MLB’s best third basemen: Ranking the top 10 for 2024

With the entire positional versatility round Primary League Baseball, choosing one spot for one of the most tournament’s peak younger stars will also be difficult.

Gunnar Henderson, as an example, break his month between 3rd bottom and shortstop ultimate yr however is anticipated to timber maximum of his month to start out the yr at shortstop (and due to this fact can be thought to be a shortstop for those rating functions). Henderson is amongst a abbreviate of thrilling infield phenoms starting to construct their mark. However on the sizzling nook, many of the game’s superb gamers have a long observe file of big-league good fortune. 

Our nine-part place layout continues right here with the peak 10 3rd basemen getting into the 2024 season.

MLB place scores: Top 20 starting pitchers |Top 10 closers | Top 10 catchers | Top 10 first basemen | Top 10 second basemen

1. José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians
2023 stats: .282/.356/.475, 24 HR, 123 wRC+, 5.1 fWAR
2024 ZiPS projection: .277/.354/.494, 26 HR, 129 wRC+, 5.2 fWAR

Within the offensive wasteland of Cleveland, Ramírez left-overs the oasis. A four-time Silver Slugger, Ramírez has averaged a 143 OPS+ over the ultimate 4 years and has crash a minimum of 30% higher than league-average in six of the ultimate seven seasons. He has additionally completed within the peak 10 in MVP vote casting six of the ultimate seven years and used to be an All-Celebrity in 3 instantly seasons and 5 of the ultimate six years. 

Ramírez has been a significance power within the Guardians’ lineup, enjoying in additional than 90% of Cleveland’s video games in each and every of the occasion 4 years and 7 of the occasion 8. One of the underrated superstars within the tournament, he has been this kind of standout hitter — Ramírez has the absolute best wRC+ amongst certified 3rd basemen since 2017 — that it’s simple to omit how excellent he has been defensively on the spot. Week he hasn’t gained a Gold Glove, he used to be a finalist ultimate season.

2. Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves
2023: .281/.345/.516 , 37 HR, 127 wRC+, 5.2 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .282/.351/.519, 34 HR, 130 wRC+, 4.7 fWAR

3. Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
2023: .281/.345/.516 , 37 HR, 127 wRC+, 5.2 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .282/.351/.519, 34 HR, 130 wRC+, 4.7 fWAR

Houston Astros rent long-time bench professor Joe Espada as their untouched supervisor

4. Rafael Devers, Boston Pink Sox
2023: .271/.351/.500, 33 HR, 124 wRC+, 3.1 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .280/.351/.517, 33 HR, 128 wRC+, 3.9 fWAR

5. Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
2023: .258/.319/.462, 30 HR, 114 wRC+, 3.5 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .269/.335/.469, 26 HR, 119 wRC+, 4.1 fWAR

6. Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals 
2023: .266/.315/.459, 26 HR, 107 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .268/.328/.454, 21 HR, 111 wRC+, 3.4 fWAR

7. Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants
2023: .240/.330/.424, 17 HR, 110 wRC+, 3.5 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .241/.333/.438, 22 HR, 113 wRC+, 3.7 fWAR

Each ZiPS and Steamer projections have Chapman as a top-10 participant at 3rd bottom nearest yr, in immense section because of the elite protection that left-overs top-of-the-line at his place within the tournament. Chapman is coming off his fourth occupation Gold Glove Award-winning season. He ranked 3rd in Defensive Runs Stored at 3rd bottom ultimate yr (despite the fact that he steady out extra modestly in outs above common, rating Eleventh). 

Week his bat is not what it as soon as used to be, the Giants will hope being again along supervisor Bob Melvin in San Francisco manner he can faucet again into the offense that made him one of the vital superb 3rd basemen within the tournament throughout his month with Oakland. Chapman nonetheless hits the ball very crispy, despite the fact that his struggles to construct touch persistently have became him right into a extra common than remarkable hitter.

8. Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins 
2023: .309/.372/.548, 15 HR, 155 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .268/.330/.471, 18 HR, 121 wRC+, 3.2 fWAR

If now not for trauma, the 24-year-old former first-round pick out would to find himself a lot upper in this listing. When he’s at the farmland, all Lewis does is mash. He has a .913 OPS in 70 occupation video games. Terminating season, he returned from his 2nd instantly yr with an ACL tear, homered in his first tournament again and completed the abbreviated season with a 155 wRC+ — the absolute best mark of any 3rd baseman and the Eleventh-best mark within the majors amongst gamers with a minimum of 200 appearances. Lewis crash 15 homers in 58 video games, together with 4 lavish slams in an 18-game span ultimate yr. He later returned to the injured listing on the finish of September and got here again raking once more within the postseason with 4 homers in six video games. Don’t be shocked if we’re speaking about him as a top-five participant at his place via season’s finish. He has the upside of an MVP candidate — if he can keep at the farmland. 

Royce Lewis on inspiring nearest hour of Dull ballplayers: ‘I like to unfold the affection’

9. Ke’Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates
2023: .271/.309/.453, 15 HR, 101 wRC+, 3.2 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .256/.313/.400, 11 HR, 91 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR

10. Isaac Paredes, Tampa Bay Rays 
2023: .250/.352/.488, 31 HR, 137 wRC+, 4.3 fWAR
2024 ZiPS: .241/.336/.459, 26 HR, 124 wRC+, 3.6 fWAR

Each yr, Paredes’ OPS has began with a special quantity — .568 in 2020, .625 in 2021, .740 in 2022 and .840 in 2023. Regardless that he did forming 20 homers as a 23-year-old in 2022, ultimate yr represented a breakout for Paredes, who had a 131 OPS+ with 31 homers and completed nineteenth in MVP vote casting. Paredes isn’t a standout defender and may just to find himself shifting across the diamond as soon as peak chance Junior Caminero is up for excellent, however his bat, at his date, is virtue inclusion in this listing. 

Honorable Mentions: Max Muncy (Los Angeles Dodgers), Josh Jung (Texas Rangers), Jake Burger (Miami Marlins), Jeimer Candelario (Cincinnati Reds) 

MLB place scores, too much time table:

Tuesday, 3/12: Shortstops
Wednesday, 3/13: Outfielders
Thursday, 3/14: Designated hitters

Rowan Kavner is an MLB essayist for FOX Sports activities. He prior to now lined the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan used to be born in California, grew up in Texas, later moved again to the West Coast in 2014. Practice him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.

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