🖥 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
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

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Dynasty 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 - dynasty prospect rankings for 2017 dynasty baseball leagues.

Historically, third base has always been a great source of slugging prospects. These are guys who exemplify what it means to be powerful. They are usually big, they’ve sometimes got the best arm in the infield and they seemingly always hit for a ton of power.

The next guys coming up are no different. You are looking at a group of guys who appear to be nothing short of a bunch of 20-home run producers and future middle-of-the-order threats. There are several incredibly high-upside players in here like Rafael Devers and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and a couple of guys who look like low-risk investments like Nick Senzel and Jeimer Candelario. This is a very talented group of players, the deepest position I’ve written about (so far). Be on the lookout for these guys in your dynasty leagues as they could be future stud bats for your team!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Top 10 Third Base Prospects for 2017 Dynasty Baseball Leagues

1. Rafael Devers (BOS, A+)
Stats: 546 PA, .282/.335/.443, 11 HR, 18 SB, 7.3% BB rate, 17.2% K rate
ETA: Mid-2018
Most prospects with a ceiling as high as Devers’ typically come with a low floor. There is usually going to be some risk associated with him. But that’s where Devers parts from the rest of most minor leaguers. He not only possesses one of the most explosive bats in the minors, but he also comes with incredible patience with an advanced understanding of the strike zone for someone only 20 years of age (though his numbers were put up when he was 19 years old at High-A last season). Though he had a few steals in 2016, Devers is not going to steal much more than 10 bases per season. But who needs steals when you’ve got a player with the bat to hit .300 and the power to potentially smash 30 home runs. Devers has an incredible ceiling and should not take too much longer to reach the majors.

2. Nick Senzel (CIN, A+)
Stats: 249 PA, .329/.415/.567, 7 HR, 15 SB, 12.9% BB rate, 19.7% K rate
ETA: Early 2018
Devers has the highest ceiling in this group of players, but Senzel easily has the highest floor. He was viewed as the top college bat coming off several dominant seasons at Tennessee and has demonstrated that he can not only make consistent, hard contact, but he also understands the strike zone better than most. He is a bit faster than the average third baseman and may steal 15-20 bases per season with the potential to post 20/20 seasons. And with most scouts already set on him being a future batting title contender, it is safe to say Senzel is already a fantasy prospect worth owning in dynasty leagues.

Let’s also not forget that the last trio of so-called “advanced college bats” (Dansby Swanson, Alex Bregman and Andrew Benintendi) all debuted a season after being drafted so Senzel could potentially do the same. I would not put money on him doing so, but fantasy owners should not rule out a 2017 debut for him.

3. 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: Late 2017
By no means is Chapman the most polished prospect. He has a lot of issues he still needs to iron out, not least of which is his plate discipline which was poor in 2016. But when you have a guy who seems like a perennial lock to hit 30 home runs in a season, he has to be considered for ownership in dynasty leagues. Chapman is a slick glove and potentially elite power hitter who may struggle to hit for average all his career, but again, 30+ home runs does not come around all that often and owners should still view him as a must-own in most dynasty leagues.

4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR, ROK)
Stats: 276 PA, .271/.359/.449, 8 HR, 15 SB, 12.0% BB rate, 12.7% K rate
ETA: 2019
The son of Vladimir Guerrero has already proven in just a brief taste of Rookie League action that he could be a potentially elite bat like his father. Guerrero Jr.’s numbers don’t jump out on the page until you realize that he was only 17 for the entire body of work. He has already demonstrated an elite understanding of the strike zone while flashing some well above-average power. Now he still has yet to face a high level of pitching and certainly has risk attached to him given his inexperience and distance from the majors, but Guerrero Jr. has a ton of potential and could be a future middle-of-the-order slugger for dynasty owners.

5. Austin Riley (ATL, A)
Stats: 543 PA, .271/.324/.479, 20 HR, 3 SB, 7.2% BB rate, 27.1% K rate
ETA: 2019
It’s not often that a 19-year-old is only the second youngest player on a prospect list, but that’s exactly the case here with Riley. He absolutely crushed Class-A pitching in 2016 and firmly established himself among the top third base prospects in the game. His only fault is that he does not have the same upside (or high ceiling in Senzel’s case) as those ahead of him on this list. With that said, Riley is still an exciting third base prospect that features a ton of raw power and is a guy who could find himself one day batting in the middle of a potent Braves’ lineup.

