Third Basemen

Tier 1:             Miguel Cabrera

Tier 2:             Adrian Beltre, Evan Longoria, David Wright

Tier 3:             Ryan Zimmerman, Matt Carpenter, Josh Donaldson, Kyle Seager, Pedro Alvarez, Manny Machado, Pablo Sandoval, Martin Prado

Tier 4:             Brett Lawrie, Chase Headley, Nolan Arenado, Aramis Ramirez, Will Middlebrooks

Tier 5:             Todd Frazier, Mike Moustakas, Chris Johnson, Matt Dominguez, David Freese, Trevor Plouffe, Juan Uribe

* Note: Players in bold are those whom I expect to outperform their ADPs.

No surprises in tiers 1 and 2, as we’ve got the same folks who have anchored this position the past few years.  Note the fantastic depth at third base this year – many quality options in tier 3.

The options don’t stop there, as I see great value lurking in tier 4 as well. Lawrie has disappointed owners the past few years, but I’m taking the plunge one final time here (noting that he will be available in the later rounds). Lawrie’s talent cannot be denied, and while we must acknowledge that he’s not likely to be a superstar, there’s no reason he can’t finally put together a season similar to those in tier 3.

Arenado is known more for contact and gap hits than power, but playing in Coors, he should build upon a solid rookie season and add some four-baggers to his stats.

As for Middlebrooks, he’s shown power in his stints with the Red Sox, and with Stephen Drew most likely playing elsewhere, Middlebrooks will capitalize on the opportunity in the Red Sox potent lineup. 

Neema Hodjat is the fantasy sports writer for RealGM.  He can be reached via email at nhodjat@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @NeemaHodjat.