Finally, we have some depth in fantasy baseball.
After looking at second basemen and shortstops, it’s about time to get some players who can actually play.
Third base is a solid position, which features plenty of potential stars. It also includes some guys who can play other positions, like Kris Bryant in right field, Manny Machado at shortstop, Anthony Rendon at second base and Matt Carptenter at second base.
This is a position that gives ultimate depth, so go into the draft with a strategy on when to choose your favorite player.
1. Manny Machado, Baltimore
I rate Machado a bit higher than others, because I love guys who can give me two positions. Machado is listed as a third baseman and shortstop, so if you go with him first, you can slot him in as a shortstop and then pick a third baseman later that would be a better option than a risky, unproven shortstop pick. Machado is still young (23) and he has shown the ability to hit for power, steal bases, knock in runs and score runs. That’s a lethal combination.
2. Josh Donaldson, Toronto
He’s a machine with RBIs and home runs. Oh, and he’s going to score runs. You can’t go wrong with Donaldson, who has shown stellar ability in the last three years to give more than 90 RBIs, more than 90 runs and tally 29 or more homers. His average hasn’t always been the best (he hit .255 in 2014), but he showed last year and 2013 to hit around .300. I like Donaldson, but I like Machado’s versatility more.
3. Nolan Arenado, Colorado
He hits in Colorado, making him almost as desirable as Donaldson. I’m going with Donaldson by a slim margin, based on his track record of being great for multiple years. Arenado gave us a huge year last season, going for 42 homers and 130 RBIs. I’m not sure if he can keep that up, but his potential is enough for me to salivate for if he’s still around in the second round.
4. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs
I’m a sucker for better batting averages, so that’s why I’m going with Bryant in this slot over the fifth-rated player. I have only a small sample size, but everyone’s pretty on board with Bryant’s ability. He tallied 26 homers and 99 RBIs in his first season, and also gave us 13 stolen bases. His average was at .275 last season, which isn’t great, but gives us enough to make him a solid bet in the third round possibly if he’s still available.
5. Todd Frazier, Chicago White Sox
Frazier has been at this longer than Bryant, but his batting average is a lot like former White Sox players who fizzled out. His career average is only .257 and his on-base percentage is .321. That’s not great and one of the reasons why he tallies only 78 runs a year. However, he does provide power — 35 round trippers last season — and can steal a few bases with 37 in the previous two years. He’s in the American League now, so I’m banking on him seeing a few more pitches to hit this season.
