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Updated Third Base Rankings - 5x5 Roto (Mixed Leagues)

alex bregman fantasy baseball rankings draft sleepers MLB injury news

We move to the left side on the infield now in our fantasy baseball tiered rankings analysis with the third base position. The 2019 baseball season is already here! RotoBaller writers Nick Mariano, JB Branson, Bill Dubiel, Pierre Camus, and Scott Engel want to make sure you are prepared for last-minute drafts, so they have given their preseason rankings a final update. Check out our fantasy baseball rankings dashboard for a current list any time.

Third base might be your first priority on draft day, as it's a good place to find some true power/average options. This position can seem a bit top-heavy but there is value to be found up and down the rankings. Some of these players also qualify at other positions, so you can approach this list with a decent amount of roster flexibility in mind on draft day.

Without any more delay, let's break down the 2019 third base rankings for March.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received five total writing awards and 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, tops in the industry! Congrats to all the award winners and nominees including Best MLB Series, NFL Series, NBA Writer, PGA Writer and Player Notes writer of the year. Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!

 

Third Base Tiered Ranks - 5x5 Mixed Leagues (March)

In case you missed it, our very own "Big Pick Nick" Mariano was recently named the #1 overall most accurate industry expert ranker for the 2018 season. You can see his secret sauce below! Additionally, industry legend Scott Engel recently joined the RotoBaller team and provides his insights as well. Scott is an FSWA Hall Of Famer and award winner.

Rank Tier Player Position Nick Pierre Bill JB Scott
1 1 Jose Ramirez 2B/3B 3 4 3 3 3
2 1 Nolan Arenado 3B 4 5 4 7 4
3 1 Alex Bregman 3B/SS 15 14 7 13 9
4 1 Manny Machado 3B/SS 16 16 8 12 12
5 2 Javier Baez 2B/SS/3B 28 28 24 21 15
6 2 Kris Bryant 3B/OF 27 25 31 36 30
7 2 Anthony Rendon 3B 36 52 38 33 45
8 2 Eugenio Suarez 3B 42 42 42 46 40
9 2 Matt Carpenter 1B/2B/3B 68 40 39 43 69
10 3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 3B 49 89 65 49 75
11 3 Miguel Andujar 3B 87 76 99 100 47
12 3 Josh Donaldson 3B 75 68 84 73 110
13 3 Wil Myers 3B/OF 105 56 69 95 138
14 3 Justin Turner 3B 72 132 78 97 85
15 4 Matt Chapman 3B 107 100 82 110 90
16 4 Travis Shaw 1B/2B/3B 113 107 104 114 103
17 4 Joey Gallo 3B/1B/OF 84 102 102 120 165
18 4 Max Muncy 1B/2B/3B 150 120 124 111 88
19 5 Rafael Devers 3B 131 141 154 149 93
20 5 Mike Moustakas 3B 88 157 158 151 137
21 5 Jurickson Profar SS/3B/1B/2B 192 197 143 137 147
22 5 Carlos Santana 1B/3B 134 200 170 173 231
23 6 Joey Wendle 2B/3B/SS/OF 229 230 176 188 182
24 6 Yuli Gurriel 1B/2B/3B 204 175 237 213 241
25 6 Eduardo Escobar SS/3B 220 255 199 194 219
26 6 Nick Senzel 2B/3B/OF 240 174 270 231 190
27 6 Maikel Franco 3B 251 211 220 286 177
28 6 Miguel Sano 1B/3B 304 181 159 267 247
29 6 Kyle Seager 3B 301 189 227 232 253
30 6 Jake Lamb 3B 222 177 296 243 266
31 6 Ian Happ 3B/OF 256 246 222 236 255
32 7 Brian Anderson 3B/OF 263 209 329 279 175
33 7 Evan Longoria 3B 299 214 263 303 #N/A
34 7 Asdrubal Cabrera SS/2B/3B 179 278 458 281 206
35 7 Jeimer Candelario 3B 298 208 333 331 236
36 7 Niko Goodrum 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF 328 221 393 366 297
37 7 Scott Kingery SS/3B/OF 348 292 323 378 #N/A
38 8 Ryan McMahon 1B/3B/2B 371 272 360 392 287
39 8 Wilmer Flores 1B/3B/2B 203 317 508 396 259
40 8 Johan Camargo 2B/3B/SS 356 350 361 314 #N/A
41 8 Todd Frazier 3B 425 244 265 492 #N/A
42 8 Yandy Diaz 3B 343 356 394 445 #N/A
43 8 Eduardo Nunez 2B/3B 468 313 376 395 #N/A
44 8 Jung Ho Kang 3B 266 339 569 431 #N/A
45 8 Zack Cozart SS/2B/3B 466 334 390 426 #N/A
46 8 Isiah Kiner-Falefa C/2B/3B 465 499 344 320 #N/A
47 8 Tim Beckham SS/3B 429 311 392 526 #N/A
48 8 Colin Moran 3B/1B 440 391 469 434 #N/A
49 8 Yolmer Sanchez 2B/3B 495 346 480 459 #N/A
50 8 Logan Forsythe 2B/3B 546 373 438 #N/A #N/A
51 8 Matt Duffy SS/3B 508 402 487 424 #N/A
52 8 Hernan Perez 2B/3B/OF/SS 547 355 563 380 #N/A
53 8 Jedd Gyorko 1B/3B 513 375 420 545 #N/A
54 8 David Fletcher 3B 438 488 503 490 #N/A
55 8 Renato Nunez 3B 480 544 #N/A 423 #N/A
56 8 Yangervis Solarte 2B/3B/SS 626 307 542 463 #N/A
57 8 Martin Prado 3B 518 411 538 #N/A #N/A
58 8 Chris Owings 2B/3B/OF #N/A 426 433 624 #N/A
59 9 Brandon Drury 3B/OF 543 421 495 620 #N/A
60 9 Matt Davidson 3B 516 397 479 693 #N/A
61 9 Ehire Adrianza SS/1B/3B #N/A 406 514 690 #N/A
62 9 Yairo Munoz 2B/3B/SS/OF 541 618 #N/A 451 #N/A
63 9 David Freese 1B/3B 607 413 541 596 #N/A
64 9 Kaleb Cowart 3B 579 #N/A 505 #N/A #N/A
65 9 Brock Holt 2B/3B/OF 544 639 500 516 #N/A
66 9 Pat Valaika 3B #N/A 519 616 #N/A #N/A
67 9 JaCoby Jones 3B 621 570 #N/A 534 #N/A
68 9 Miguel Rojas 1B/2B/3B/SS #N/A #N/A #N/A 581 #N/A
69 9 Austin Riley 3B #N/A 638 #N/A 536 #N/A
70 9 David Bote 2B/3B 577 #N/A #N/A 662 #N/A
71 9 J.D. Davis 3B #N/A #N/A #N/A 626 #N/A
72 9 Michael Chavis 3B #N/A #N/A #N/A 651 #N/A
73 9 Patrick Wisdom 3B #N/A #N/A #N/A 665 #N/A
74 9 Ke'Bryan Hayes 3B #N/A #N/A #N/A 677 #N/A

