👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 50% Now
Import Your Leagues
Props Tool
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

2017 Third Basemen: Top MLB Prospects for Fantasy Baseball

Welcome back, RotoBallers. I've already looked at the top 10 prospects for each MLB team, and now I'll be breaking down impact prospects by position. Today I'm bringing you my top 10 third basemen - MLB prospect rankings for the 2017 fantasy baseball season.

Last season was actually pretty rewarding for rookie third basemen. Greg Garcia stood out as a solid utility bat for St. Louis, Alex Bregman debuted for Houston and looked all the part of a franchise third baseman and Ryon Healy burst out onto the scene in Oakland.

The incoming class of third basemen has the potential to be even better. Though some of these bats like Rafael Devers and Nick Senzel have yet to reach Double-A, it is important to note that guys like Bregman have made the leap before and Boston and Cincinnati could use some help at the hot corner and may opt to see their talented young prospects play there at some point this season. There are plenty of potential high-impact players who could be dynamic fantasy players if they are only given the appropriate playing time in 2017.

Featured Promo: Save 50% the regular price with discount code SPRING, for a limited time. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, DFS cheat sheets, Lineup Optimizers, betting/prop picks, and exclusive content from Nick Mariano and Eric Cross! GAIN ACCESS NOW

 

Top 10 Third Base Prospects for 2017 Fantasy Baseball

1. Matt Chapman (OAK, AAA)
Stats: (from AA) 504 PA, .244/.335/.521, 29 HR, 7 SB, 11.7% BB rate, 29.2% K rate
ETA: Early May
Chapman does many things very well and a few things very poorly. He is an elite defender and middle-of-the-order power hitter. He also has enough patience to take a walk if it is given to him. What he does poorly is make consistent contact. He has a tendency to swing-and-miss a bit more than the A’s would like to see and would love for him to make improvements in that area. They will likely keep him down in the minors for a bit, but odds are he will debut with the club this season and push Healy over to first base or designated hitter. If given regular playing time, he could be an annual 30-homer threat and drive in his fair share of runs.

2. Rafael Devers (BOS, A+)
Stats: 546 PA, .282/.335/.443, 11 HR, 18 SB, 7.3% BB rate, 17.2% K rate
ETA: Early June
This is already quite the bold prediction, but I believe Devers will be the Red Sox starting third baseman before too long. Right now, they’ve got Pablo Sandoval and Brock Holt manning the position. For a playoff contender like Boston, that is quite the big hole. Devers will begin the season at Double-A and if he can hit anything like he did to end the 2016 season (.331/.370/.516 slash line in last 87 games of the season), he will force them to bring him up to the majors. He has insane upside with some saying his ceiling is that of a left-handed Manny Machado. Devers would provide owners with some stolen bases, but more importantly a ton of home runs and a very nice batting average.

3. Miguel Andujar (NYY, AA)
Stats: 319 PA, .266/.323/.358, 2 HR, 2 SB, 6.6% BB rate, 13.2% K rate
ETA: Mid-May
I know the numbers for Andujar don’t look all that spectacular, but keep in mind he was only 21 years old and was coming off a very solid stint at High-A. In his 58 games at Class-A Advanced Tampa prior to his promotion to Trenton, he slashed .283/.343/.474 with 10 homers, a 7.2 percent walk rate and 12.0 percent strikeout rate in only 251 plate appearances. Scouts have praised his raw power potential and cite an aggressive approach that actually works well for making consistent, strong contact. He should be able to get his bat going again in 2017 and should work his way past the struggling Chase Headley and lackluster Ronald Torreyes.

4. Hunter Dozier (KC, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 434 PA, .294/.357/.506, 15 HR, 3 SB, 9.2% BB rate, 23.0% K rate
ETA: Early July
Dozier went on a tear in 2016 and put together his most promising season to date. Between crushing Double-A pitching (.305/.400/.642 slash with eight homers in 26 games) and his solid season at Triple-A, Dozier firmly established himself among the top third base prospects in the game. The big issue right now for him is that Mike Moustakas stands in the way of consistent playing time. But with the Royals likely out of playoff contention and Moustakas entering the final season of his contract, the Royals may opt to deal away Moose and plug Dozier in at third to get a glimpse of their next franchise third baseman. If he gets the chance to play in the summer, he should be able to hit more than enough to warrant ownership in redraft leagues.

