RADIO
Nick Mariano's expert third base (3B) fantasy baseball rankings for 2026 drafts. RotoBaller has the industry's #1 accuracy fantasy baseball rankings, projections.
Third base continues to be an interesting position to draft each year. Jose Ramirez has led the charge over the years and continues to be the top 3B in fantasy baseball. Junior Caminero is not far behind Ramirez, but there is a little bit of a drop-off once those two are off draft boards. At RotoBaller, we have updated our rankings and broken down the position with our 2026 fantasy baseball third base rankings and tiers for roto leagues (5x5 category mixed leagues). These March rankings cover the top 75 third basemen for 2026.
With Opening Day fast approaching, fantasy managers should expect to hear a lot of news, rumors, and hype this offseason on trendy picks or even a player having a hot spring. When should you take a chance on a third baseman who is on the rise, a top prospect, a player returning from injury, or a third baseman who is set to bounce back this season? Find out where key third basemen such as Alex Bregman, Royce Lewis, Kazuma Okamoto, Caleb Durbin, Jordan Lawlar, Addison Barger, and others are listed in our rankings.
The third base rankings below are specifically designed for traditional roto leagues, put together by RotoBaller's lead MLB forecaster Nick Mariano. We're also writing fresh articles all throughout the off-season for fantasy baseball prospects, fantasy baseball dynasty, and so much more. Win more in 2026!
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
Updated Third Base Fantasy Baseball Rankings (March)
| Tier | Rank | Player | Position |
| 1 | 1 | Jose Ramirez | 3B |
| 2 | 2 | Junior Caminero | 3B |
| 2 | 3 | Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 2B/3B |
| 2 | 4 | Manny Machado | 3B |
| 3 | 5 | Austin Riley | 3B |
| 3 | 6 | Maikel Garcia | 2B/3B/SS/OF |
| 3 | 7 | Eugenio Suarez | 3B |
| 3 | 8 | Alex Bregman | 3B |
| 4 | 9 | Noelvi Marte | 3B/OF |
| 4 | 10 | Matt Chapman | 3B |
| 4 | 11 | Kazuma Okamoto | 1B/3B |
| 4 | 12 | Max Muncy | 3B |
| 5 | 13 | Royce Lewis | 3B |
| 5 | 14 | Colson Montgomery | 3B/SS |
| 5 | 15 | Addison Barger | 3B/OF |
| 5 | 16 | Caleb Durbin | 2B/3B |
| 6 | 17 | Munetaka Murakami | 1B/3B |
| 6 | 18 | Jose Caballero | 2B/3B/SS/OF |
| 6 | 19 | Jorge Polanco | 2B/3B |
| 6 | 20 | Isaac Paredes | 3B |
| 6 | 21 | JJ Wetherholt | 2B/3B/SS |
| 7 | 22 | Miguel Vargas | 1B/3B |
| 7 | 23 | Jordan Lawlar | 3B |
| 7 | 24 | Alec Bohm | 1B/3B |
| 7 | 25 | Willi Castro | 2B/3B/OF |
| 7 | 26 | Brett Baty | 2B/3B |
| 8 | 27 | Carlos Correa | 3B/SS |
| 8 | 28 | Ernie Clement | 1B/2B/3B/SS |
| 8 | 29 | Matt Shaw | 3B |
| 8 | 30 | Colt Keith | 1B/2B/3B |
| 8 | 31 | Mark Vientos | 3B |
| 8 | 32 | Chase Meidroth | 2B/3B/SS |
| 8 | 33 | Zach McKinstry | 3B/SS/OF |
| 8 | 34 | Josh Jung | 3B |
| 8 | 35 | Nolan Arenado | 3B |
| 8 | 36 | Josh Smith | 1B/3B/SS/OF |
| 8 | 37 | Ryan McMahon | 3B |
| 8 | 38 | Brooks Lee | 2B/3B/SS |
| 8 | 39 | Luis Rengifo | 2B/3B/OF |
| 8 | 40 | Marcelo Mayer | 2B/3B |
| 8 | 41 | Connor Norby | 3B |
| 8 | 42 | Jordan Westburg | 2B/3B |
| 8 | 43 | Nolan Gorman | 2B/3B |
| 8 | 44 | Tommy Edman | 2B/3B/OF |
| 8 | 45 | Jonathan India | 2B/3B/OF |
| 9 | 46 | Jared Triolo | 1B/2B/3B/SS |
| 9 | 47 | Brady House | 3B |
| 9 | 48 | Miguel Andujar | 3B/OF |
