Fantasy Baseball Third Basemen: Who to Start and Who to Stream
A look through preseason fantasy rankings to determine who is seen as a daily starter and who should be deployed only in the right matchups.
The first Spring Training games have begun, with the Padres and Dodgers kicking off earlier than usual due to a two-game series in South Korea March 20-21. That means baseball is on the cusp of returning, something that naturally comes with the beginning of March.
With fantasy baseball following the same schedule, it’s time to really dig into who is expected to make the biggest impact and understand the depth at each position. Some, like first base, are deep with contributors, while others are limited to a few stars and mostly underwhelming options.
I am going through each baseball position to see who is perceived as must-start and stream-worthy heading into the season. This won’t be my own analysis of the players as much as analyzing their value in terms of average draft position.
To determine that status, I used FantasySP’s Average Draft Position tool. That’s important: Other sites will have different rankings and values, and this is exclusively based on FantasySP’s calculations.
I am thinking in terms of a 10-team league with Roto scoring and standard lineup structure, with a player at each infield position, three outfielders and a DH/utility among position players.
Let’s move to third base, where the top of the position is clearly stronger than the streamers to a degree that doesn’t stand out at most other positions. There is value to be found if you get shut out of the daily starters, but I’m making it a priority to grab one of the guys listed in the first group.
Daily Starters
- Jose Ramirez, CLE 1st Round
- Rafael Devers, BOS 3rd Round
- Austin Riley, ATL 3rd Round
- Gunnar Henderson, BAL 4th Round
- Manny Machado, SD 5th Round
- Royce Lewis, MIN 7th Round
- Alex Bregman, HOU 7th Round
- Nolan Arenado, STL 8th Round
Third base feels like one of the safer positions in fantasy heading into the season. Look at the names there; the least trustworthy guy was a star in the playoffs and a regular on top prospect lists before reaching the big leagues.
I’m not sure I want to spend a first-round pick on Ramirez with so many good options, but I won’t argue with his production: Over the last three seasons, Ramirez has averaged 162 hits, 37 doubles, 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases.
Playing around 160 games each of the last three seasons, Riley averaged 175 hits, 35 doubles and 36 home runs with at least 90 runs and 90 RBIs each year. Devers, over that same time, averaged 162 hits, 38 doubles and 33 home runs, with similar run and RBI numbers. Riley offers a little bit more while also striking out more; they are fairly interchangeable.
I love Henderson because of his versatility: On top of coming off an AL Rookie of the Year season, he is eligible at both third base and shortstop. He has been a must-get player for me in mock drafts and auctions because I value him a little higher due to his availability at multiple positions.
Machado, Bregman and Arenado each have similar stories: They are productive veterans who have each missed some time with injury over the past three years. Machado is rightly ranked the highest of the three, but I like Arenado more than Bregman. Either way, these three are in the right tier.
Lewis is the most interesting of the group. He has just 279 at-bats including the postseason but has shown great power, with 21 home runs, including four in the playoffs last season. His upside is as great as anyone, but the lack of proven sustained production leaves him ranked lower than a few others.
Steam-Worthy
- Josh Jung, TEX 13th Round
- Jake Burger, MIA 15th Round
- Isaac Paredes, TB 15th Round
- Alec Bohm, PHI 15th Round
- Max Muncy, LAD 16th Round
- Jeimer Candelario, CIN 18th Round
- Ke'Bryan Hayes, PIT 18th Round
Jung sits a notch above the others in terms of draft status. In his first full season, Jung had 25 doubles and 23 home runs in less than 500 at-bats. His 151 strikeouts are a concern, but Jung has solidified himself as a starter in a potent lineup.
Paredes was very similar to Jung last season but with 31 home runs and only 104 strikeouts. He also walked 58 times compared to Jung’s 30. They are close, but I might favor Paredes by a hair. Bohm and Paredes both have the flexibility to slot in at both first and third base in most leagues.
Candelario went from Washington to the Cubs at the trade deadline while enjoying one of his best seasons. His 22 home runs were a career high, and his 39 doubles and 127 hits were his second most.
Hayes had over 120 hits and 20 doubles each of the last two seasons while stealing 30 bases; he reached 15 home runs in 2023 after just seven the previous year. Hayes just turned 27 and is probably out of upside, firmly entrenched as a streamer rather than regular.
Streaming Advice
There’s a lot to like at this position. The daily starter group stands out quite a bit from the streamers, so I am making it a priority to grab one of the top eight guys. I’m staying away from Ramirez in the first round because there is similar talent available later, and I’d rather grab someone other than Bregman.
Henderson, again, is one of my favorite draft picks because of his ability to play both third and shortstop. I love those flexible players, and a few others eligible at third base aren’t listed here: Cincinnati’s Spencer Steer and Elly De La Cruz and Ha-Seong Kim of the Padres are a few notable names.
When it comes to the streaming group, there will be opportunities to find power more than anything else. That’s kind of the theme of baseball as a whole right now, and third base follows the trend.
I like the idea of grabbing a daily starter at this position and maybe having a multi-positional guy on the bench for the few days you need a fill-in.
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