🖥 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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 draft 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

Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Agrees to Five-Year Deal With Red Sox
CFB

Dante Moore Not Entering 2026 NFL Draft, Will Return to Oregon
NFL

Mike Tomlin Doesn't Plan to Coach in 2026
Travis Hunter

Expected to Play More Defense in 2026
CFB

FBS Coaches Unanimously Vote to Expand Redshirt Eligibility to Nine Games
CFB

Ohio State Transfer Mylan Graham Signs with Notre Dame
CFB

Caden Durham Withdraws from Transfer Portal, Will Stay at LSU
Leon Draisaitl

Has Three Points in Tuesday's Loss
Joel Hofer

Controls Hurricanes Tuesday
Jordan Spieth

Perhaps the Most Intriguing Player at Sony Open
Jeremy Swayman

Posts First Shutout of the Season
Zach Werenski

Totals Three Points in Tuesday's Win
Chandler Stephenson

Available Wednesday
Aaron Rai

Looking For Putting Confidence at Waialae Country Club
Jonathan Marchessault

Moved to Injured Reserve
Brayden Point

Labeled Week-to-Week
Franz Wagner

to Return on Thursday
Dean Wade

Unavailable Wednesday
Ja'Kobe Walter

Out Wednesday
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Iffy for Wednesday
Brandon Williams

Questionable Wednesday
Kevin Love

to Be Rested Wednesday
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic Remains Out Wednesday
Davion Mitchell

Sustains Shoulder Injury Tuesday
Collin Morikawa

Isn't The Safe Play He Used to Be Ahead of Sony Open
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Available Tuesday Night
Kurt Kitayama

Needs His Putting to Turn Around For Success at Year's First Event
Max Christie

Could Miss Wednesday's Game Due to Illness
LeBron James

Cleared to Play Tuesday
P.J. Washington

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday
Egor Demin

Back in Action Wednesday
Cam Thomas

Available Wednesday
Jakob Poeltl

Unavailable Versus Pacers
RJ Barrett

to Miss Third Straight Game Wednesday
Trae Young

Won't Play Wednesday
Rui Hachimura

to Be Limited to 18 Minutes Tuesday
Ivica Zubac

Iffy for Wednesday
Kawhi Leonard

Questionable for Wednesday
Jerami Grant

Ruled Out Tuesday
Ryan Weathers

Yankees Add Rotation Depth, Acquire Ryan Weathers in Four-Player Deal
Robert Thomas

Out Tuesday
Jake Walman

Available Against Predators
Troy Terry

a Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Justin Sourdif

Won't Play Tuesday
Jakob Chychrun

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Morgan Geekie

Available Tuesday
Bryan Rust

Returns to Action Tuesday
Erik Karlsson

Penguins Place Erik Karlsson on Injured Reserve
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Fire Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman
Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Tomlin Stepping Down as Steelers Head Coach
CFB

Georgia Tech the Favorite to Land Justice Haynes?
Nolan Arenado

Cardinals Trade Nolan Arenado to Diamondbacks
Tom Kim

Desperately Needs a Solid Week at Sony Open
Billy Horschel

Hoping For a Fast Start to New Season at Sony Open
Corey Conners

Looks to Have a Return to Form in 2026
PGA

Chris Gotterup a Decent Play at Sony Open
Philip Broberg

Likely Out Tuesday
Jacob Trouba

on Track to Return Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Could Prosper at the Sony Open
Will Smith

Upgraded to Day-to-Day
Connor McDavid

Stretches Point Streak to 19 Games
Keith Mitchell

Unlikely to Contend at Sony Open
Teuvo Teravainen

Makes Early Exit Monday
Robert MacIntyre

Looking for a Good Performance at the Sony Open
Nicholas Robertson

Hurt Versus Avalanche
Michael Kim

Hopes to Start Sony Open Better This Week
Tom Hoge

Tries to Erase Poor 2025 Second Half in Hawaii
Brian Harman

Seeks Fresh Start in Hawaii
Eric Cole

Looks to Last Year for Success at Sony Open
Daniel Berger

Starts Off 2026 at Sony Open
Nico Collins

Suffers Concussion Against Steelers
Nico Collins

Carted to Locker Room for Concussion Evaluation
Kyle Tucker

Mets Meet With Kyle Tucker
Dalton Kincaid

"Should be Fine" for Divisional Round
Brooks Koepka

Officially Returning To PGA Tour
Tucker Kraft

Hopes to be Ready for Week 1 of Next Season
CFB

Georgia Lands Kentucky Transfer Dante Dowdell
Matthew Stafford

has "Little Sprain," Should be "Good to Go"
CFB

Sam Leavitt Expected to Sign with LSU
Green Bay Packers

Packers Expected to Work Out New Deal With Matt LaFleur in the "Coming Days"
CFB

Dylan Raiola Commits to Oregon
CFB

Isaiah Horton Landing with Texas A&M
George Kittle

Suffers Torn Achilles on Sunday
Omarion Hampton

Active for Wild-Card Round Against Patriots
George Kittle

Ruled Out After Non-Contact Achilles Injury
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Request Interview With Ejiro Evero
Los Angeles Rams

Mike LaFleur to Interview With Raiders and Cardinals
Aaron Rodgers

Steelers Open to Re-Signing Aaron Rodgers?
Matthew Stafford

X-Rays Come Back Negative
MacKenzie Gore

Yankees Pursuing Trade for MacKenzie Gore
Alex Bregman

Cubs Sign Alex Bregman to Five-Year, $175 Millon Contract
Freddie Freeman

Withdraws from World Baseball Classic
Max Kepler

Receives 80-Game PED Suspension
CFB

Cam Coleman Visiting Alabama on Friday
Omarion Hampton

Expects to Play Sunday Night
CFB

Eric Singleton Jr. Enters Transfer Portal, Trending to Land at Florida
CFB

NCAA Denies Trinidad Chambliss a Sixth Year of Eligibility
Omarion Hampton

Questionable for Wild-Card Weekend
Kyle Tucker

Mets Remain in Mix for Kyle Tucker
Ketel Marte

Will Remain With Diamondbacks
Rashee Rice

to be Reviewed Under League's Conduct Policy
Daniel Jones

Colts Plan to Re-Sign Daniel Jones
Bo Bichette

Phillies to Meet With Bo Bichette

RANKINGS

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