| 9 | 49 | Brooks Baldwin | 2B/3B/SS/OF |
| 9 | 50 | Javier Baez | 2B/3B/SS/OF |
| 9 | 51 | Ke'Bryan Hayes | 3B |
| 9 | 52 | Gavin Lux | 2B/3B/OF |
| 9 | 53 | Max Muncy (SS) | 2B/3B/SS |
| 9 | 54 | Mauricio Dubon | 2B/3B/SS/OF |
| 9 | 55 | Blaze Alexander | 2B/3B |
| 9 | 56 | Yoan Moncada | 3B |
| 9 | 57 | Ronny Mauricio | 2B/3B |
| 9 | 58 | Sung-Mun Song | 2B/3B |
| 9 | 59 | Javier Sanoja | 2B/3B/SS/OF |
| 9 | 60 | Casey Schmitt | 1B/2B/3B |
| 9 | 61 | Jeremiah Jackson | 3B/OF |
| 10 | 62 | Christian Encarnacion-Strand | 1B/3B |
| 10 | 63 | Miguel Rojas | 2B/3B/SS |
| 10 | 64 | Jesus Made | 2B/3B/SS |
| 10 | 65 | Thomas Saggese | 2B/3B/SS |
| 10 | 66 | Otto Kemp | 1B/3B/OF |
| 10 | 67 | Edmundo Sosa | 2B/3B/SS |
| 10 | 68 | Kyle Karros | 3B |
| 10 | 69 | Oswald Peraza | 1B/2B/3B/SS |
| 10 | 70 | Isiah Kiner-Falefa | 2B/3B/SS |
| 10 | 71 | Curtis Mead | 1B/2B/3B |
| 10 | 72 | Graham Pauley | 3B |
| 10 | 73 | Daniel Schneemann | 2B/3B/SS/OF |
| 10 | 74 | Dylan Moore | 1B/2B/3B/OF |
| 10 | 75 | Alex Freeland | 3B/SS |
| 10 | 76 | Amed Rosario | 2B/3B |
| 10 | 77 | Ezequiel Duran | 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF |
Fantasy Baseball Third Base (3B) News
Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (shoulder) is back at third base and will bat third in the team's Cactus League game on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals, according to MLB.com. Ramirez left the spring training game last Sunday with shoulder inflammation, but the 33-year-old veteran is back and should have no issues being ready to go for Opening Day next week.
He's gone 7-for-30 (.233) with two home runs, nine RBI, three runs scored, and three stolen bases in 13 Cactus League games this spring. J-Ram is a seven-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger who has been one of the best all-around hitters for the last eight seasons. He's ranked as the No. 6 overall player in fantasy baseball as he heads into his 14th MLB season.
Not only is Ramirez durable, but he provides across all fantasy categories. He hit .283/.360/.503 with an .863 OPS, 30 homers, 85 RBI, 103 runs, and a career-high 44 stolen bases in 2025. Ramirez has hit 30-plus homers in three of the last five seasons and has 40-plus steals in each of the last two years. The dude does it all.
Caleb Durbin, Boston Red Sox
Caleb Durbin will be the Boston Red Sox's starting third baseman on Opening Day this year, manager Alex Cora confirmed. The Red Sox acquired Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers just before spring training, and now he will fill in at the hot corner after the team failed to re-sign Alex Bregman in the offseason. The 25-year-old has been sharing time at third this spring with Marcelo Mayer, who is the leading candidate to start the year at second base.
Durbin has been impressive on both sides of the ball during Grapefruit League play, hitting .394 with seven RBI and three stolen bases in 33 at-bats through Tuesday. He hit .256 with 11 home runs and 53 RBI in 2025 in Milwaukee and finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
With a locked-in starting role and a better offensive environment at Fenway Park, Durbin is a nice late-round target in fantasy leagues that should provide a solid batting average floor and the potential for 20 stolen bases. He's ranked as the No. 16 third baseman at RotoBaller.
