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Hooray! Another sleeper article! The RotoBaller team recently updated our third base rankings and commented on the depth of third base this year. Today, we'll go deeper, and deeper into the well. Waaaayy, way down.
No argument, there's plenty to like about the upper crop of third basemen. If you're in standard-sized leagues, you should be set. However, if you missed out on Josh Donaldson or Anthony Rendon and spend rounds 7-17 on other positions, you'll find Eugenio Suarez (ADP 192) and Evan Longoria (202) as top best 3Bs on the board before long. Nothing against Suarez or Longoria, but there are other options.
We'll discuss five deep sleepers with an ADP of 250 or higher. The talent in the basement is surprisingly attractive. These players can be very late round flyers or in-season waiver additions. Importantly, at the existing price tag it certainly won't hurt to cut bait and take the loss if performance underwhelms.
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Deeper Sleepers at Third Base
Yangervis Solarte, Toronto Blue Jays (2B/3B/SS, ADP 276)
Shockingly, Troy Tulowitzki is injured again. No, it's not Groundhog Day, but a big opportunity for Yangervis Solarte. With Tulowitzki projected to miss Opening Day, Solarte's path to playing time begins at shortstop. Solarte has quietly hit double-digit homers and surpassed 110 runs-plus-RBI in each season since 2015 despite a mostly part-time role. His ability to play third, short and second gives the Blue Jays versatility on the diamond and fantasy owners roster flexibility.
Solarte will backup Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson and Devon Travis, all guys with not-so-clean bills of health. He also transitions from hitter-hating Petco Park to the Rogers Centre. Solarte's patience (0.65 BB/K), adequate defense and ability to move around the field could comfortably allot him 450 PAs, even assuming his counterparts' full health. If he finds more at-bats, 15 HRs and 120 R+RBI supported by a decent average are within reach. At his current ADP, the multiple position eligibility makes him an easy late-round bench stash.
Todd Frazier, New York Mets (3B, ADP 284)
Todd Frazier is only two years removed as a consensus top-40 fantasy player. He's no longer a threat to steal 20 bags but the speed premium is long gone. Frazier's enormous discount appears rooted in last year's.213 average and his move from the Bronx to Queens. The low average was suppressed by a horrific .226 BABIP last season, almost 50 points below his career rate. This masked a major improvement in BB/K from 0.39 to 0.66. Continued patience and better luck in 2018 could likely cure Frazier's average drag.
True, his past stops have been generous to righties and Citi Field is pitcher-friendly. But since 2015, Frazier has upped his FB% floor (47.5%) and the ISO and HR/FB have increased accordingly. A bonafide slugger, Frazier has logged over 575 PAs each year since 2013. His durability gives him a clear shot for 25 homers and 80 runs and RBI. A modest lift in average would forecast an easy profit at his ADP. Frazier is going 50 picks after his younger clone, Maikel Franco. The disparity is unjustifiable.
Matt Chapman, Oakland Athletics (3B, ADP 284)
If Solarte and Frazier are too boring as sleepers, let's present Matt Chapman. Making his major league debut mid-June, 24-year-old Chapman impressed with 14 HRs, 39 runs and 40 RBI in 84 games. Although the homer count was acceptable, his 13.9% HR/FB ranked 144th out of 287 hitters with over 300 PAs. Chapman could be your cheap source for power, in 320 career minor league games, he socked 80 HRs. His pace accelerated in Triple-A with 16 dingers in 204 PAs last season prior to his call-up. He's a heavy flyball hitter (50.5%) and his minor league indicators suggests a HR/FB approaching 20%.
At his 28.2% strikeout rate, Chapman's poor .234 average last year appears appropriate. A 16.8% IFFB% also dilutes his extreme flyball pace. However, Chapman's plate approach seems good enough and should improve with experience. There are whispers of Chapman as a Joey Gallo-lite at a 170-pick discount. His ADP is a worthwhile risk for a chance at 30 longballs and 75 runs and RBI.
Miguel Andujar, New York Yankees (3B, ADP 418)
Although there's a risk Miguel Andujar may not start the year in pinstripes, we remind readers his obstruction to the Yankees' hot corner is Brandon Drury. Let that sink in. Drury has 29 HRs to his credit over the past two seasons, but is a better second baseman and holds a modest .767 OPS. That shouldn't be enough to hold off MLB's third best 3B prospect.
Andujar's minor league track record signals strong plate discipline with a low-teens strikeout rate. His above-average BABIP could support a respectable average and his ISO has structurally improved gradually since 2015. Andujar hit .315 with an .850 OPS, 16 HRs and 82 RBI between Double and Triple-A last year. He's making a convincing case this Spring, with four homeruns through 30 ABs. If his defense is solid enough to convince New York to keep him around, he could ultimately usurp Drury and possibly spell Giancarlo Stanton at DH. For his pedigree, Andujar is worth a late reach in hopes of upside.
Logan Forsythe, Los Angeles Dodgers (2B/3B, ADP 430)
After Chapman and Andujar, we're back to uninteresting with Logan Forsythe. Forsythe struggled in his first year with the Dodgers but is penciled in as the starting second baseman. The duel position eligibility boosts his late-round value and the playing time risk is well-accounted for at his ADP.
Before injuries and performance issues wrecked his resume, Forsythe was coming off a career 2016 in Tampa Bay with 20 HRs and 128 runs-plus-RBI. This followed up a 2015 where he went yard 17 times and collected 137 R+RBI. Finally healthy, he was one of LA's best hitters during last year's postseason run. Forsythe's gap-to-gap style and career 22.8% LD% suggests room to improve on last year's pitiful .102 ISO. Upstarts Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes can also play second, but Forsythe could reasonably test 15 HRs and rack up counting stats with around 450 PAs. Forsythe is probably the last guy you'll brag about rostering, but he's a nifty veteran that will play frequently if he gets off to a good start.
