👉 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


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!

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 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




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jared McCain

Moves into Starting Five
Boston Celtics

Joe Mazzulla Wins Coach of the Year
Jalen Williams

is Ruled Out for Game 5 on Tuesday
Bucky Irving

is Expected to be Ready for Training Camp
Zion Williamson

to See More Versatile Role
Parker Washington

Jaguars Think Parker Washington Can Replicate Second-Half Production
Cleveland Cavaliers

Kenny Atkinson to Remain Cavaliers Head Coach Next Season
Josh Jacobs

Arrested on Five Charges, Booked Into Jail
Claude Giroux

Planning to Return for 20th NHL Campaign
Josh Sweat

Cardinals Receiving Trade Calls on Josh Sweat
Carter Hart

Aiming for Sixth Consecutive Win Tuesday
Tetairoa McMillan

Working With the Training Staff on Tuesday
Evgeni Malkin

Inks New One-Year Deal With Penguins
Mackenzie Blackwood

in Net for Game 4 Against Golden Knights
Valeri Nichushkin

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Nathan MacKinnon

Will Suit Up Tuesday
Jerome Ford

Is it Time for Dynasty Managers to Drop Jerome Ford?
John Metchie III

Poised for Breakout Season with New Team in 2026?
Jalen Milroe

Is Jalen Milroe Still Worth Stashing in Dynasty Formats Entering 2026?
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Is Kyle Pitts Sr. a Dynasty Sell-High Candidate Coming Off Breakout Season?
Nico Collins

Agrees to Contract Adjustment with Texans
Chris Brooks

Carries Buy-Low Dynasty Appeal into 2026
Ben Griffin

Looking to Repeat This Week at Colonial
Rasmus Hojgaard

a Player to Avoid at Charles Schwab Challenge
Hideki Matsuyama

Needs Solid Driving Week at Charles Schwab Challenge
Justin Thomas

Trending Well Ahead of Charles Schwab Challenge
Akshay Bhatia

Lacking Driving Prowess Needed at Colonial Country Club
NFL

NFL Unlikely to Expand to 18 Regular-Season Games by 2027
Sahith Theegala

Searching For Swing at Charles Schwab Challenge
Lamar Jackson

in Attendance at OTAs This Week
Bucky Irving

Expected Back in the Summer or Fall
CFB

DJ Lagway Looking to Rebound at Baylor
CFB

Josh Hoover Tasked With Leading Indiana Back to the Playoffs
CFB

Braylon Staley the Next 1,000-Yard Tennessee Receiver?
Jalen Tolbert

Does Jalen Tolbert Have Short-Term Dynasty Appeal?
CFB

Ahmad Hardy's Return Timeline Remains Unclear
Travis Etienne Jr.

Is Travis Etienne Jr. Still a Dynasty RB1 Following Change of Scenery?
Breece Hall

Extension Solidifies His Dynasty Outlook
Devin Singletary

Faces a Difficult Path to Relevance
Jordan Whittington

Does Jordan Whittington Have Any Dynasty Value Left?
Caleb Williams

Bears Want Caleb Williams to "Do Less"
Xavier Worthy

Has Xavier Worthy Become a Post-Hype Dynasty Sleeper?
Evan Mobley

Finishes Season-Ending Loss With 15 Points
James Harden

Wants to Stay in Cleveland
Donovan Mitchell

Remains Committed to Cavaliers
Mikal Bridges

Cools Off in Game 4 Against Cavaliers
OG Anunoby

Active on Both Ends in Blowout Win
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads Knicks in Scoring During Series-Clincher
Jalen Brunson

Named Eastern Conference Finals MVP
Ivan Demidov

Contributes an Assist in Losing Effort
Lane Hutson

Records Power-Play Goal in Game 3 Loss
Frederik Andersen

Enjoys Another Easy Night at the Office in Game 3
Shayne Gostisbehere

Scores First Postseason Goal
Taylor Hall

Ends Four-Game Goal Drought
Andrei Svechnikov

Scores Game 3 Winner in Overtime
Gage Jump

Athletics to Promote Top Pitching Prospect Gage Jump to Major Leagues
Tatsuya Imai

Two Relievers Combine to No-Hit the Rangers on Monday
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder is Ruled Out for Game 4 on Monday
Michael Porter Jr.

