J-Ram tops fantasy 3B rankings again

One of the deepest talent pools we’ve seen in recent years, third base has everything from promising young phenoms to established superstars to steady veteran producers.

Here’s a look at this year’s top fantasy options at the hot corner.

Tier 1: José Ramírez

For the second straight year, Ramírez is the lone name in the first tier. Ramírez turned in another incredible campaign in 2021, slugging 36 homers - just three shy of his career high in a single season - and recorded 103 RBIs. He finished top 10 in the AL MVP voting for the fourth time in five years as well. He may not have much protection in the Guardians lineup, but he proved last year he could carry the load himself after Francisco Lindor was shipped to Queens prior to the season.

Over the past four years, Ramírez ranks third amongst third basemen in both home runs and RBIs, fifth in hits, second in hits and first in stolen bases. He’s also one of the best at staying on the field, playing in at least 90% of games in five of the past six seasons. His all-around production and reliability make him the go-to pick at third.

Tier 2: Rafael Devers, Manny Machado, Austin Riley, Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman

Devers, Machado, Arenado and Bregman are all usual suspects in the second tier, while a breakout season from Austin Riley lands him in the penultimate tier. The former three all had great seasons in 2021, with each having triple-digit RBIs and at least 28 homers apiece.

Bregman had his season marred by injuries, leading to a career-low .777 OPS, but the chances he sees his production dip that low again are slim. He’s just two years removed from a 41-homer, 112-RBI season and Bregman could see more RBI opportunities coming his way in 2022.

Riley emerged as one of the better slugging corner infielders in MLB last season, as he hit 33 homers, 33 doubles and drove in 107 runs for the Braves. His OPS jumped from .736 in his first two MLB seasons to a whopping .898 in 2022. He’ll be a key cog in Atlanta’s offense again this season even with the return of Ronald Acuña Jr.

Tier 3: Anthony Rendon, Yoán Moncada, Justin Turner, Ryan McMahon, Matt Chapman, Josh Donaldson, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Eugenio Suárez

The final tier offers both familiar faces and newcomers. Rendon, Suárez and Chapman will look to bounce back from a difficult season, as all three had their OPS dip below the .720 mark. If they can regain their stroke, they’ll emerge as solid options at third.

McMahon proved that he was a worthy replacement for Nolan Arenado in Colorado, slugging 23 homers and tallying 86 RBIs during his 2021 campaign. While he more than likely won’t put up the gaudy numbers Arenado did during his tenure at Coors Field, he’s a safe bet in a lineup that doesn’t have a ton of thump.

Moncada and Turner were once again great contributors for a couple of playoff teams last year and all signs point to them being middle-of-the-lineup-type bats again in 2022. Donaldson is another veteran that will put up numbers, and if he’s traded to a contender at some point of the season, he may see an uptick in his run production later in the year.

For Hayes, it was a tale of two seasons between 2020 and 2021. He came out hot in his debut season, as he had five home runs, 11 RBIs and 14 total extra-base hits in just 24 games. Last season, though, he had six homers and 38 RBIs in 96 games. If he can find his rhythm again at the plate, he could be a late-round steal.