Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Middle-Round Third Basemen
Only three third basemen hit 30 home runs or more (Jose Ramirez – 39, Jake Burger – 31, and Eugenio Suarez – 30). Ramirez (114) was the only one to score over 100 runs, followed by Matt Chapman (98) and Suarez (90). Ramirez also led the way in stolen bases (41) and RBIs (118). Manny Machado (105) and Suarez (101) broke the 100-RBI mark, while Jazz Chisholm (40) and Maikel Garcia (37) ranked second and third in steals. Here are Fantasy on SI's top third basemen 6-10:
6 – Junior Caminero, TB (ADP – 101.7)
The Guardians signed Caminero out of the Dominican Republic at age 15 in 2019. Tampa acquired him in a trade in 2021. Over four seasons in the minors, he hit .307 with 185 runs, 67 home runs, 217 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases over 1,079 at-bats. In 2023, his bat played well at High-A (.356/30/11/32/2) over 146 at-bats while thriving as well at AA (.309/55/20/62/3 over 314 at-bats).
Tampa gave him 34 at-bats of experience in the majors at age 19, leading to one home run and seven RBIs. His progression to the Rays suggested an early starting job in the majors in 2024. Unfortunately, Caminero suffered a quad issue in late March after not making Tampa’s opening-day roster.
Over his first 34 games at AAA, he hit .261 with 19 runs, eight home runs, 24 RBIs, and one stolen base over 138 at-bats. His quad issue reemerged on May 29th, leading to six weeks on the injured list. Tampa gave him another 19 games with the Durham Bulls (.304/14/5/10 over 70 at-bats) before calling him up in mid-August. Caminero finished with 165 at-bats with the Rays (.248/15/6/18/2).
His strikeout rate (21.5) was league average while showing more upside in the minors (18.4%). He projects to have an above-average walk rate (8.8 in the minors and 6.1 in his limited time with Tampa). In his professional career, Caminero has had a groundball-favoring swing path (50.3% in the majors – 51.9% at AAA). His HR/FB rate in 2023 (12.5%) and 2024 (12.2%) with the Rays was well below his potential and previous success in the minors. He didn’t have an edge in his exit velocity (89.7 mph) while showing more upside in his hard-hit rate (45.7) last season.
Fantasy Outlook: Caminero draws the “next young stud profile” in the early draft season based on his early ADP (101.1). The 60th-ranked hitter last season by FPGscore (0.58) was Alex Bregman (.260/79/26/75/3 over 581). A fantasy drafter has to decide if Caminero can beat those stats in 2025. Based on talent and ceiling, he is the right kind of swing for a fantasy team. With a few more fly balls and an improved launch angle, Caminero has the tools to be a perennial 30-home run hitter with an edge in batting average. I’ve been burnt by investing in Tampa prospects in the past, but I also hit a home run in my rookie season in the NFBC when I drafted Miguel Cabrera in round 6. Don’t be shy, as his bat should be in top form in March, leading to a rise in his price point.
7 – Alex Bregman, FA (ADP – 142.6)
Bregman’s best asset over the past couple of seasons was his approach (strikeout rate – 11.9 and walk rate – 13.0). Last year, he posted his lowest walk rate (6.9) since his rookie campaign in 2016. His contact batting average (.305) has been in a tight range over the past three seasons (.301, .305, and .305), giving him no chance of batting higher than .300. Bregman finished with a career-low in his RBI rate (13.1 – 16.4 in his career).
Over the final four months of last season, he hit .284 with 61 runs, 19 home runs, 49 RBIs, and one steal. His season started with empty stats in April (.216/5//1/10/1 over 102 at-bats) that echoed for weeks from the great southwest. Bregman struggled against lefties (.221/13/6/16/1 over 113 at-bats).
Despite his down season, he finished with a five-year high in his exit velocity (89.1) and a new top in his hard-hit rate (40.1). His fly-ball rate (45.3) has been home run-inducing over the past three years, with only baby steps up the chain with his HR/FB rate over the past four seasons (9.8, 10.0, 10.1, and 11.5).
"I think the Tigers have the best offer on the table perhaps, I'm just not sure that's where he wants to go."@JimBowdenGM has the latest on Alex Bregman's market:#Tigers | #RepDetroit
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) January 31, 2025
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Fantasy Outlook: Bregman is a free agent commanding a hefty contract that he may have deserved based on his success in 2018 and 2019. His recent path now paints him as a neutral hitter with an 85/25/90 skill set. Due to his unknown 2025 home, Bregman has about three rounds valued priced into his early January ADP (142.6) in the high-stakes market.
8 – Alec Bohm, PHI (ADP – 186.2)
Over the past two seasons, Bohm developed into a clutch player based on his RBI rate (2023 – 19% and 2024 – 20%), even with his power not coming along for the ride. His average hit rate (1.600) improved for the third consecutive season while showing growth in his exit velocity (90.5 mph) and hard-hit rate (45.1). He hit more groundballs (46.0%) in 2024, leading to a regression in his HR/FB rate (9.6 – 12.6 in 2023). Bohm pulled the ball more (36.1%), a sign that he may have been trying to hit more home runs.
