(Audacy) Ahead of the 2023 MLB season, here are Audacy Sports' rankings of the top 10 third baseman in baseball right now.
10. Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today SportsRanking last year: Not ranked at third base
Age during 2023 season: 32
2022 statistics: .196/.329/.384 with 21 home runs, 69 RBIs, 90 walks, .713 OPS, seven defensive runs saved, -2 outs above average and 2.4 WAR
Make no mistake, 2022 was a down year for Muncy, as evidenced by the fact that he hit under the Mendoza line. Still, he walked 90 times, posted an OPS north of .700 and handled the transition to third base after Freddie Freeman's signing pretty well. If Muncy hits somewhere in between what he did during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, picking up his $10-million club option for 2024 will be a no-brainer.
9. Yandy Díaz, Tampa Bay Rays
Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesRanking last tear: Not ranked
Age during 2023 season: 31
2022 statistics: .296/.401/.423 with nine home runs, 57 RBIs, 78 walks, .824 OPS, -14 defensive runs saved, -8 outs above average and 3.8 WAR
Díaz isn't going to compete for any Gold Glove awards, but he's blossomed into an on-base machine. Since the start of the 2021 season, Díaz's .378 on-base percentage is seventh among all qualified hitters. Díaz is only in his second year of arbitration eligibility, so the Rays are getting a great bang for their buck.
8. Yoán Moncada, Chicago White Sox
Michael Reaves/Getty ImagesRanking last year: 5th
Age during 2023 season: 28
2022 statistics: .212/.273/.353 with 12 home runs, 51 RBIs, 32 walks, .626 OPS, two defensive runs saved, four outs above average and 0.9 WAR
Moncada was one of multiple White Sox who struggled through an injury-riddled 2022 season, playing just 104 games a year ago. He looked like a budding superstar between 2018 and 2019, and if he can regain that form, the White Sox should compete for the AL Central title in 2023.
7. Matt Chapman, Toronto Blue Jays
Sarah Stier/Getty ImagesRanking last year: 8th
Age during 2023 season: 30
2022 statistics: .229/.324/.433 with 27 home runs, 76 RBIs, 68 walks, .757 OPS, two defensive runs saved, one out above average and a 4.1 WAR
Chapman was a generational fielder with the Oakland Athletics but saw his metrics dip to just really solid in his first season with the Blue Jays. Offensively, he isn't someone who's going to hit for a high batting average, but when you combine his run-producing ability with above-average fielding, he remains a valuable player. Set to turn 30 in April, Chapman is entering a contract year.
6. Alex Bregman, Houston Astros
Carmen Mandato/Getty ImagesRanking last year: 6th
Age during 2023 season: 29
2022 statistics: .259/.366/.454 with 23 home runs, 93 RBIs, 87 walks, .820 OPS, -4 defensive runs saved, five outs above average and 5.5 WAR
Bregman may never match the Hall of Fame-caliber production that he put up between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, but he remains one of the most productive third basemen in the sport nonetheless. In hindsight, the five-year, $100-million deal that Bregman signed in March 2019 was highway robbery for the Astros.
5. Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves
Denis Poroy/Getty ImagesRanking last year: 7th
Age during 2023 season: 26
2022 statistics: .273/.349/.528 with 38 home runs, 93 RBIs, 57 walks, .878 OPS, six defensive runs saved, -6 outs above average and a 5.5 WAR
One of the most underrated stars in baseball currently, Riley was an All-Star for the first time in 2022 and finished sixth in the NL MVP voting. And, in typical Alex Anthopoulos fashion, the Braves have Riley signed to a team-friendly 10-year, $212-million deal that will begin in 2023.
4. Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox
Adam Glanzman/Getty ImagesRanking last year: 3rd
Age during 2023 season: 26
2022 statistics: .295/.358/.521 with 27 home runs, 88 RBIs, 50 walks, .879 OPS, -6 defensive runs saved, -2 outs above average and 4.9 WAR
Devers may not remain at third base for the entirety of the deal, but the 10-year, $313.5-million pact that the Red Sox inked him to already feels team-friendly. Had he reached free agency next offseason, Devers could've pursued a deal in excess of $400 million, given that he's one of the best hitters in the sport and still pretty young.
3. Manny Machado, San Diego Padres
Michael Reaves/Getty ImagesRanking last year: 4th
Age during 2023 season: 30
2022 statistics: .298/.366/.531 with 32 home runs, 102 RBIs, 63 walks, .898 OPS, -3 defensive runs saved, eight outs above average and 7.4 WAR
Machado is coming off of arguably the best season of his decorated career, as he finished second to Paul Goldschmidt in NL MVP voting. Machado isn't the all-time fielder at third base that he was when he entered the league with the Baltimore Orioles a decade ago, but he's one of the most complete offensive players of this era. If Machado puts together another monster season, there's a good chance he'll opt out of the final five years of his contract and return to the free-agent market.
2. José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians
Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesRanking last year: 1st
Age during 2023 season: 30
2022 statistics: .280/.355/.514 with 29 home runs, 126 RBIs, 69 walks, .869 OPS, two defensive runs saved, one out above average and 6.2 WAR
Quietly, Ramírez is building quite the Hall of Fame resume. He may not be quite the fielder that the man who edged him out for the top spot is, but Ramírez has been one of the most consistent superstars in the sport over the last six seasons. Since the start of the 2017 season, Ramírez has made four All-Star Game appearances and finished sixth or better in AL MVP Award voting five times. Over that same period, the only players who have accumulated more WAR than Ramírez are Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts and Mike Trout, according to FanGraphs.
1. Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesRanking last year: 2nd
Age during 2023 season: 32
2022 statistics: .293/.358/.533 with 30 home runs, 103 RBIs, 52 walks, .891 OPS, 19 defensive runs saved, 15 outs above average and 7.3 WAR
Arenado may not catch Mike Schmidt as the greatest third baseman in MLB history, but he's unquestionably going to go down as one of the best to ever patrol the hot corner. Arenado has played 10 seasons, and he has 10 Gold Glove awards to show for it. Additionally, he's taken home the Platinum Glove Award -- given to the best fielder in each league -- six years in a row. At this stage, all that's missing from Arenado's resume are an MVP and World Series title. But even if he never gets either of those, he's already done enough to earn himself a spot in Cooperstown.
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