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Fantasy baseball 2020 tiered third basemen rankings

By Bill Pivetz

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies reacts and tosses his helmet away after striking out swinging against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on September 25, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 25: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies reacts and tosses his helmet away after striking out swinging against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on September 25, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /

If you miss out on one of the top-three options, you have plenty of chances to draft a top-10 third baseman. This position is deep.

Matt Chapman, OAK

Chapman loses value if your league uses batting average instead of on-base percentage. He hit .249 with 36 home runs and 91 RBIs. His OBP was .342 as a result of 73 walks. Chapman is still one of the best in the league.

The A’s offense looks good, highlighted by Marcus Semien, Matt Olson, Stephen Piscotty and Chapman. He’ll be hitting third, ahead of Semien and Ramon Laureano. If those two get on base, Chapman could reach 100 RBIs for the first time. Just be aware of the .255 average.

Vlad Guerrero, TOR

As we get closer to Opening Day, Guerrero’s ADP continues to rise. As of this writing, his ADP is at 55 according to FantasyPros. He did hit well in his rookie season, finishing with 15 home runs, 69 RBIs and a .277 average.

The top of the Blue Jays lineup is young with Bo Bichette, Lourdes Gurriel, Cavan Biggio and Guerrero. There is a lot of upside with Vlad Jr., who could hit 40 home runs but at that ADP, are you willing to take the risk?

Manny Machado, SD

Machado’s average went back down below .260 after hitting .297 the year prior. He added 32 home runs and 85 RBIs in his first season with the Padres. Petco Park finished 24th for home runs based on ESPN Park Factors.

The Padres made three big trades this offseason, adding Tommy Pham, Trent Grisham and Jurickson Profar to the starting lineup. This offense could do some damage with Machado in the middle. He’s a solid top-50 pick.

Rafael Devers, BOS

According to FantasyPros, Devers was the best third baseman last season. Looking at his numbers, it’s not surprising. He hit .311 with 32 home runs, 115 RBIs and 54 doubles. The only thing he didn’t do was run, but eight steals is not that bad.

However, the loss of Mookie Betts may take away from some of his opportunities. The Red Sox will have Andrew Benintendi leading off with Xander Bogaerts hitting behind Devers. It’s still not a bad lineup and Devers could finish with an even better stat line this season.

Kris Bryant, CHC

Bryant is expected to be with the Cubs for the 2020 season. He is a few years removed from his ROY and MVP seasons. The Bryant you’ll be getting this year will hit 30 home runs, 85 RBIs and .278. But, with his current ADP, fourth round, you can find those numbers later in the draft.

The Cubs lineup without Nicholas Castellanos can still be dangerous. Bryant will lead off with Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez behind him. He’ll get on base and score runs but the RBIs and average aren’t in the top tier.

Eugenio Suarez, CIN

Suarez is one of the few hitters that can hit for power and won’t hurt your batting average. He hit 49 home runs with a .271 average. He drove in over 100 runs for the second straight season. Hitting in Great American Ballpark helps the numbers, too.

I like the Reds lineup this season, especially after the additions of Mike Moustakas and Nicholas Castellanos. He can hit 40 homer and .270 again this season. With an ADP of 66, he’s worth waiting on as a starting third baseman.

Jose Ramirez, CLE

Fantasy owners who drafted Ramirez last season were a little let down. He played in 129 games and hit .255 with 23 home runs, 83 RBIs and 24 steals. The second half numbers should give you something to look forward to this season. He hit 16 home runs with 48 RBIs and .327.

Ramirez is slated to be the cleanup hitter for the Indians, sandwiched between Carlos Santana and Franmil Reyes. He’s a lock to hit 30-plus home runs with 95 RBIs and a .275 average. Plus, the potential of 25 steals gives him an edge over other third basemen.

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