 

Rankings Analysis - Top Tiers

Tier One

There isn't a ton I can say about the guys in this tier that would come as a surprise to anyone. They are four of the top assets in all of fantasy baseball, each capable of hitting above .300, driving in 100 runs and smashing at least 30 dongs. I am higher on Bregman and Machado than my colleagues, which I'm perfectly okay with.

In Bregman's case, I don't think we've seen the best he has to offer, and I'm banking on him taking it to the next level this year. He's improved every season he's been in the bigs by almost every measurable metric, and last year he busted out a legitimate MVP-level season. With a walk rate higher than his strikeout rate, the capacity for 15+ steals and a prime position in one of the best lineups in baseball, Bregman has a terrific chance to be the top third baseman this year, and every year for a while.

Machado certainly is in a worse ballpark now that he's a Padre, but he's about to be at the core of an up-and-coming offense for the next couple years. Let's be honest, he wasn't exactly thriving in Baltimore. He's got a better chance for runs and RBI this year, and as an annual 30-15 threat with a declining strikeout rate, I see nothing but upside here.

Tier Two

I fall right in the middle on Kris Bryant, and that's probably an apt position as I'm not sure what to believe with Bryant. He's likely going to play at an All-Star level for the next decade or so, but the power was down a bit last year. It's perfectly logical to chalk that up to his multiple DL stints for a shoulder injury, and I'd fully expect a bounce back in that department. Still a solid candidate for 100 R, 100 RBI and a batting average right around .290 or so, Bryant falls just barely outside of my top 30 players.

I'm highest on Matt Carpenter, and I'm not sure why that's the case. The 33-year-old veteran offers one of the highest floors at the position--he's logged 560+ at-bats in six straight seasons, is a lock for 20 homers and 90 runs, and he's hitting at the top of a rock-solid lineup. Carpenter went on an absurd power surge during the summer last season and finished with a career-high 36 homers. While I don't expect him to hit that mark again, I think 30 homers in a perfectly realistic expectation for him. I value safety in production highly, and Matt Carpenter is one of the safest bets you can make on draft day.

Tier Three

I may yet move Josh Donaldson up before the season truly kicks off (not ignoring the series in Japan, of course). The Bringer of Rain is now in Atlanta and will be hitting right in the meat of one of the better lineups in the NL. Most of Donaldson's 2018 was lost due to injuries and their lingering effects, but prior to that, he cracked 33 homers in just 113 games. Now back at full health (in theory), Donaldson should be a lock for at least 30 homers, 100 runs, and 90 RBI. I've been grabbing him everywhere I possibly could because the slugger could be one of the better values you'll get for power numbers.

