Top 10 Third Baseman for 2025
Who rules the hot corner?
Honorable Mentions:
Matt Chapman - San Francisco
It's a very tough call to keep him on the outside of the top 10. I think I feel spurned by him from fantasy baseball, as well as the Giants didn’t do enough in the offseason to get me excited about their offense’s potential in 2025.
2024 - 7.1 bWAR | 27 HR | .247 BA | 78 RBI | 15 SB | .790 OPS | 121 wRC+
Jordan Westburg - Baltimore Orioles
What can I say? The third base position is very deep in 2025. Westburg will be fresh off an All-Star appearance, and there’s not much to dislike about his game. The 125 wRC+ he put up in 2024 is making me think I am making a big mistake leaving him off my top 10.
2024 - 2.4 bWAR | 18 HR | .264 BA | 63 RBI | 6 SB | .792 OPS | 125 wRC+
Royce Lewis - Minnesota Twins
Lewis is extremely talented, but similar to his teammate, Byron Buxton, he doesn’t seem to stay on the field. If he is on the field, I will have shares this season.
2024 - 0.7 bWAR | 16 HR | .233 BA | 47 RBI | 0 SB | .747 OPS | 108 wRC+
Jake Burger - Texas Rangers
Love the new team for Burger! I expect his counting stats to do a bit better with that Texas offense in 2025. He is 28 years old, so I am not expecting a massive breakout based on past performance.
2024 - 0.5 WAR | 29 HR | .250 BA | 76 RBI | 1 SB | .760 OPS | 106 wRC+
Alec Bohm - Philadelphia Phillies
I didn’t realize Bohm almost had 100 RBIs last season, which is a shame on me. He has one of the higher batting averages on this list, and that may carry him to proving me wrong in 2025.
2024 - 3.0 WAR | 15 HR | .280 BA | 97 RBI | 5 SB | .779 OPS | 115 wRC+
Eugenio Suarez - Arizona Diamondbacks
Suarez is a sneaky good bat. Thirty bombs in 2024 accompanied with 100+ RBIs is no joke at the plate. The lack of speed concerns me, and he will be turning 34 years old during the season.
2024 - 3.1 WAR | 30 HR | .256 BA | 101 RBI | 2 SB | .788 OPS | 115 wRC+
10) Nolan Arenado - St. Louis Cardinals
Arenado might burn me on this pick, but I couldn’t find it in me to exclude him from the top 10. Since 2013, Arenado’s 1st year in MLB, he has either won a Gold Glove/Silver Slugger Award, played in an All-Star Game, or been a legitimate MVP candidate, except for last season. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt to return to form. I am doing this even with all the rumors of him being traded to a new organization. Arenado is that good, and he deserves to get the benefit of the doubt even at age 33 (he will turn 34 during the season).
2024: 16 HR | 2 SB | 71 RBI | 23 2B | 44 BB | .272 AVG | .325 OBP | .394 SLG | .719 OPS | 2.5 bWAR | 102 wRC+
Career: 341 HR | 1132 RBI | 387 2B | 549 BB | .285 AVG | .342 OBP | .515 SLG | .857 OPS | 56.7 bWAR
9) Mark Vientos - New York Mets
I will be crucified if I don’t include Vientos in the top 10. If you didn’t listen to the latest episode of the podcast to hear my story with Vientos, you can check it out at the bottom of this blog to listen. What you will hear is how I essentially dropped Mark Vientos for Ke’Bryan Hayes (very early) in the 2024 fantasy season. Yes, I made a massive mistake, and I will not disrespect Vientos again.
2024: 27 HR | 0 SB | 71 RBI | 22 2B | 33 BB | .266 AVG | .322 OBP | .516 SLG | .837 OPS | 3.1 bWAR | 133 wRC+
Career: 37 HR | 1 SB | 96 RBI | 28 2B | 48 BB | .243 AVG | .297 OBP | .454 SLG | .751 OPS | 1.9 bWAR
8) Isaac Paredes - Houston Astros
Can you say Crawford Boxes? That is all anyone has been hearing about when it comes to all the new additions to Houston’s lineup. It might be overplayed, but it is true. Paredes’s swing will play very, very well in Houston. Even with all the moves Houston has made this offseason by shipping out some of their best talent, they will still be a “contender”. The counting stats should be there paired with a swing-friendly home ballpark. The speed and hit tool can be concerning, but Paredes will have plenty of lineup protection with Christian Walker, Yordan Alvarez, and Jose Altuve among the growing list of concerns for opposing pitching.
2024: 19 HR | 1 SB | 80 RBI | 25 2B | 76 BB | .238 AVG | .342 OBP | .440 SLG | .782 OPS | 2.7 bWAR | 117 wRC+
Career: 72 HR | 2 SB | 234 RBI | 72 2B | 196 BB | .232 AVG | .333 OBP | .422 SLG | .755 OPS | 8.8 bWAR
7) Junior Caminero - Tampa Bay Rays
For the sake of Tampa Bay’s franchise, I want Caminero to go nuts in 2025. He is super talented and only 21 years old. This is an all-time hype train pick for me. Caminero simply mashed in all levels of the minor leagues, and he is ready for this moment. A full season from Caminero can be special.
