed? |
10 | Rafael Devers (BOS) | As a twenty-year-old, he hit ten homers in 222 at-bats. Need we say more? |
11 | Nick Castellanos (DET, OF) | This could very well be the last year for eligibility at the hot corner. |
12 | Miguel Sano (MIN) | The power potential is huge, but the strikeout rates are equally as huge. Toss in a possible suspension for his off-field indiscretions and there are plenty of red flags. |
13 | Kyle Seager (SEA) | Buy him a bit late and sit back and enjoy the 25-30 homers and 80-to-90 RBI’s. Safe, boring and very predictable has its charms. |
14 | Justin Turner (LAD) | How many at the keystone corner walked more than they struck out last year. Two, Anthony Rendon and Justin Turner. Make sure you remember that in OBP Leagues. |
15 | Mike Moustakas (FA) | How does a player that smacked 38 homers in 2017 not have a job at the beginning of February? Inquiring minds like Tony Clark would like to know. |
16 | Jake Lamb (ARZ) | In 2016, he had a .164 BA against southpaws. In 2017, a .144 BA against southpaws. Toss in the fact that we’ve seen significant second-half droughts in both 2016 and 2017, and there is cause for concern. |
17 | Eugenio Suarez (CIN) | A 26 HR, 82 RBI campaign is solid, especially relative to his late draft slot. Suarez also finished tied for third at his position with Anthony Rendon, amassing 84 base-on-balls. Bump him up a notch or three in OBP formats. |
18 | Ryon Healy (SEA, 1B) | The 13 homers in 269 at-bats in 2016 came out of nowhere. He backed it up by hitting 25 out of the park in 576 at-bats in 2017. Expect more solid power production with the move to Seattle. |
19 | Evan Longoria (SF) | The Pablo Sandoval Experiment Part II has concluded. |
20 | Adrian Beltre (TEX) | Don’t rub this future HOF’er the wrong way. |
21 | Maikel Franco (PHI) | Yes, 2017 was a huge disappointment, but give the kid a break. He’s heading into his age-26 season so a positive correction could be in the works. |
22 | Josh Harrison (PIT, 2B) | Still a Pirate….but for how long? A change will be better….much better, than a rest. |
23 | Matt Chapman (OAK) | In a half-season he hit 14 bombs and struck out 92 times. A BA over .230 would be shocking. |
24 | Eduardo Nunez (FA, 2B, OF) | Don’t forget about Nunez, a relatively cheap and safe buy when looking to boost those SB numbers. |
25 | Jedd Gyorko (STL) | I’m betting that he spends more time at the hot corner this year than Matt Carpenter. |
26 | Brian Anderson (MIA) | The Marlins can only have so many Derek Jeter retro-bobblehead nights. |
27 | Matt Davidson (CWS) | A cheap source of power (26 HR in 414 AB) but you better build in some BA protection. |
28 | Todd Frazier (FA) | He might have to settle for a one-year deal and try playing his services once again next off-season. |
29 | Yangervis Solarte (TOR, 2B, SS) | He’s really going to enjoy the move from San Diego to Toronto. Devon Travis and Troy Tulowitzki’s on-going health issues are a guarantee that Solarte won’t struggle to find playing time. |
30 | Logan Forsythe (LAD, 2B) | The transition to the Dodgers didn’t go as smoothly as planned, but the playoff run breeds optimism for a rebound. |
31 | Yolmer Sanchez (CWS, 2B) | |
32 | J.P. Crawford (PHI) | |
33 | Asdrubal Cabrera (NYM, 2B, SS) | |
34 | Jeimar Candelario (DET) | |
35 | Hernan Perez (MIL, OF) | |
36 | Eduardo Escobar (MIN) | |
37 | Chase Headley (SD, 1B) | |
38 | Cory Spangenberg (SD, OF) | |
39 | David Freese (PIT) | |
40 | Miguel Andujar (NYY) | |
41 | Matt Duffy (TB) | |
42 | Wilmer Flores (NYM, 1B) | |
43 | Jose Reyes (FA, 2B, SS) | |
44 | Chestor Cuthbert (KC) | |
45 | Ronald Torreyes (NYY, 2B, SS) | |
46 | Colin Moran (PIT) | |
47 | Martin Prado (MIA) | |
48 | Brandon Phillips (FA, 2B) | |
49 | Kelby Tomlinson (SF, 2B) | |
50 | T. J. Rivera (NYM, 1B) | |
51 | Johan Camargo (ATL, SS) | |
52 | Tyler Saladino (CWS, 2B) | |
53 | Yandy Diaz (CLE) | |
54 | Austin Riley (ATL) | |
55 | Luis Valbuena (1B) | |
56 | Giovanny Urshela (CLE) | |
57 | Kaleb Cowart (LAA, 2B) | |
58 | Andrew Romine (1B, 2B, OF) | |
59 | Greg Garcia (STL, 2B) | |
60 | Derek Dietrich (MIA) | |
61 | Hunter Dozier (KC) | |
62 | J. D. Davis (HOU) | |
63 | Yunel Escobar (FA) | |
64 | Deven Marrero (BOS) | |
65 | Rio Ruiz (ATL) | |
66 | Ryan Schimpf (TB) | |
67 | Christian Arroyo (TB) | |
68 | Pablo Sandoval (SF) | |
69 | Jung Ho Kang (PIT) |