His strikeout rate (14.2) was a career-low, with no change in his career walk rate (6.5). With more balls in play each year, his contact batting average (.331) consistently decreased since arriving in Philadelphia. Bohm had most of his at-bats (407) batting fourth for the Phillies, but the back of their lineup struggled to drive him in (32% run rate).
Hidden in his final stat line was a productive first 317 at-bats (.300/38/10/68/4). He missed 16 games in late August and early September with a left-hand injury, compounding a disappointing end to the year (.253 with 24 runs, five home runs, 29 RBIs, and one steal).
Fantasy Outlook: Bohm is the type of hitter that has tripped me up over the past two seasons. His size (6’5” and 220 lbs.) and flash in 2019 in the minors (.305/76/21/80/6 over 476 at-bats) suggested more home runs. He finished last season ranked 64th in FPGscore (0.39) for hitters, creating a buying opportunity for the right team structure. Bohm is improving but must add more power to be a more attractive fantasy option. Call me interested, as he could come fast with a little more pop in his swing. His starting point in 2025 should be a .280/80/20/80/5 season.
9 – Mark Vientos, NYM (ADP – 92.2)
Over seven seasons in the minors, Vientos hit .277 with 280 runs, 98 home runs, and 355 RBIs over 1,866 at-bats. His bat played well over parts of four years at AAA (.289/134/49/156 over 762 at-bats). His walk rate (9.3) was an asset in the minors, but he had some weakness in his strikeout rate (24.6). He had a contact batting average higher than .400 over the past four seasons. In addition, Vientos had strength in his average hit rate (1.806).
He looked overmatched at the plate (strikeout rate – 30.3 and walk rate – 5.5) over his first two seasons with the Mets. Vientos had an uptick in power (.230 with 12 runs, six home runs, and 11 RBIs over 87 at-bats) in September of 2023, hinting at more upside the following year.
New York started him out at AAA last season, leading to a .284 batting average over 116 at-bats with 21 runs, six home runs, and 30 RBIs. The Mets called him up twice by mid-May. Vientos started to earn every-day at-bats on May 28th, making him an excellent waiver wire pickup over the final four months (.258/51/24/63 over 364 at-bats). On the downside, his strikeout rate (29.7) was a liability while having a below-par walk rate (7.3).
Vientos finished with a high contact batting average (.396), which offset some batting average risk. His average hit rate (1.936) supports 35+ home runs if given 550 at-bats. He finished with an elite HR/FB rate (26.5), along with strength in his exit velocity (91.2 mph) and hard-hit rate (46.6).
Fantasy Outlook: His success last year in home runs drives his fantasy value this year. Vientos showed a better approach in the minors, suggesting improvement in his bat in 2025. He’s dead in the water in steals, and his runs can’t be impactful until moving higher in the batting order. Think of him as 2024 Eugenio Suarez, with better potential in his approach and less loft on his swing. Next step: 35 home runs with 75 runs and 85 RBIs.
10 – Royce Lewis, MIN (ADP – 128.5)
The Twins selected Lewis first overall in the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft. His bat showed growth in 2018 between A and High A (.292 with 83 runs, 14 home runs, 74 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases over 483 at-bats). After a down season in 2019, he had limited playing time over the following four years due to two torn ACLs in his right knee.
Lewis returned to game action in 2023 on May 11th in the minors. After a hot start over 39 at-bats (13-for-39 with 10 runs, four home runs, 11 RBIs, and four steals), Minnesota called him up to the majors. His bat held form over his first 95 at-bats (.326/11/4/15/1), but an oblique injury pushed him to the sidelines for six weeks. The fantasy market witnessed a difference-maker run by Lewis over his next 38 games (.285 with 31 runs, 15 home runs, 42 RBIs, and five stolen bases over 144 at-bats). Unfortunately, a hamstring injury led to him missing the final 10 games of the regular season.
Last year, Lewis was a sexy upside player in the high-stakes market. One game (2-for-2 with a solo home run) into the season, he suffered a quad injury, leading to 66 days out of action. A hot month later (.276/17/9/17 over 87 at-bats), the Twins lost him for another 3+ weeks with a groin issue. Lewis played in another 53 games but was no longer an impact player (.207 with 22 runs, six home runs, and 29 RBIs over 203 at-bats).
His approach (strikeout rate – 22.8 and walk rate – 8.6) was about league average. Lewis has strength in his average hit rate (1.941) while having a sharp decline in his contact batting average (.312 – .414 in 2023). He finished with regression in his exit velocity (87.1 mph – 90.2 in 2023) and hard-hit rate (37.7 – 41.4 in 2023), painting a less intriguing bat. Lewis brings a high-volume fly-ball rate (45.9) with a reasonable floor in his HR/FB rate (15.7).
Fantasy Outlook: His bat is valuable to the Twins, and the best way to keep him on the field may be a DH role with minimal running. I feel for Lewis due to the high number of injuries. He has a season of major league experience (.268/81/33/104/6 over 549 at-bats), showcasing his potential. It’s about staying healthy for him and risk tolerance for anyone drafting Lewis. His ADP (128.5) is much more favorable in 2025.
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