Top 10 American League fantasy baseball third basemen

Kevin Youkilis might be in a rapid decline. The former Boston Red Sox third baseman has hit .258 and .235 the last two years. But he just might also be in a little rut. Youkilis, at 34-years-old, is still at the tail end of his productive years. But don't tell that to his body. He looks like he's 44 and given his many trips to the disabled list in recent seasons, he probably feels 54. So draft with caution here. Youkilis did hit 19 homers and drive in 60 runs between the Red Sox and Chicago White Sox last year. So there's still some pop in his bat. But the White Sox thought Jeff Keppinger was a better fit at third than Youkilis. If he stays healthy -- a giant if -- Youkilis should be productive in New York, even without Mark Teixeira around for a month or two. But he could also just be a .235 hitter with 60 RBI.It would have been safer to put Manny Machado ninth or 10th on this list. The young Orioles' third baseman, after all, is still much more potential than production right now. But it's that wonderful potential that even gets him on this list in the first place. He won't even turn 21-years-old until July so if he struggles a bit in April he might be back at Triple-A in May. But in 51 games last year he hit seven homers, drove in 26 runs and hit .262. He only walked nine times and struck out 38 times, so there is a learning curve that must be suffered through. But Machado will be an elite third baseman. It's just a matter of when. He also had eight doubles and three triples last year so he makes solid contact. The Orioles, who are a legitimate playoff team, are trusting third base to the 20-year-old. They even sent Mark Reynolds packing to make room for him, not that getting rid of Swing and a Miss the Mark Reynolds is much of a sacrifice. If you are in a keeper league, grab this kid.If you don't know who Kyle Seager is, well, don't be ashamed. The guy had what is quite likely the quietest 20-homer, 86-RBI season in the history of major league baseball. Just 25-years-old Seager could be the next Scott Rolen or he could be the next Scott Spiezio. Only time will tell. But judging by what he did a year ago, he definitely needs to be on your radar. In addition to those 20 homers and 86 RBI, he also hit a decent .259 and stole 13 bases. In 776 career at-bats he has 23 homers, 99 RBI and 16 steals. And he should only get better with more protection in the Mariners lineup. If you get him, enjoy the steals while he's young. Like most third baseman, the amount of steals he gets goes in the opposite direction of the size of his waistline and bank account. But there's no reason he can't fulfill the minimum seasonal requirement for all fantasy third basemen: 20 homers, 80 RBI. He also might add 10 or 20 points to the average, too.View the list »
Trevor Plouffe already sounds like the answer to a trivia question. Trevor burst on the major league scene last year and Plouffe! he was gone. Well, he's not gone yet and he just might be the real deal. Plouffe came out of nowhere last year to hit 24 homers in just 422 at-bats. The power is real. He has 34 bombs in 749 career at-bats. But he's definitely a one-category guy. Don't expect any steals, a ton of runs or even an acceptable average. He also drove in just 55 runs on those 24 homers last year because, well, the Twins are horrible. So it's not all his fault. Just be wary of that .235 average. Plouffe, after all, wouldn't be the first Twins third baseman to have a year or two or solid production and vanish (see John Castino, Corey Koskie, Danny Valencia). If you grab Plouffe, just make sure he's not your only third baseman.

Fantasy Sports newsletter

Third base is one of those positions that can make or break your fantasy team.

Related topics

Advertisement

It is definitely a case of the haves against the have nots at third base and you certainly don't want to be a have not when it comes to filling your third base slot. The difference between the elite third basemen and even the mediocre ones can leave you scrambling all season long.

In the American League there are really only a handful of third basemen you should even consider taking in the first half of your fantasy draft. After you get past the three elite guys at third base in the American League (see Nos. 3, 2, 1) you are basically just drafting some power and RBI and sacrificing all other areas.

At third base you need power and RBI. Those are the mandatory categories you must have from any corner infielder. Average, runs and steals, well, those are bonuses at third base and you won't get those three areas from your everyday, average third baseman, even in the American League. You need a third baseman who at least has the chance of hitting 20 homers and driving in 80 runs if you want to avoid attacking the waiver wire or testing the trade winds even before the season starts.

There are, however, 10 solid third basemen in the American League who can prevent you from destroying your season. Of course, third base is one of the riskiest positions in fantasy baseball. Third basemen always seem to be getting hurt and missing time. Just ask Alex Rodriguez, who didn't even make our Top 10.

