It's amazing how the addition of two top-tier players to a position can change its entire outlook. Back in November, I made the case that the hot corner was probably the second-weakest position on the diamond, but now it's looking pretty strong. In a 12-team league, each owner can grab a third baseman they could reasonably be happy with. The position thins out toward the bottom of this list, but there are still plenty of high-upside guys that you can grab to stash on your bench if you so desire.

Before we dive in, why not check out the rest of our final positional rankings? Make sure you take the time to check out our Google Docs spreadsheet which contains all of our ranks since October, as well as numerous links to articles on individual players:

Fake Teams 2012 Fantasy Baseball Ranks

Links to previous iterations of third base ranks, including head-to-head ranks from Kevin Boger and tiered ranks from Marc Normandin, may be found within the spreadsheet.

The following third base ranks are for a standard 5x5 mixed redraft league. I've included 30 players plus a few explanations.

1. Miguel Cabrera*, DET

2. Jose Bautista, TOR

3. Evan Longoria, TB

4. Hanley Ramirez*, MIA

5. Adrian Beltre, TEX

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Continuing the style I've used for years now, I'll be splitting outfielders up into left, center, and right field. Because of the tier system, you can compare the positions and see the total outfield picture easily, and this will allow me to rank even more players for deeper leagues without having as many get lost in the shuffle.

If you missed a position, or the explanation for the tiered ranking system, you can check out the first base, second base, third base, shortstop, and catcher rankings.

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Catcher isn't much better offensively than shortstop, if at all, and it's also the first position in which we lack a five-star player. The reduced playing time of catchers makes them worth less than other positions, especially when combined with their generally anemic bats. There are exceptions, of course, especially for catchers who pick up extra plate appearances at DH or first -- those players get a boost in value based on quantity, something that's often overlooked in favor of quality and rate. Quantity counts for a whole lot in fantasy, though, as anyone who has experienced shortened seasons from stars due to injuries can attest.

If you missed the rest of the infield, give the first base, second base, third base, and shortstop rankings a look. That also applies if you need to read up on why a tiered ranking system is in use, and why I think it'll be of use to you.

One thing I should mention: these rankings were created with two starting catchers in mind. If you're in a league with just one starting catcher, you can lop something like $5 (or half a tier) off of the value of most of these guys. That would essentially make everyone but the first two catchers three-star or worse. (And, if you're still angry about where I had Napoli/Santana relative to Prince Fielder, should also help explain that discrepancy, too. Fielder is better than those two in leagues with one starting catcher.)

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Yes, 2013. We already know who the first round picks will be for 2012, or rather, have a very good idea as to who they will be. The list of possible first round choices for this season includes Albert Pujols, Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez, among many others. But, I am here today to talk about some hitters who could be first round picks for NEXT year. That is 2013. Why is that important? Because, to be a first round pick in 2013, you must have a very good 2012.

To put together this list, I took at look at hitters who have an average draft position of 50 or higher according to Mock Draft Central. The list and my reasons for selecting these hitters are after the jump:

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Marc Normandin is currently in the middle of publishing his 2012 Fantasy Baseball Tiered Rankings, and thus far he has published the following:

Tiered First Base Rankings

Tiered Second Base Rankings

Tiered Shortstop Rankings

Tiered Third Base Rankings

Jason, Robert and I are in the middle of publishing our updated 2012 Fantasy Baseball Position Rankings this week. Below you will find our initial rankings, our in-depth profiles and our updated rankings for each position.

Catcher: Initial, In-Depth with Profiles, Final

First Base: Initial, In-Depth with Profiles, Final

Second Base: Initial, In-Depth with Profiles, Final

Third Base: Initial, In-Depth with Profiles

Shortstop: Initial, In-Depth with Profiles

Outfield: Initial, In-Depth with Profiles: #1 | #2

Starting Pitchers: Initial, In-Depth with Profiles: #1 | #2

Relief Pitchers: Initial, In-Depth with Profiles: #1| #2, Holds Rankings

Commentary might be a little light, because thinking about shortstops makes me retch. If you missed the first base, second base, and third base rankings, be sure to catch up on those to read about the tiered ranking system used here, as well as check out the other positions and their rankings.

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