5. Jeimer Candelario (CHC, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 309 PA, .333/.417/.542, 9 HR, 0 SB, 12.3% BB rate, 17.2% K rate
ETA: Early July
Candelario’s value is entirely contingent on a trade. He is in a very similar position to Dan Vogelbach last season who was a solid prospect for Chicago, but had no foreseeable path to playing time. Candelario is big-league ready and could help out a team if he gets the opportunity to do so. But first Chicago has to trade him, because he will not pass Kris Bryant on the Cubs’ depth chart. Assuming Candelario is traded around the middle of the season, he should be able to provide fantasy owners with a great batting average and a few home runs here and there.

6. Christian Arroyo (SF, AA)
Stats: 517 PA, .274/.316/.373, 3 HR, 1 SB, 5.6% BB rate, 13.9% K rate
ETA: Early May
Arroyo will begin the year in the minors, but he seems like one of those guys like Matt Duffy a few years ago who could force his way to the big-league roster in a utility role for San Francisco. His numbers strongly resemble Duffy’s minor-league stats and there is a chance he turns out to have some hidden power in his bat, but right now owners will just have to be happy with a guaranteed .280+ batting average. Arroyo is a very balanced hitter and should have no problem posting a high batting average in the majors. He will be limited to a utility role to begin his major-league career, but he could really help owners in deeper leagues who need a solid source of hits.

7. Rio Ruiz (ATL, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 533 PA, .271/.355/.400, 10 HR, 1 SB, 11.4% BB rate, 21.8% K rate
ETA: Mid-May
Ruiz is not the franchise third baseman for Atlanta, but he is more likely to be that guy than Adonis Garcia. Ruiz is only 22 years old and Garcia will be 32 at the start of this season. Ruiz has some raw power and a refined approach at the plate that should allow him to hit for a solid average when he reaches the majors. Though he is not the most exciting prospect out there, Ruiz will absolutely get the call up to the big leagues the second Garcia starts to struggle. He could be a solid deep-league add if he is promoted to the majors.

8. Nick Senzel (CIN, A)
Stats: 249 PA, .329/.415/.567, 7 HR, 15 SB, 12.9% BB rate, 19.7% K rate
ETA: Early August
Maybe this is a bit of an accelerated timeline, but it is important to realize just how close Senzel is to the majors. He has one of the most mature approaches to the plate in the minors and has always been praised for being advanced for his age. If Eugenio Suarez played anywhere else, Senzel could open 2017 with the Reds. As is, he still has a great chance to debut this season with the ball club, even if it is as late as September. He is essentially the Alex Bregman of last year in that he should fly through the minors and wind up in the majors before too long.

9. Dawel Lugo (ARI, AA)
Stats: 177 PA, .306/.322/.451, 4 HR, 1 SB, 2.3% BB rate, 8.5% K rate
ETA: Late July
Lugo has steadily started to come along more and more every season. He is not an explosive third base prospect by any means, but he is starting to drive the ball a bit more consistently and hit for some more power. He has always been held in high regard for his discipline and ability to make consistent contact, but now the power is starting to come around a bit more. He is not going to be a cornerstone third base prospect by any means, but owners searching for depth could certainly benefit from him if he gets a chance to start for the Diamondbacks.

10. Yandy Diaz (CLE, AAA)
Stats: 416 PA, .325/.399/.461, 7 HR, 5 SB, 11.3% BB rate, 16.8% K rate
ETA: Mid-July
Diaz is one of the most polished prospects in the minors to this point. He has always boasted one of the most disciplined approaches to the plate of any batter out there as evidenced by the fact he has walked 198 times in his pro career and struck out only 191 times. Diaz has also always been able to post an outstanding batting average, as evidenced by his career .307 number. Sure, he does not have the power that many would like to see (19 career homers in two-and-a-half season), but owners will gladly take that ability to reach base consistently. His ability to play many positions should finally help him reach the majors in 2017 where he could eventually hit enough to start in the outfield or at third for the Tribe.