6. 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: Mid-2017
If Candelario played for any other team, he would be probably be starting on Opening Day. But alas, he plays for the Cubs who are loaded at every position and he is now destined to return to Triple-A Iowa until he is inevitably traded at the trade deadline. He is one of the more polished bats on this list and has spent many years perfecting a line-drive-oriented approach that has now started to develop into over-the-fence pop. He is a relatively low-risk third base prospect who will not jump out on paper, but should nonetheless be a solid third baseman for another MLB team and a deep-league dynasty team.

7. 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: Mid-2017
Dozier has slowly but surely started to come around in the eyes of evaluators. After many years of being considered a ho-hum kind of boring third base prospect, Dozier exploded onto the scene in 2016 with 23 home runs across Double- and Triple-A with a combined .296/.366/.533 slash line. Dozier may continue to have strikeout issues, but the 20-homer power is here to stay, as will Dozier once Mike Moustakas leaves Kansas City.

8. Ryan McMahon (COL, AA)
Stats: 534 PA, .242/.325/.399, 12 HR, 11 SB, 10.3% BB rate, 30.1% K rate
ETA: Mid-2018
I said it once in my Top 10 Dynasty Second Baseman article and I will say it again here, Coors Field does wonders for the fantasy stock of prospects. For Forrest Wall, it gave him decent power. For McMahon, it gives him lofty home run potential. As of right now, that is really the only thing McMahon can do well as his plate discipline is poor and his defense could eventually shift him to first base. But should McMahon even barely clean up his discipline and reach the majors, he could be a 30-homer threat in Coors Field.

9. Bobby Dalbec (BOS, A-)
Stats: 143 PA, .386/.427/.674, 7 HR, 2 SB, 6.3% BB rate, 23.1% K rate
ETA: Late 2018
Dalbec’s fantasy stock has rapidly ascended between when he was drafted 118th overall in 2016 to now. He absolutely mashed the Cape Cod League before the draft and kept his hot-hitting alive going into his first exposure in Low Class-A. Dalbec has received some lofty comparisons to Kris Bryant for his size and raw power potential and could, like Bryant, cut down on the strikeouts and be an all-around stud third baseman. I don’t see Dalbec ever reducing the Ks as much as Bryant did, which will keep Dalbec’s average relatively low, but the power is real and there is no doubt Dalbec has a lofty ceiling that fantasy owners should buy into.

10. Ke’Bryan Hayes (PIT, A)
Stats: 276 PA, .263/.319/.393, 6 HR, 8 SB, 5.8% BB rate, 18.5% K rate
ETA: 2019
The fourth guy on this list who spent all of last season in his teens, Hayes is yet another high-upside third base prospect who could be a future stud if everything works out well for him. Unlike most of the youngsters, scouts do not see the same type of jaw-dropping power in Hayes, but rather they see a player capable of contending for batting titles in the future with 15-20-homer power developing later on down the road. Hayes could be a special prospect, but like Guerrero Jr. and Riley, he still has some time to develop into a middle-of-the-order presence for Pittsburgh.

 

More Top MLB Prospects & Rookies




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Rui Hachimura

Questionable Versus the Clippers
Al Horford

to Miss More Time With Back Injury
Seth Curry

Ruled Out vs Suns
Peyton Watson

Questionable Saturday Against Rockets
Tristan da Silva

Uncertain for Saturday Against Jazz
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out Against Sacramento
Tari Eason

Still Sidelined Saturday vs Nuggets
Zach Bogosian

Unavailable Saturday
Marcus Johansson

Questionable for Saturday
Bo Horvat

to Miss Fourth Straight Game Saturday
Seth Jarvis

to Be "Out for a While"
Phillip Danault

Rejoins Canadiens for Draft Pick
Mason Marchment

Blue Jackets Acquire Mason Marchment
Ja Morant

to Miss Second Straight Game Saturday
Brandon Lowe

Pirates Acquire Brandon Lowe in Three-Team Trade
RJ Barrett

to Remain Out Saturday
Jakob Poeltl

Facing Another Potential Absence Saturday
Jerami Grant

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Deandre Ayton

to Miss Matchup Against Clippers Saturday
Lauri Markkanen

Unlikely to Play Saturday
Klay Thompson

Iffy for Saturday
Anthony Davis

Expected to Play Saturday
James Harden

Available Saturday
Domantas Sabonis

to Miss 4-5 More Weeks
Anthony Edwards

Returns Without Minutes Restriction Friday
Zach Collins

Upgraded to Available Friday
Tre Jones

Available With Minutes Restriction
Ayo Dosunmu

Returns From Three-Game Absence
Shane Baz

Orioles Acquire Shane Baz From the Rays
Jonathan Marchessault

Out Day-to-Day
Tristan Jarry

Oilers Place Tristan Jarry on Injured Reserve
Patrick Kane

to Remain Out Saturday
Shea Theodore

Considered Week-to-Week
Jack Eichel

to Miss at Least Two More Games
Davante Adams

Likely Won't Play in Week 17
Jordan Martinook

Misses Friday's Contest
Evan Rodrigues

Available Against Hurricanes
Tyler Seguin

Undergoes Surgery, to Be Re-Evaluated After Olympics
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Listed as Questionable for Week 16
Drake London

