Ranking the top 10 third basemen in MLB entering 2021 season
It seems like baseball just mints outstanding two-way third basemen these days, with an absurd concentration of defensive maestros who can also hit the ball out of the park.A spot on the diamond where teams used to sacrifice defense in order to plant a slugger like a tree, third base is no longer the domain of the Dean Palmers or Bobby Bonillas of the world. Instead, the position is so deep, a former MVP and Rookie of the Year, Kris Bryant, doesn't even make the list.Here are our top 10 third basemen in MLB for 2021.
From record international signing of the Red Sox to centerpiece of the Chris Sale trade to mild bust to borderline All-Star, Moncada has run the gamut over the last six years. Still only 25, Moncada has found a home at third base in Chicago after converting from second. The switch hitter boasts 30-homer power and is only a two years removed from hitting .315 with a .915 OPS.
Ranking the top 10 first basemen in MLB
If you're wondering who has the most home runs in baseball since the start of 2019, it's Mets first baseman Pete Alonso. But if you're wondering who's second, it's not Mike Trout, Cody Bellinger, or Nelson Cruz. It's Suarez, a squat mauler with 64 bombs in that span, including a high of 49 in 2019.
Ranking the top 10 second basemen in MLB
The former MVP looked kind of cooked at the tail end of his Blue Jays days in 2018, but he experienced a renaissance in Atlanta in 2019, putting up 37 homers and a .900 OPS before joining the Twins. Donaldson just turned 35, but he remains a fiery leader and above-average defender.
Were he not coming off hip surgery, Chapman might be second or third on this list. It's a testament to Chapman's defensive greatness that the gifted Alex Bregman has yet to win a Gold Glove, because that's simply not possible when Chapman's healthy and saving 20 runs a year. He has already been named Wilson's overall defensive player of the year once, and his 35-homer power on top seems unfair.
Devers, conversely, isn't going to wow anyone with his glove, even though he has surprisingly good range, especially cutting across the diamond. His name has been forged with his bat, which has the potential to produce 40 homers as well as a high average. When Devers is locked in he hammers everything and might even be the toughest out in this group.
Tomase: Why Devers will be Red Sox' MVP in 2021
Red Sox fans will never forgive him for the slide that effectively ended Dustin Pedroia's career, but life goes on, and Machado has re-established himself as one of the best players in the National League. A two-time Gold Glover in Baltimore, Machado had a mediocre debut with San Diego in 2019, but finished third in last year's MVP voting.
Ramirez did Machado one better by finishing second in the AL MVP race, his third top-three finish in the last four years. Ramirez isn't huge, but he hits for big power (including 39 homers in 2018) walks a lot, and rarely strikes out. With Francisco Lindor in New York with the Mets, the Indians now belong to Ramirez.
From this point forward, order the top three however you like. Rendon helped lead the Nationals to a World Series in 2019 before signing a massive free agent contract with the Angels to pair alongside Mike Trout. Rendon held up his end of the bargain, blasting nine home runs with a .915 OPS last season while continuing to play stellar defense.
There are few certainties in baseball, but Arenado winning a Gold Glove and finishing in the top 10 of the MVP voting are pretty safe bets. He has won Gold Gloves in each of his eight seasons and cracked the MVP top 10 five times. A blockbuster trade means he'll be calling St. Louis home instead of the friendly confines of Coors Field, but don't be surprised if he hits another 40 homers anyway.
Before a sign-stealing scandal seriously sullied the reputations of everyone associated with the 2017 Astros, Bregman was a hard player to hate. He plays with non-stop intensity, he's an outstanding defender, and he's the complete package at the plate, with the ability to homer 40 times, walk 120 times, and be the most feared presence in the middle of Houston's order. After a down year in 2020, look for him to bounce back in his age-27 season.
