Baseball season is almost back! Pitchers and catchers have reported, and spring training is in full swing. But for many people, the more exciting thing is fantasy baseball is back. Third base is a position that is easy to forget about. A savvy pick in a later round could swing the tide of your fantasy season. Let’s round out the top ten for third basemen projections
Fantasy Baseball: Top-10 Third Basemen and Projections (6-10)
Manny Machado (San Diego Padres)
Machado is a tough one in fantasy baseball this year. At 32 years old, there is a question of how long the production will continue. He has been consistent throughout his career, but the Padres struggled last year, leading to a down number from many players.
If there is a positive, Machado was at his career average for home runs and RBIs. Now that the weight of expectations isn’t weighing them down quite as much this year, Machado may see a resurgence in his other numbers. Machado feels like a riskier pick, but if he has another solid year, you might regret passing on him.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.269, OBP .337, SLG.479, OPS.816, 29 HR, 95 RBI, 83 R, 151 H, 21 2B, 0 3B, 58 BB, 116 K, 7 SB
Royce Lewis (Minnesota Twins)
Injuries have limited what Lewis can do on the field. However, if he has a healthy season, he will be the steal of your fantasy baseball draft. When he is on the field, his numbers are off the charts. Anyone hitting over .300 is usually a must-start, but the limited action makes many managers dubious of inflated results.
It all comes down to health. If you are looking to take Lewis, look at handcuffing him to another second baseman or having multi-positional players on your roster. This will give you the ability to shuffle players around if an injury does happen. Draft at your own risk, but if he produces it, you will look like a genius.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.268, OBP .329, SLG.479, OPS.808, 26 HR, 83 RBI, 78 R, 137 H, 27 2B, 2 3B, 46 BB, 128 K, 14 SB
Alex Bregman (Houston Astros)
Bregman is a very boring player in fantasy baseball. That doesn’t mean he is bad. The 30-year-old keeps putting up above-average stats. Last season, he had over 100 runs and 150 hits. He mashes lefties and has a good supporting cast around him, which leads to good production.
What I love about Bregman even more is his strikeout numbers. There are very few players who walk more than they strike out. Bregman is one of them. As a fantasy manager, you want players who put the ball in play. No one will get excited about drafting him, but he is another set-and-forget player for your squad.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.265, OBP .360, SLG.452, OPS.813, 23 HR, 88 RBI, 92 R, 149 H, 31 2B, 2 3B, 84 BB, 81 K, 2 SB
Ha-Seong Kim (San Diego Padres)
I talked about Kim in the second basemen projections article, and he is back! Positional versatility is one of the biggest assets in fantasy baseball. Kim brings versatility and production as well. He was fifth in the NL in stolen bases last season. His blend of speed and emerging power makes him a solid draft pick.
He plays everywhere on the infield except first base. In the mid-rounds, Kim becomes a great pickup to either anchor your third base roster spot or provide depth and versatility.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.246, OBP .324, SLG.386, OPS.710, 15 HR, 61 RBI, 76 R, 133 H, 26 2B, 2 3B, 62 BB, 118 K, 26 SB
Nolan Arenado (St. Louis Cardinals)
Last year, Arenado started to show a decline in production. 2023 was the first season he did not have 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. While 26 home runs and 93 RBIs are still good, it is not near his standards. It’s hard to keep him out of the top ten of third basemen, but he has little upside as a player.
However, this doesn’t make him void of value. He is a veteran with a track record of production. Even if his numbers dip slightly, fantasy baseball managers will be happy with his numbers. Arenado isn’t worth a premium price anymore but you could definitely do worse at the position.
2024 Projections per FantasyPros:
BA.262, OBP .319, SLG.459, OPS.778, 26 HR, 93 RBI, 75 R, 150 H, 31 2B, 2 3B, 48 BB, 95 K, 4 SB
That rounds out the top ten of second basemen in fantasy baseball for 2024. Stay tuned to Total Apex Fantasy Sports all season for advice and analysis.
For More Great Sports Content
Matt has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
Follow him on Twitter at @sorcerermatt, and follow us @TotalApexSports. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL sports, click here!
