clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Midseason Position Rankings: Third Base

The position is getting ever deeper these days, meaning you can find big names far down the list.

By Daniel Kelley
Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Evan Longoria is in his eighth big-league season. He's posted an OPS+ over 100 in all eight, gotten MVP votes five times, been an All-Star three.

Adrian Beltre is struggling this year, sure, but as a Ranger before this year he's posted a .315/.364/.530 slash line, averaging almost 30 home runs a year. Aging happens, but you have to assume he's going to bounce back at least somewhat in the second half.

After a disappointing first four years, Mike Moustakas appears to have found at least something this year, entering the All-Star break (his first time as an All-Star) with a slash line of .297/.353/.427.

None of those three makes the top 10 in fantasy third basemen the rest of the way in 2015. Heck, Moustakas barely makes the top 20. Third base might not be as deep as first base, but it might be, also. Between good first basemen who pick up a handful of games at third, up-and-comers who have up-and-came, and veterans who have solidly established themselves, there's a lot to like at the position. Heck, in the Home Run Derby, we had more pure third basemen (Todd Frazier, Kris Bryant, Josh Donaldson, Manny Machado) than first basemen (Prince Fielder, Albert Pujols, Anthony Rizzo) — though, to be fair, Frazier qualifies at both.

It means your standards at third base have to be higher, sure, but it also means you have a better shot at finding someone to help.

Which brings us to the rankings. Players listed are all 3B-eligibile in the Yahoo! game. Take a gander:

Third Base Rankings, rest of season

Rank Player Team Thoughts
1 Todd Frazier CIN He could have career-highs in doubles and home runs within, like, the next two weeks.
2 Josh Donaldson TOR I worried about his health moving to Toronto, but that hasn't been a worry so far.
3 Chris Davis BAL
4 Manny Machado BAL Already has career-highs in home runs and steals. If he stays healthy this could be a crazy year.
5 Nolan Arenado COL Interesting that, this year at least, he's not been a Coors Field product, as he's hit better on the road than at home.
6 Xander Bogaerts BOS
7 Kris Bryant CHC Kind of amazing that he's performing almost exactly how everyone said he would, and it's still great.
8 Matt Carpenter SLC He's hurt by no longer having second-base eligibility, but he's still a perfectly competent hitter.
9 Alex Rodriguez NYY Putting up his highest OPS+ since 2008. I do expect some regression over a long season, but it's been incredible.
10 Miguel Cabrera DET
11 Adrian Beltre TEX As mentioned above, you've got to expect some rest-of-the-way improvement.
12 Evan Longoria TAM
13 Kyle Seager SEA Five years of batting averages: .258-.259-.260-.268-.269. He's consistent but unremarkable.
14 Yasmany Tomas ARI He's lucky fantasy doesn't factor in defense, but on offense, he's been worth it.
15 Miguel Sano MIN Sure, it's only been 11 games, but he's looked great.
16 Anthony Rendon WAS
17 Maikel Franco PHI I just don't believe him to the extent he's performed so far, but he's proven he's at least relevant.
18 Mike Moustakas KAN Four-year average OPS+ of 82 before this year's 115. Hitting his prime and all that, sure, but you have to think regression is coming.
19 Matt Duffy SFG
20 Luis Valbuena HOU
21 Carlos Santana CLE
22 Pablo Sandoval BOS Trying really hard to find things to like about Sandoval being in the first year of a five-year deal with Boston. Trying really hard ... and failing.
23 Justin Turner LAD He's got to be exposed in full-time play, right? The Dodgers haven't just been sitting on a superstar, have they?
24 Cesar Hernandez PHI
25 Pedro Alvarez PIT
26 Jake Lamb ARI He won't win the Rookie of the Year, as I predicted, but he's hit well.
27 Juan Uribe ATL Uribe, 2015, dodgers: .247/.287/.309. Uribe, 2015, Braves: .290/.351/.478. Change of scenery FTW.
28 Trevor Plouffe MIN He's a totally fine ballplayer to use until you find someone better. The Twins might have done that now.
29 Brock Holt BOS
30 Marcus Semien OAK