Alex Bregman, Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs made one of the bigger splashes of the offseason by signing veteran third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract. The soon-to-be 32-year-old was limited to 495 plate appearances by a quad injury in 2025 while playing for the Boston Red Sox. Still, Bregman posted quality numbers when healthy, slashing .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs, 62 RBI, 64 runs scored, and one stolen base.
With a career 6.1% barrel rate, Bregman does not own high-end underlying power metrics. It's fair to wonder if he may struggle to hit for power while playing his home games at Wrigley Field, which does not offer the same hitter-friendly dimensions as his previous home parks in Boston and Houston.
However, Bregman actually owns a better slugging percentage in his career on the road (.490) than at home (.470). He should also be a counting stats machine while hitting in the heart of the excellent Cubs lineup. Bregman remains a solid starting third base option for fantasy managers heading into 2026.
Ryan McMahon, New York Yankees
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he'd be comfortable having third baseman Ryan McMahon play shortstop if today were a regular-season game, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. McMahon will open the 2026 season as the team's regular third baseman, but apparently, the 31-year-old veteran will also operate as the backup shortstop behind Jose Caballeros with regular shortstop Anthony Volpe (shoulder) starting the year on the injured list.
McMahon, a first-time All-Star in 2024, was traded from the Colorado Rockies to the Yankees in 2025, but he struggled all around at the plate last season. Overall, he slashed .214/.312/.381 with a .693 OPS, and he hit .208/.308/.333 with a .641 OPS, four home runs, 18 RBI, 21 walks, and 62 strikeouts in 54 games (185 plate appearances) in the regular season in the Bronx.
McMahon's stock is obviously down after his poor 2025 performance, and RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 37 fantasy third baseman. If the mechanical changes he made in the offseason work out, McMahon will be an excellent late-round value pick in deeper fantasy leagues.
Josh Jung, Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (groin) returned to the team's Cactus League lineup on Monday against the Chicago White Sox, playing third base and batting sixth in the order. An adductor strain had kept Jung out of the lineup for all of March until Monday. Barring a setback, the 28-year-old right-handed slugger should be ready to go for Opening Day later this month.
There's no arguing that Jung has a high-upside power stroke, but he's risky in fantasy baseball drafts because he's had a lot of trouble staying healthy so far in his four years in the majors. The former eighth overall pick out of Texas Tech in 2019 played in a career-high 131 games in 2025 and hit .251/.294/.390 with a .684 OPS, 14 home runs, 61 RBI, 53 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 511 plate appearances.
Jung has easy 20-homer power over a full season if he can stay off the injured list. His injuries last year led to a disturbing drop in his batted-ball metrics.
Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg (elbow) is running, fielding, and swinging with his bottom hand, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. It's the extent of Westburg's progress after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his injured right elbow. He currently does not have a timeline for increased baseball activities.
Westburg is expected to be out through April due to a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, although the 27-year-old could need surgery down the road if the rest-and-rehab route doesn't solve his issues when he tries to return to game action.
We should have a better idea of his timeline once he ramps up his baseball activities, but fantasy managers should definitely expect to be without Westburg for at least the first month of the season, and possibly longer. In his absence, Coby Mayo figures to be the primary beneficiary of playing time in Baltimore at third base, but Blaze Alexander and Jeremiah Jackson could also be involved.
Who Should I Draft Fantasy Baseball Tool
Not sure who to draft? Use our free Who Should I Draft tool.
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to draft...
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four MLB players at once, and then click the Who To Draft? button to see who the recommended draft picks are based on fantasy baseball rankings, projections, and more.
Improvements For Who Should I Draft? We have lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your 2026 fantasy baseball drafts. You'll see MLB player tiles with stats and projections, ADPs, and news -- enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their preseason fantasy baseball rankings and projections based on their research and updates them constantly throughout the preseason. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy baseball managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's roto leagues (rotisserie) scoring or points leagues scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are two small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Draft Searches. Curious to see some tough draft decisions for 2026? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Draft? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at, including recent trending player names who are seeing increases or decreases in their draft values. Click any of the links to see the results and recommendations.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2026 drafts:
More Fantasy Baseball Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!