 

More Top MLB Prospects & Rookies




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 50% Now
Import Your Leagues
Props Tool
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

New England Patriots

Patriots Select Tight End Eli Raridon With 95th Overall Pick
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Take Another Receiver in Chris Bell at 94th Overall
San Francisco 49ers

49ers Select Kaelon Black With 90th Overall Pick
Chicago Bears

Zavion Thomas Selected 89th Overall by Bears
Giancarlo Stanton

Exits With Leg Tightness on Friday
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Select Will Kacmarek With 87th Overall Pick
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers Draft Ted Hurst 84th Overall in NFL Draft
Isaiah Joe

Likely to Miss Game 3 Against Suns
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Select Chris Brazzell II in the Third Round
Baltimore Ravens

Ja'Kobi Lane Heading to the Ravens With 80th Overall Pick
Peyton Watson

to Remain Sidelined Saturday
Pittsburgh Steelers

Drew Allar Selected 76th Overall by Steelers
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Select Speedy Receiver Zachariah Branch At 79 Overall
Aaron Gordon

Questionable for Saturday's Game 4
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Select Caleb Douglas With 75th Overall Pick
Jordan Goodwin

on Track to Return Saturday
New York Giants

Giants Trade Up to Pick 74, Select Malachi Fields
NFL

Saints Select Oscar Delp With 73rd Overall Pick
Grayson Allen

Listed as Questionable for Saturday
Mark Williams

Won't Play Saturday
Washington Commanders

Commanders Use 71st Overall Pick on Antonio Williams
Chicago Bears

Bears Select Sam Roush With 69th Pick
Victor Wembanyama

Will Miss Game 3 Against Trail Blazers
Carson Beck

Selected 65th Overall by Cardinals
Los Angeles Rams

Rams Select Max Klare With 61st Overall Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Select Marlin Klein With 59th Overall Pick
Jonathan Greenard

Eagles Acquire Jonathan Greenard, Sign him to Four-Year Extension
Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars Select Nate Boerkircher With 56th Overall Pick
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Select Eli Stowers at No. 54 Overall
Tari Eason

Reed Sheppard Move into Starting Five on Friday
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Wins Most Improved Player Award
Immanuel Quickley

to Miss Rest of First-Round Series
Kevin Durant

is Ruled Out for Game 3 on Friday
Joel Embiid

Officially Ruled Out for Game 3
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Scratched on Friday With Mid-Back Pain
Troy Terry