One of our third basemen on this list is worthy of a first-round pick (see No. 1), another is worthy of a Top 3 round pick (see No. 2). And another is worthy of getting picked in the first 5 rounds (see No. 3). Other than that, well, be patient.

But don't wait too long. You don't want to be left with Jeff Keppinger or Brent Morel at third.

The Top 10 American League fantasy baseball third basemen . . .

View the list
  • Trevor Plouffe already sounds like the answer to a trivia question. Trevor burst on the major league scene last year and Plouffe! he was gone. Well, he's not gone yet and he just might be the real deal. Plouffe came out of nowhere last year to hit 24 homers in just 422 at-bats. The power is real. He has 34 bombs in 749 career at-bats. But he's definitely a one-category guy. Don't expect any steals, a ton of runs or even an acceptable average. He also drove in just 55 runs on those 24 homers last year because, well, the Twins are horrible. So it's not all his fault. Just be wary of that .235 average. Plouffe, after all, wouldn't be the first Twins third baseman to have a year or two or solid production and vanish (see John Castino, Corey Koskie, Danny Valencia). If you grab Plouffe, just make sure he's not your only third baseman.
  • If you don't know who Kyle Seager is, well, don't be ashamed. The guy had what is quite likely the quietest 20-homer, 86-RBI season in the history of major league baseball. Just 25-years-old Seager could be the next Scott Rolen or he could be the next Scott Spiezio. Only time will tell. But judging by what he did a year ago, he definitely needs to be on your radar. In addition to those 20 homers and 86 RBI, he also hit a decent .259 and stole 13 bases. In 776 career at-bats he has 23 homers, 99 RBI and 16 steals. And he should only get better with more protection in the Mariners lineup. If you get him, enjoy the steals while he's young. Like most third baseman, the amount of steals he gets goes in the opposite direction of the size of his waistline and bank account. But there's no reason he can't fulfill the minimum seasonal requirement for all fantasy third basemen: 20 homers, 80 RBI. He also might add 10 or 20 points to the average, too.
  • It would have been safer to put Manny Machado ninth or 10th on this list. The young Orioles' third baseman, after all, is still much more potential than production right now. But it's that wonderful potential that even gets him on this list in the first place. He won't even turn 21-years-old until July so if he struggles a bit in April he might be back at Triple-A in May. But in 51 games last year he hit seven homers, drove in 26 runs and hit .262. He only walked nine times and struck out 38 times, so there is a learning curve that must be suffered through. But Machado will be an elite third baseman. It's just a matter of when. He also had eight doubles and three triples last year so he makes solid contact. The Orioles, who are a legitimate playoff team, are trusting third base to the 20-year-old. They even sent Mark Reynolds packing to make room for him, not that getting rid of Swing and a Miss the Mark Reynolds is much of a sacrifice. If you are in a keeper league, grab this kid.
  • Kevin Youkilis might be in a rapid decline. The former Boston Red Sox third baseman has hit .258 and .235 the last two years. But he just might also be in a little rut. Youkilis, at 34-years-old, is still at the tail end of his productive years. But don't tell that to his body. He looks like he's 44 and given his many trips to the disabled list in recent seasons, he probably feels 54. So draft with caution here. Youkilis did hit 19 homers and drive in 60 runs between the Red Sox and Chicago White Sox last year. So there's still some pop in his bat. But the White Sox thought Jeff Keppinger was a better fit at third than Youkilis. If he stays healthy -- a giant if -- Youkilis should be productive in New York, even without Mark Teixeira around for a month or two. But he could also just be a .235 hitter with 60 RBI.
  • Will Middlebrooks is probably never going to be as good as Kevin Youkilis when Youkilis was, well Youkilis (see 2008, 2009). But neither is Youkilis right now. Middlebrooks is younger, though, not all that much healthier. The 24-year-old hit 15 homers last year in just 267 at-bats and with Fenway's left field wall, he should always be a threat to hit 25-plus homers. He also drove in 54 runs last year in a .288 average. The talent is here. He seems to be a much better overall hitter than Butch Hobson. Think Carney Lansford with a bit more pop in his bat. It is disturbing that Middlebrooks struck out 70 times last year and walked just 13 times. So maybe that .288 average is just a mirage. But it could just be a young hitter trying too hard.
  • Brett Lawrie can hit. The 23-year-old Lawrie is also in one of the most potent lineups in the major leagues and plays in one of the most power-happy ballparks. It all adds up to crazy fantasy numbers,. Of course, Lawrie is young and he's already gotten hurt a couple times in his career so nothing is a sure thing here. But in 494 at-bats last year Lawrie hit 26 doubles, 11 homers and drove in 48 runs. He also stole 13 bases and hit .273. He does know how to take a walk (33 last year) so that alone puts him ahead of most third basemen. It should also mean that his .273 average could get in the .290 neighborhood before too long. He's had roughly one big league season worth of experience: 168 games, 644 at-bats, 34 doubles, 20 homers, 73 RBI, 20 steals. Those are solid numbers for a fantasy third baseman. He could be ready to blossom.
  • The Moose is about to be turned loose. Think Harmon Killebrew. Moustakas was thrown in the major league fire two years ago and got burned a bit. He hit just .263 with a mere five homers and 30 RBI in 338 at-bats. The Royals, though, stuck with him and were rewarded with a solid 2012: 34 doubles, 20 homers, 73 RBI, .242 average. He even stole five bases (don't count on that again). Moustakas could be one of those guys who just gets better every year. Expect 25 homers this year, 30 in 2014, 35 in 2015 and so on. He might never hit about .270 but you can find a way to fit 30 homers and 100 RBI in your fantasy lineup without too much trouble. The Royals as a team are ready to blossom and Moustakas will blossom right along with his teammates. When he gets a bit more disciplined and stops trying to hit the ball to Wichita, he'll be an All-Star.
  • Josh Hamilton is gone. Mike Napoli is gone. Michael Young is gone. Everyone, it seems, is leaving Adrian Beltre in Texas. Beltre, though, can handle it. Can you believe this guy is still just 34-years-old? Well, believe it or not. It doesn't matter. He can definitely still hit. Last year he turned in 36 homers, 102 RBI on a .321 average. The last three years (2010 in Boston and 2011, 2012 in Texas) he's hit 90 homers, drove in 309 runs and hit .319. The guy is on his way to Cooperstown. The years when he gives you 10-plus steals are long gone but he more than makes up for it in other areas. He's a .280 career hitter with 346 homers and 1,215 RBI. Another three solid years and he'll get Hall of Fame votes five years after he retires. When will the decline begin? Well, this year is probably a good bet. The Rangers' offense might have peaked the last two years and is ready for a downward slide. But Beltre will still produce. He will still hit.
  • Evan Longoria battled through his first injury-filled season in 2012 and hit 17 homers and drove in 55 runs in just 273 at-bats. But don't worry about the injury. He's not Scott Rolen yet. Longoria is still just 27-years-old and he is entering his prime. Don't forget his first five years weren't too bad either when he didn't know what he was doing. Longoria is a career .276 hitter and has hit one home run every 18.2 at-bats and has driven in a run every 5.2 at-bats. Put him down for 25 homers, 90 RBI and forget about him. Yes, he hasn't had a monster season yet. He's never, for example, hit .300. And his days of 10-plus steals might be over (he had 15 in 2010 and just two last year). And the Rays lineup doesn't have Carl Crawford or B.J. Upton anymore to set the table for him. But Longoria is a sure thing and when you are picking in the first three rounds, you need sure things.
  • Don't underestimate what Miguel Cabrera did in 2012. Yes, I understand that the Triple Crown is valued only by us old guys who still buy Who's Who in Baseball every year and who don't need to see 12-second video highlights on our cell phone of every run scored in major league baseball every single day. Leading the league in homers (44), RBI (139) and batting average (.330) is a monumental feat. Miguel Cabrera is a monumental hitter and it's about time everyone this side of Mike Trout's immediate family realizes it. Cabrera is still just 30-years-old. He has hit 30 or more homers in eight of the last nine years, He's driven in 100 or more runs in nine of the last nine years. He's hit .300 in seven of the last eight years. And he plays just about everyday (622 at-bats in 2012). Go ahead. Make him the No. 1 pick in your league. If you surround him with nothing but San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, you'll still finish in the top half of every offensive category in your league. Cabrera is fantasy money in the bank. 12-second clips of every home run a minute after on our favorute team hit on our phone.
View the list

, Fantasy Baseball Examiner

Joe Santoro is an award-winning sportswriter with over three decades of experience. Joe is the dean of Northern Nevada sports reporters and has covered University of Nevada Wolf Pack sports as a beat reporter and columnist for more than two decades. His "Friday Fodder" column is the longest...

Advertisement

Today's top buzz...