After breaking down the catcher position, we shift our attention to third base. The goal of this article series is to provide a high-level breakdown of what fantasy baseball managers experienced in 2025. With so much going on throughout a very long season, it is easy to lose sight of what really matters. This article looks at the most notable performances and takeaways from 2025 at the third base position. This should help guide fantasy baseball managers to make more informed draft-day decisions in 2026.
10 Third Base Takeaways from 2025
1) Batted ball distributions can change: Holy Junior Caminero!
For those who are Pitcher List Pro members, you know from the Discord that I am the reason Junior Caminero broke out. The skepticism around Caminero’s value was primarily attributed to his extremely high ground ball rate. This prevented Caminero from getting to the massive power he had. On May 23, Caminero was batting .237 with eight home runs.
The issue continued to be an average launch angle below five degrees. From May 24 forward, everything changed. Caminero’s launch angle drastically increased to 13.2 degrees. Over his final 464 plate appearances, Caminero crushed 37 home runs. The takeaway? Young players are not finished products. Launch angles and batted ball distributions are worth taking note of, but not writing a player off because of.
2) This is the second straight year injuries have hampered Austin Riley
The Braves’ third baseman was a model of durability through his first four Major League seasons, but that has started to change as of late. Riley was limited to only 110 games in 2024 and managed to play in just 102 games this past season. 2025’s primary injury was an abdominal issue. Soft tissue injuries are always more concerning for future projection than broken bones.
Not only has Riley battled injuries, but his production has also dropped off a bit. Riley’s 103 wRC+ was his lowest mark since 2020. On that note, Riley’s drop off in production is primarily attributed to a decrease in his home run output. While concerning, this has more to do with poor batted-ball luck than anything else. The injuries are worth monitoring, but Riley’s decreased production should bounce back, assuming he is healthy in 2026.
3) Eugenio Suarez’s signing spot will be important for his fantasy value
Please, please, please, Mariners, do not resign Eugenio Suarez. In 1.5 seasons with the Diamondbacks, Suarez was dominant. During his time with the D-Backs, Suarez hit 66 home runs while making significant strides in improving his batting average.
After being traded back to Seattle, Suarez saw his batting average plummet back down below .200. Whether this is a result of Suarez pressing to help his new team or a general dissatisfaction with hitting in Seattle, this does cause some reason for concern when assessing his value in 2026.
Suarez finished 2025 as the 3B3 for fantasy managers. At a thin position, it is likely his 2026 draft price will be high. Fantasy baseball managers must be careful not to discount his suspect hit tool too much when deciding on whether or not to draft him next season.
4) Royce Lewis is far from a safe bet to contribute
The common statement was that if Royce Lewis could stay healthy, then he would be a dominant fantasy asset. Although Lewis dealt with injuries once again in 2025, this was the healthiest season of his career. Even still, Lewis’ production was anything but dominant. Lewis hit .237 on the season with 13 homers and 12 stolen bases.
Seeing his aggressiveness on the bases increase was nice, but this is the second straight season Lewis has hit below .240. His home run totals probably lean toward the unlucky side of things, but his batted ball data was nothing to write home about. For Lewis, there is more than just injury risk here. There is production risk. Based on name value alone, Lewis is likely to be drafted too high in 2026.
5) Third base is an incredibly shallow position for fantasy baseball
The drop off at third base is extreme. There is top-end talent at the position. According to FanGraphs Auction Calculator, seven players returned at least $18 in value. Five third basemen ranked inside the top 28 hitters in all of baseball.
After that, it becomes a barren wasteland. The next highest ranked third baseman was Lenyn Sosa, who returned $5 in value. Only 16 players returned positive value for fantasy baseball managers. The takeaway here is to attack the position early in drafts. There are few options that fantasy baseball managers can rely on. Setting your team apart at that position could be the biggest difference-making move you can make on draft day.
6) The elite veterans continue to get it done
Somewhat correlated to the previous takeaway is that the veterans at the top just keep on producing. Drafting Jose Ramirez or Manny Machado early does not ever feel like the sexy pick, but they are true difference makers at the position.
Ramirez was once again dominant. He finished as the fifth-best hitter in fantasy baseball with 30 homers, 44 steals, and a .283 batting average.
Three of the top five third basemen in fantasy were at least 33 years old in 2025. Rafael Devers was 28, and the only young player to rank inside the top five was the previously mentioned Junior Caminero. Ramirez, Machado, and Devers are not the fun and shiny pick, but they continue producing at elite levels for fantasy baseball managers and are showing no signs of decline.
7) Nolan Arenado is likely over the hill
The writing was on the wall entering 2025, but this season proved the fact that Nolan Arenado’s career is nearing an end. After years of dominance, Arenado’s age seems to be catching up to him.
For the first time since 2014, Arenado appeared in fewer than 140 games. In the 107 games he played, he struggled to a .237 average with 12 homers and an 84 wRC+. The drop in barrel rate that Arenado experienced in 2024 stuck around in 2025. His batting average dropped to .221 off of four-seam fastballs. Injuries played a role, but Arenado finished 2025 as 3B38. Arenado should not be high on draft boards come 2026.
8) Addison Barger’s breakout is legit
Barger’s season was certainly inconsistent. In 135 games, Barger hit 21 home runs with a .243 batting average. On the surface, his 107 wRC+ is nothing to write home about. However, with 93rd percentile bat speed, 92nd percentile hard hit rate, and an 11.1% barrel rate, Barger is a player fantasy managers should be excited about moving forward.
Barger’s bad final month of the season is likely to dampen the excitement surrounding him entering 2026. Despite hitting .197 in that month, most of that has to do with a .212 BABIP. His chase and whiff rates remained solid throughout the second half of the season. I, for one, am very excited for Barger’s future.
9) Be cautious of risky hit tools without speed: Mark Vientos, Jake Burger
Expectations for both Jake Burger and Mark Vientos were high entering 2025. Vientos was the eighth third baseman taken, and Burger was the ninth. Both players entered the year with hit tool concerns that fantasy managers ignored thanks to their power projection.
Both struggled to produce in 2025. Vientos finished with a .233 average and 17 home runs, while Burger hit .236 with 16 home runs. Both players still produced decent home run totals when you account for missed time, but both are definitely being considered as busts in the fantasy baseball community. Power is great, but ignoring the floor of a player can lead to major mistakes on draft day. Be cautious of risky hit tools during drafts in 2026.
10) Glasses changed Max Muncy’s season
Early on in the season, Max Muncy looked like he was on his way out. At the end of April, Muncy was batting .194 with a 77 wRC+. Then, Muncy started wearing glasses due to astigmatism, and everything changed.
From that point forward, Muncy slashed .264/.403/.541. Muncy has never posted a batting average that high in his career. While it seems silly to think that something as simple as glasses could produce such a drastic change, it makes sense.
Muncy’s hit tool dramatically improved, and he has the kind of power to make an impact for fantasy baseball managers. Due to his age (35), Muncy could push down draft boards in 2026. He is an intriguing option to consider following a significant change in his profile.
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