Available for Game 3 Against Oilers
Radko Gudas

Misses Second Straight Game Friday
Charle-Edouard D'Astous

Unavailable Friday
Dan Vladar

Considered a Game-Time Call for Saturday
Jake Sanderson

Ruled Out for Game 4 Due to Concussion
Yakov Trenin

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Stars
Mats Zuccarello

a Game-Time Decision Saturday
Jackson Holliday

Receives Positive Test Results, Will be Shut Down for a Week
Jeff Hoffman

Out as Blue Jays Closer
Youssef Zalal

Set For UFC Vegas 116 Main Event
Aljamain Sterling

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 116
Joselyne Edwards

Set For UFC Vegas 116 Co-Main Event
Norma Dumont

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Alexander Hernandez

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 116
Rafa Garcia

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Adrian Luna Martinetti

Set For His UFC Debut
Davey Grant

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Jaden McDaniels

Records Double-Double in Game 3
Ayo Dosunmu

Paces Wolves in Game 3 Victory
Jalen Johnson

Flirts with Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Mikal Bridges

Goes Scoreless in Game 3 Loss
Anthony Edwards

Limited to 24 Minutes in Game 3
Jalen Brunson

Pours in 26 Points in Game 3 Defeat
CJ McCollum

Delivers Clutch Shot in Game 3 Win
Jordan Kyrou

Recovering From Minor Knee Procedure
Roope Hintz

"Ways Away" From Returning
Jason Dickinson

Could Be an Option for Game 3
Adam Henrique

Misses Trip to Anaheim
Jake Sanderson

Dealing With Head Injury
Josh Manson

Evaluated for Upper-Body Injury
Alex Lyon

Comes in and Shuts Down Boston
Jake Sanderson

Suffers Hand Injury While Blocking Shot
Jake LaRavia

Available for Game 3 Friday
Austin Reaves

Upgraded to Questionable on Injury Report
Francisco Lindor

Expected to Miss "Significant Time"
Tyler Kleven

Available for Senators Versus Hurricanes
Josh Norris

Out With Undisclosed Injury for Thursday Night
Noah Ostlund

Will Return for Game 3 Against Boston
Francisco Lindor

Mets Officially Place Francisco Lindor on Injured List With Calf Strain
Michael Harris II

Removed Early With Quad Tightness
Francisco Lindor

Likely Headed to the Injured List
Jason Robertson

Scores in Sixth Straight Playoff Game
Matt Duchene

Records Second Consecutive Multi-Point Game
Sean Couturier

Contributes Two Assists in Game 3 Win
Michael Harris II

Continues to Heat Up With Two-Homer Game on Wednesday
Francisco Lindor

Leaves Wednesday's Game Early With Calf Tightness
JR Ritchie

Earns Promotion, Will Make MLB Debut on Thursday
Wyatt Langford

Expected to Go on Injured List With Flexor Strain
Maikel Garcia

Leaves Early on Wednesday With Elbow Soreness
Roman Anthony

Day-to-Day With Sore Back
Juan Soto

Officially Back in Mets Lineup on Wednesday
J.T. Realmuto

Phillies Place J.T. Realmuto on Injured List With Back Injury
Lucas Giolito

Signs With Padres, Worth a Waiver-Wire Pickup?
Ryan Helsley

Orioles Put Ryan Helsley on Bereavement List on Wednesday
CFB

Beau Pribula Leading Virginia Quarterback Competition
Marco Penge

Trending Down Entering Zurich Classic
Sahith Theegala

Eyes Another Strong Week at Zurich Classic
Brooks Koepka

Shane Lowry Teams Up with Brooks Koepka at Zurich Classic
Si Woo Kim

Adds Another Strong Finish at RBC Heritage
Elly De La Cruz

Early-Season Breakout Continues on Tuesday
Wyatt Langford

Pulled Early on Tuesday With Forearm Tightness
Luke Clanton

Hoping to Find Form in New Orleans
Jackson Holliday

Leaves Rehab Game With Hand Discomfort
Scottie Scheffler

is Starting to Hit His Stride
Brooks Koepka

Looking for Progress in PGA Return With Partner at Zurich Classic
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looks to Share Recent Form at Zurich Classic
CFB

Ashton Daniels Named Florida State's Starting Quarterback
Tyler Reddick

Earns His Fifth Win of the 2026 Season at Kansas
Kyle Larson

Finishes as the Runner-Up at Kansas
Chase Briscoe

Rallies for A New Career-Best Finish at Kansas
Denny Hamlin

Leads the Most Laps at Kansas but Misses Out on Victory
Christopher Bell

Falls Out of Contention for Kansas Victory on Final Restart
Mike Malott

Scores Third-Round TKO Win
Gilbert Burns

Retires After UFC Winnipeg Loss
Charles Jourdain

Extends Winning Streak
Kyler Phillips

Drops Decision At UFC Winnipeg
Mandel Nallo

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss In His UFC Debut
Jai Herbert

Scores First-Round TKO Win
Karine Silva

Gets Dominated at UFC Winnipeg
Jasmine Jasudavicius

Dominates Karine Silva
Kyle Larson

Should not be Underestimated for the Win at Kansas
Denny Hamlin

Can Denny Hamlin Dominate at Kansas Again?
NASCAR

Christoper Bell Should Contend for First Win at Kansas
Tyler Reddick

Fastest in Practice and Qualifying for Kansas Race
Ryan Blaney

Could Score another Top-10 Finish at Kansas
Ty Gibbs

Poised to Continue Hot Streak at Kansas
Chris Buescher

Always Consistent, Has Speed Heading Into Kansas
William Byron

is A Solid DFS Option for Kansas Lineups
Carson Hocevar

Poised for Career-Best Run at Kansas
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF