MLB power rankings: Top 10 third basemen of 2017

Jun 6, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado (13) dives for a ground ball in the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Baltimore Orioles won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

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Nov 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) during the World Series victory rally in Grant Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

Getting into the top four players on this list, it really is splitting hairs to separate them. You could make an argument for any one of them to hold the top spot. The 2016 NL MVP and World Series champion Kris Bryant draws the fourth ranking here due to the fact that he is slightly behind the top three when it comes to defense. Not exactly a mark against him, Bryant also plays left field fairly frequently, and only started 100 games at third base in 2016.

In two years with the Cubs, Bryant has done just about everything to live up to the almost unfair expectations. He won the Rookie of the Year and then followed it up with an MVP and a World Series title. Through two seasons, Bryant has 65 homers and 205 RBIs with a .284/.377/.522 line. In his rookie year, strikeouts were a problem, but the 25-year-old third baseman cut down on the whiffs significantly in his sophomore season.

There was every indication when Bryant was tearing up the minors that he would eventually be a star. No one would have predicted that he would win an MVP in his second year, however. The runway is clear for Bryant to win multiple MVPs and lead the Cubs to more than one World Series win.

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