2024: 6 HR | 2 SB | 18 RBI | 9 2B | 11 BB | .248 AVG | .299 OBP | .424 SLG | .724 OPS | 0.7 bWAR | 105 wRC+
Career: 7 HR | 2 SB | 25 RBI | 10 2B | 13 BB | .246 AVG | .296 OBP | .412 SLG | .708 OPS | 0.8 bWAR
6) Jazz Chisholm Jr. - New York Yankees
A full season of Jazz Chisholm Jr. with that shallow Yankee Field Right Field wall can be a cheat code. Jazz can be the difference-maker for the Yankees this year. His talent is off the charts, and his swing plays very favorable for the Yankee Field dimensions. Imagine the counting stats in a lineup with Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton (when healthy!), Austin Wells, Jasson Dominguez, Paul Goldschmidt, and Anthony Volpe.
2024: 24 HR | 40 SB | 73 RBI | 21 2B | 53 BB | .256 AVG | .324 OBP | .436 SLG | .760 OPS | 2.7 bWAR | 110 wRC+
Career: 77 HR | 228 RBI | 64 2B | 139 BB | .249 AVG | .311 OBP | .446 SLG | .757 OPS | 8.6 bWAR
5) Alex Bregman - Boston Red Sox
Probably the most interesting situation at the hot corner. Bregman signed with Boston, and now multiple rumors are circulating about who will play third base between Devers and Bregman. Bregman is the better fielder, but the Red Sox might not want to cause a stir with their young superstar.
2024: 26 HR | 3 SB | 75 RBI | 30 2B | 44 BB | .260 AVG | .315 OBP | .453 SLG | .768 OPS | 4.1 bWAR | 118 wRC+
Career: 191 HR | 42 SB | 663 RBI | 265 2B | 576 BB | .272 AVG | .366 OBP | .483 SLG | .848 OPS | 39.6 bWAR
4) Manny Machado - San Diego Padres
One of the few players on this list who have built a career worthy of Cooperstown consideration. Machado will be in the heart of the San Diego lineup. Machado has come a long way in his career. The talent was never a question for this man; the attitude has been. It seems that with age, Machado has matured in a very positive way by being a clubhouse leader. I expect the excellence to continue, even at age 32.
2024: 29 HR | 11 SB | 105 RBI | 30 2B | 45 BB | .275 AVG | .325 OBP | .472 SLG | .797 OPS | 3.1 bWAR | 122 wRC+
Career: 342 HR | 99 SB | 1049 RBI | 363 2B | 608 BB | .279 AVG | .338 OBP | .488 SLG | .826 OPS | 57.8 bWAR
3) Austin Riley - Atlanta Braves
It might be my hottest take of the list. Coming off his worst season since the 2020 Mickey Mouse season, I fully expect a healthy Riley to come back with a vengeance. The Braves were down as a whole last year, but I am buying back into the Atlanta hype train. Riley had finished the 2021,2022, and 2023 seasons with 5.9 bWAR or better.
2024: 19 HR | 0 SB | 56 RBI | 26 2B | 37 BB | .256 AVG | .322 OBP | .461 SLG | .783OPS | 2.9 bWAR | 116 wRC+
Career: 153 HR | 5 SB | 429 RBI | 148 2B | 237 BB | .272 AVG | .338 OBP | .502 SLG | .840 OPS | 20.8 bWAR
2) Rafael Devers - Boston Red Sox
Is the dream of a Devers/Vladdy Jr. duo in jeopardy due to the Bregman signing? Maybe. I would love/hate to see those two on a team together. If it weren’t Boston, I’d love it. Since it would be a pairing in Boston, I’d hate it. This combo would be unfair, especially if paired together for multiple years. Devers is not only a top-3 3B in the league right now, but he is also one of the best hitters in all of baseball.
2024: 28 HR | 3 SB | 83 RBI | 34 2B | 67 BB | .272 AVG | .354 OBP | .516 SLG | .871 OPS | 3.7 bWAR | 134 wRC+
Career: 200 HR | 32 SB | 638 RBI | 255 2B | 358 BB | .279 AVG | .354 OBP | .511 SLG | .856 OPS | 22.5 bWAR
1) Jose Ramirez - Cleveland Guardians
I can’t say anything about this man that anyone who follows professional baseball does not already know. J-Ram is not only a perennial superstar, he is almost a shoe in to make the Hall of Fame.
2024: 39 HR | 41 SB | 118 RBI | 39 2B | 54 BB | .279 AVG | .335 OBP | .537 SLG | .872 OPS | 6.8 bWAR | 141 wRC+
Career: 255 HR | 243 SB | 864 RBI | 364 2B | 600 BB | .279 AVG | .352 OBP | .504 SLG | .856 OPS | 52.4 bWAR
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