Expected to Play Sunday
Tee Higgins

Questionable to Play in Week 16
Michael Carter

Will Start at RB in Week 16
Dalton Kincaid

Will Practice on Friday, Expected to Play on Sunday
Garrett Wilson

Shelved for Remainder of 2025
CFB

Darian Mensah Returning to Duke Next Season
CFB

Josh Hoover Linked to Indiana in Transfer Portal
CFB

Arch Manning Agrees to Reduced Compensation for 2026 Season
Zach Werenski

Enjoys Second Consecutive Multi-Goal Game
Logan Thompson

Collects Second Shutout of the Season
Linus Ullmark

Blanks Penguins Thursday
Tyson Kozak

Hurt Against Flyers
Conor Timmins

to Miss 6-8 Weeks With Broken Leg
Tristan Jarry

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Versus Bruins
Anthony Cirelli

Injured in Thursday's Loss
Kenneth Walker III

Breaks Off Long Touchdown in Comeback Win vs. Rams
Matthew Stafford

Racks Up Highest Yardage Total in Over a Decade
Puka Nacua

Delivers Career-Best Performance on Thursday Night Football
Michael King

Padres Bring Michael King Back on Three-Year Deal
Logan Webb

Will Pitch for Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Tarik Skubal

Joins Team USA for World Baseball Classic
Jakobi Meyers

Jaguars Agree to Three-Year Extension With Jakobi Meyers
Davante Adams

Officially Out on Thursday Night
Devin Neal

Placed on Injured Reserve, Will Not Return in 2025
CFB

Will Muschamp Becoming Next Texas Defensive Coordinator
Christian Watson

Questionable for Week 16
Josh Jacobs

Listed as Questionable for Saturday Night
T.J. Watt

Unlikely to Play in Week 16
D'Andre Swift

Questionable to Face the Packers
Rome Odunze

Ruled Out for Week 16
Jawhar Jordan

Could be in for Significant Workload Against Raiders
Rome Odunze

Expected to Miss Third Straight Game
CFB

Beau Pribula Set to Enter Transfer Portal
Josh Jacobs

Expected to Play in Week 16
Bo Bichette

Willing to Make the Move to Second Base
CFB

Jeremiyah Love Officially Heading to NFL Draft
CFB

Jake Merklinger Leaving Tennessee for Transfer Portal
Mike Trout

Angels Open to Mike Trout Playing Center Field in 2026
CFB

Kansas State's Jayce Brown Intends to Transfer
CFB

Nation's Leading Passer Drew Mestemaker to Enter Transfer Portal
Justin Crawford

Phillies Planning to Start Justin Crawford in Center Field
CFB

Jayden Maiava Signs New Deal to Return to USC
CFB

Aidan Mizell Won't Return to Florida, Entering Transfer Portal
CFB

East Carolina Targeting Jordan Davis as Next Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Michigan QB Jadyn Davis Set to Enter Transfer Portal
CFB

Travis Williams Joining Texas A&M Defensive Staff
CFB

Dylan Raiola Entering His Name into Transfer Portal
CFB

Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby Plans to Transfer When Portal Opens
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia, Phillies Finalizing One-Year Deal on Monday
Brandon Royval

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
CFB

Baylor, LSU, Miami Among Potential Suitors for DJ Lagway
CFB

Aidan Chiles Will Enter Transfer Portal
Manel Kape

Shines At UFC Vegas 112
Kevin Vallejos

Gets Second-Round Knockout Win
Giga Chikadze

Suffers His First Career Knockout Loss
CFB

Quarterback DJ Lagway Entering Transfer Portal
Cesar Almeida

Gets Dominated
Cezary Oleksiejczuk

Wins Sixth Fight In A Row
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Melquizael Costa

Gets First-Round Knockout Win
Marcus Buchecha

Still Winless In The UFC
Kennedy Nzechukwu

And Marcus Buchecha Fight To Draw
Lance Gibson jr

Lance Gibson Jr. Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
King Green

Gets Back In The Win Column
Kenley Jansen

Agrees to One-Year Deal With Tigers
Merrill Kelly

Returns to Diamondbacks on Two-Year Deal

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP