Up this week are my mostly-for-fun 2023 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 options for next year are still listed with their current teams if those options have a legitimate chance of being exercised. Those players are noted with asterisks.
Click to see other other preliminary 2023 rankings:
Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH
Third Baseman rankings
| 2023 | Third basemen | Team | 2022 | July |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jose Ramirez | Guardians | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Rafael Devers | Red Sox | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Manny Machado | Padres | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Austin Riley | Braves | 5 | 4 |
| 5 | Bobby Witt Jr. | Royals | n/a | 6 |
| 6 | Nolan Arenado | Cardinals | 8 | 5 |
| 7 | Ke’Bryan Hayes | Pirates | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | Alex Bregman | Astros | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | Alec Bohm | Phillies | 21 | 12 |
| 10 | DJ LeMahieu | Yankees | 13 | 9 |
| 11 | Ryan McMahon | Rockies | 11 | 13 |
| 12 | Yoan Moncada | White Sox | 10 | 16 |
| 13 | Anthony Rendon | Angels | 12 | NR |
| 14 | Max Muncy | Dodgers* | n/a | 18 |
| 15 | Matt Chapman | Blue Jays | 15 | 14 |
| 16 | Miguel Vargas | Dodgers | NR | 42 |
| 17 | Josh Donaldson | Yankees | 16 | 15 |
| 18 | Justin Turner | Dodgers* | 14 | 17 |
| 19 | Josh Rojas | Diamondbacks | n/a | 24 |
| 20 | Curtis Mead | Rays | NR | NR |
| 21 | Luis Urías | Brewers | 19 | 21 |
| 22 | Bobby Dalbec | Red Sox | n/a | 23 |
| 23 | Eugenio Suárez | Mariners | 31 | 25 |
| 24 | Elehuris Montero | Rockies | 47 | 44 |
| 25 | Brian Anderson | Marlins | 17 | 29 |
| 26 | Jeimer Candelario | Tigers | 22 | 28 |
| 27 | Jose Miranda | Twins | 35 | 48 |
| 28 | Isaac Paredes | Rays | n/a | 20 |
| 29 | Wilmer Flores | 32 | 31 | |
| 30 | Josh Jung | Rangers | NR | NR |
| 31 | Brandon Drury | n/a | 22 | |
| 32 | Patrick Wisdom | Cubs | 34 | 26 |
| 33 | Yandy Díaz | Rays | 27 | 39 |
| 34 | Gio Urshela | Twins | 29 | 30 |
| 35 | Evan Longoria | Giants* | 28 | 27 |
| 36 | J.D. Davis | Mets | 39 | 33 |
| 37 | Jon Berti | Marlins | 48 | 19 |
| 38 | Josh H. Smith | Rangers | NR | 50 SS |
| 39 | Joey Wendle | Marlins | 25 | 35 |
| 40 | Brendan Donovan | Cardinals | 59 | 36 |
| 41 | Spencer Steer | Twins | NR | 86 2B |
| 42 | Brad Miller | Rangers | n/a | 49 |
| 43 | Jonathan Villar | 18 | 40 | |
| 44 | Mark Vientos | Mets | NR | NR |
| 45 | Mike Moustakas | Reds | 24 | 43 |
| 46 | Josh Harrison | 26 | 47 | |
| 47 | Eduardo Escobar | Mets | 38 | 34 |
| 48 | Ezequiel Duran | Rangers | NR | NR |
| 49 | Ramón Urías | Orioles | n/a | 50 |
| 50 | Jordan Walker | Cardinals | NR | NR |
| 51 | Kevin Smith | Athletics | 30 | 66 |
| 52 | Jake Burger | White Sox | 49 | 58 |
| 53 | Harold Castro | Tigers | NR | NR |
| 54 | Abraham Toro | Mariners | 36 | 57 |
| 55 | Luis Guillorme | Mets | NR | 56 |
| 56 | Donovan Solano | n/a | 62 2B | |
| 57 | Emmanuel Rivera | Royals | 55 | 54 |
| 58 | Ha-Seong Kim | Padres | 43 | 52 |
| 59 | Nicky Lopez | Royals | n/a | 53 |
| 60 | Jace Peterson | n/a | 65 | |
| 61 | Brett Baty | Mets | NR | NR |
| 62 | Maikel Franco | 46 | 46 | |
| 63 | Mike Brosseau | Brewers | 44 | 60 |
| 64 | David Villar | Giants | NR | NR |
| 65 | Brice Turang | Brewers | NR | NR |
- Declining Justin Turner’s $16 million option for 2023 seemed like it would be an easy call for the Dodgers, but he’s trying to make things interesting by hitting .368/.448/.563 over his last 25 games. That’s raised his overall OPS from .611 to .728. Still, with Miguel Vargas seemingly ready, it will probably make sense for the team to move on. The 22-year-old Vargas is hitting .295/.385/.496 with 13 homers and a nice 57/48 K/BB ratio in 395 plate appearances in Triple-A.
- I’m quite fond of both Curtis Mead and Jonathan Aranda (and still holding out hope for Vidal Bruján), but I’m not sure what will open up in the Rays infield next year. Brandon Lowe, Ji-Man Choi and Yandy Díaz all figure to earn about $5 million, which would be fine for most teams but perhaps not the thrifty Rays. And there are ready replacements. Aranda, 24, has hit .328/.401/.541 in Triple-A. He can play second and third, but he fits best at first. Mead, 21, is at .305/.394/.548 between Double- and Triple-A. He’s not exactly a natural at third base, but the Rays have been content to keep him there and he’s one of the most interesting bats in the minors.
- Elehuris Montero is out of options (unless he gets saddled with an extra one) and has Coors Field working for him, so he could be pretty interesting next year. He’s struck out 15 times in 35 plate appearances in the majors this year, but he’s at .324/.399/.562 in Triple-A. Ryan McMahon should be locked in at third base for the Rockies, but Montero could step in at DH.