I've seen a bunch of hate for Wil Myers this offseason, and I'm just not on board the train. His 2018 was underwhelming in the sense that he only managed to stay healthy for 83 games, but in those games, he still managed 11 homers and 13 stolen bases. If Myers is able to stay healthy for at least 500 ABs, he's a lock for a 20/20 season, which is still rare to find in these days of the dying steal. He's also hitting cleanup behind Ian Kinsler, Manny Machado, and Eric Hosmer, so 500 ABs gets him a good crack at 100 RBI as well. The former blue-chip prospect is prone to slumping, but over the course of a season, he can be a great asset for any roto squad.

 

Rankings Analysis - Middle Tiers

Tier Four

I'm highest in the group on Matt Chapman, and I stand by that ranking. Chapman quietly had an All-Star-type 2018, and any of his accomplishments will likely remain quiet as long as he plays in Oakland. Use that to your advantage and grab him where you can, because the power there is real. Chapman has hit a .230+ ISO in both of his big league seasons and is only just scratching the surface of his overall hitting abilities. He'll likely hit out of the second spot in a young and talented Oakland lineup, with the only real knock against him being the cavernous ballpark in which he plays his home games. Let others fret over that--just go after the talent.

So uh, where did Max Muncy come from? The surprise slugger had one of the more impressive power seasons in the majors last year, smashing 35 homers in just 481 at-bats. He also tacked on 75 runs, 79 RBI and walked at a highly impressive rate of 16.4%. There aren't very many things to suggest that this isn't somewhat sustainable production. While I certainly don't think he's capable of hitting that many homers again (his 29% HR/FB ratio is NOT sustainable), this is a guy who's going to have a very realistic shot at 30 homers, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored if he starts a full season.

Tier Five

I'm lowest on Rafael Devers and I'm okay with it. The 22-year-old phenom has shown the exact opposite of plate discipline so far in his young career, and I think that's going to hamstring him until he can prove that he's capable of adjusting. His 7.8 BB% last year (and the 7.5% from the year before) are cringe-worthy marks that he will need to fix if he is to become a regular asset. Fortunately, that's really the only big thing he needs to work on. As the third baseman in a top-three offense, the counting stats will be there if he can just get that patience down.

I'm also apparently lowest on Mike Moustakas still. He's hopped on the launch angle train in the last couple seasons, and as a result, he's seen a sustainable increase in home runs. Swap out Kaufmann Park in Kansas City for Miller Park in Milwaukee and you've got a recipe for some nice power numbers. He'll likely hit at the tail end of the meat in that lineup, so you can pretty much bank on 30 homers and 100 RBI if he's able to stay healthy all year. Nothing much else to him though stat-wise; won't kill your average, but won't help it, no steals, OBP will be middling, runs will be middling. From the third base position I'm looking for more upside than what Moustakas brings to the table, and I always end up having one or two long before Moustakas' name comes up.

 

Rankings Analysis - Lower Tiers

Tier Six

I love me some Joey Wendle. The rookie essentially lucked into a starting job thanks to injuries, and he did not give anyone any reason to doubt the decision. He hit .300 across 545 at-bats while also stealing 16 bags, and while there isn't a ton of power in his profile you can certainly work with the elevated average and some speed. His .353 BABIP probably means there's some regression coming to the batting average, but even if you step it down a little bit you're working with a very usable number.

I'd love to rank Nick Senzel higher, but I'm still a touch worried about what that playing time crunch is going to look like in Cincinnati. The uber-prospect certainly has more upside than Scott Schebler or Matt Kemp, who he's competing for starting time with, but I don't foresee it being as simple as one guy getting a majority of the time. Down the road, Senzel is a guy with legit 20/20 potential, but this year isn't going to be his breakout year.

Tiers Seven and Eight

I really hope Ryan McMahon gets a starting job (and he's currently RAKING in spring training) because he's got the makings of a fantasy stud given the home ballpark. McMahon's power stroke should be perfectly suited to take advantage of the high altitude, and he's even got a bit of speed to match it. He's going to need to cut down on the strikeouts a bit to carry any long-term roto value, but for this year he's a terrific flier if you're looking for power--especially with his multiple position eligibility.

Jung Ho Kang recently won a starting spot on the Pirates, and we're going to be forced to take notice. He's got legitimate 25-homer pop in his bat, and he certainly won't crush your average. With the sub-par lineup around him counting stats are going to be hard to come by, but Kang's time away from baseball is going to have him under most people's radar. Take a flier on him and enjoy the cheap power.

More Fantasy Baseball Rankings Analysis




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