2024 Third Baseman Rankings
Can De La Cruz catch Carroll for NL ROY?
Vaughn Dalzell joins Bet the EDGE to break down the NL OROY race between Corbin Carroll and Elly De La Cruz and how much closer they expect the gap between the two to close.
An All-Star break tradition, here are my mostly-for-fun 2024 player rankings. I’ve done my best to list players where they’ll be 20-game eligible next year, and the free agents-to-be are listed without teams. Players with contract options for next year have an asterisk included with their team names.
Click to see other other preliminary 2024 rankings:
Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH
Third Baseman rankings
2024 | Third Basemen | Team | 2023 | July |
1 | Guardians | 2 | 1 | |
2 | Braves | 1 | 2 | |
3 | Reds | 31 SS | 8 | |
4 | 4 | 3 | ||
5 | Orioles | 7 | 6 | |
6 | Cardinals | 6 | 5 | |
7 | Padres | 5 | 9 | |
8 | Rangers | 17 | 10 | |
9 | Rockies | 8 | 7 | |
10 | Cubs | 86 OF | 43 OF | |
11 | 9 | 12 | ||
12 | Reds | 33 | 13 | |
13 | 13 | 20 | ||
14 | Mets | 39 | 22 | |
15 | 15 | 15 | ||
16 | Pirates | 11 | 19 | |
17 | 21 | 14 | ||
18 | Cardinals | 37 2B | 18 | |
19 | Orioles | 38 SS | 29 SS | |
20 | Rays | 34 | 16 | |
21 | Angels | 12 | 24 | |
22 | Padres | 22 | 27 | |
23 | Twins | 35 SS | 29 | |
24 | Giants | 38 | 25 | |
25 | 45 | 34 | ||
26 | Twins | 14 | 46 | |
27 | Royals | NR | 30 | |
28 | Tigers | NR | 58 | |
29 | Mariners | 28 | 36 | |
30 | White Sox | 18 | 42 | |
31 | 43 | 35 | ||
32 | Brewers | 25 | 31 | |
33 | Marlins | 16 2B | 38 | |
34 | Reds | 76 OF | 37 | |
35 | 37 SS | 54 | ||
36 | Yankees | 16 | 28 | |
37 | Dodgers | 72 2B | 62 | |
38 | 37 | 32 | ||
39 | Giants | NR | 49 | |
40 | Tigers | NR | NR | |
41 | Marlins | 23 | 44 | |
42 | 19 | 51 | ||
43 | Rays | 42 | 64 | |
44 | Tigers | 65 | 40 | |
45 | Orioles | 35 | 56 | |
46 | Dodgers | 35 2B | 50 | |
47 | Yankees* | 30 | 39 | |
48 | Twins | NR | 45 | |
49 | Tigers | NR | 55 | |
50 | Cubs | 46 2B | NR | |
51 | 32 | NR | ||
52 | Cubs | 48 | 43 | |
53 | Rays | NR | NR | |
54 | Brewers | NR | NR | |
55 | Yankees | 105 OF | 69 | |
56 | Rays | NR | 75 | |
57 | Diamondbacks | 67 | 53 | |
58 | Guardians | NR | NR | |
59 | 46 | 47 | ||
60 | Orioles | NR | NR | |
61 | Rays | 68 | 57 | |
62 | 34 SS | 71 | ||
63 | 51 | 68 | ||
64 | Padres | 60 | NR | |
65 | Brewers | NR | 61 | |
66 | Angels | 27 | NR | |
67 | Twins | NR | NR | |
68 | Reds | 49 2B | NR | |
69 | Angels* | 47 | 72 | |
70 | Nationals | 56 | NR |
Matt Chapman is the obvious prize here in free agency, though Jeimer Candelario will also have no shortage of suitors if he can maintain his current .261/.337.478 line. The Dodgers will likely hold on to Max Muncy unless he really fades. His club option will come in at $12 million-$14 million, depending on just how many plate appearances he winds up with.
There are two young Tigers here in Colt Keith and Justyn-Henry Malloy , though it’s unclear if either will break in at third base. Keith is splitting time between second and third since moving up to Triple-A. Malloy is seeing more time at third than in the outfield, but a corner outfield spot would seem to make the most sense for him. Keith’s glove is iffy, too, but his bat has All-Star potential. He had a .914 OPS in high-A last year and a .976 OPS in 59 games in Double-A to begin the season. Since moving up to Triple-A, the 21-year-old has hit .414 with two homers and only three strikeouts in 34 plate appearances.