Nets Could Trade Michael Porter Jr.
Ajay Mitchell

is Ruled Out for Game 5
Jalen Williams

is Tagged as Questionable for Game 5
Valeri Nichushkin

Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin Uncertain for Game 4
Oliver Kapanen

Sitting as Healthy Scratch Monday
Max Domi

Out Indefinitely Due to Offseason Surgery Complications
Dylan Cease

Heading to Injured List With Hamstring Injury
Daniel Suarez

Wins at Charlotte in Rain-Shortened Coca-Cola 600
Christopher Bell

Finishes as the Runner-Up in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte
Denny Hamlin

Falls Short of Winning and Places Third at Charlotte
Tyler Reddick

Places Fourth After Leading Laps at Charlotte
Kyle Larson

Strong and Consistent Day Ends in Fifth at Charlotte
Devon Toews

Logs Two Assists In Game 3 Defeat
Brett Howden

Nets 10th Postseason Goal
Mitchell Marner

Delivers Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Mark Stone

Returns With Multi-Point Effort
Valeri Nichushkin

Exits Early Sunday
Nathan MacKinnon

Hurt in Game 3 Loss
Isaiah Hartenstein

Provides Steady Production in Defeat
Chet Holmgren

Has a Quiet Offensive Night on Sunday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Held Under 20 Points in Game 4
Stephon Castle

Hands Out Six Assists in Game 4 Win
Devin Vassell

Tallies 13 Points in Game 4 Win
Dylan Cease

Removed From Sunday's Start With Hamstring Discomfort
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Exits Sunday's Game Early with Elbow Contusion
MLB

Reds-Cardinals Game Postponed on Sunday
Edward Cabrera

Cubs Place Edward Cabrera on the 15-Day Injured List
Denny Hamlin

the Favorite to Win at Charlotte
Tyler Reddick

on Pole for Coca-Cola 600
Christopher Bell

Could Break Out of Slump
Kyle Larson

May have A Solid Day at Charlotte
Ryan Blaney

Is A DFS Risk for Charlotte Lineups
William Byron

Could have A Great DFS Performance at Charlotte
Chase Briscoe

Is A Solid Tournament Option for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Ty Gibbs

May not be Worth his Salary for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Chris Buescher

May be a Sneaky Tournament Option for Charlotte Lineups
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Has Favorable Upside for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Ross Chastain

Is A Strong Addition for DFS Lineups at Charlotte
Austin Dillon

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Austin Dillon for Charlotte DFS Lineups?
Chase Elliott

Should Be Strong at Charlotte
Carson Hocevar

Confident for Coca-Cola 600
Corey Heim

a Chalk DFS Pick at Charlotte
Michael McDowell

Is Michael McDowell A Tournament Option for Charlotte Lineups?
MLB

Orioles-Tigers Game Postponed on Saturday
MLB

Rays-Yankees Postponed on Saturday
Mickey Moniak

Heads to Injured List With Ankle Sprain
Jackson Merrill

has Sore Ribs, Expected to Avoid Injured List
CFB

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Looking to Take Sophomore Leap
CFB

Jadan Baugh Primed to Lead Florida Offense in 2026
CFB

LSU Hires Ed Orgeron As Special Assistant
CFB

North Carolina and South Carolina Cancel Home-And-Home Series
CFB

Confidence High in Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor
MLB

Reds-Cardinals Game Postponed on Friday
Trevor Story

has Hernia Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-10 Weeks
Roman Anthony

Dealing With Sprained Ligament in his Finger
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Exits Early, X-Rays Come Back Negative
Robby Snelling

Will Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Jackson Merrill

Tweaks his Back on Wednesday, Pulled Early
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF