Preseason Baseball Coverage: Draft Kit Central | New Faces in New Places | Top 250 Rankings

By Dustin Hockensmith
Fantasy Sports 101 Baseball

Third base is one of the better stocked positions in fantasy baseball, from first round picks Alex Rodriguez, David Wright and Miguel Cabrera at the top to intriguing sleepers Edwin Encarnacion and Kevin Kouzmanoff at the bottom. Options abound - you can get your franchise corner infielder early or wait until late in the draft and put your faith in a talented, young sleeper.

1. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
Rodriguez showed just what he's capable of when he finds a comfort zone throughout the course of a season. He chased single-season records in April and May, now shifts his focus to long-term career goals that will mean a bundle of cash as incentives in his new contract. The turbulence that started his offseason has subsided, and he should be fully ready for another run at 50 home runs and 150 RBI.

2. David Wright, New York Mets
The other third baseman in the Big Apple is surging up fantasy draft boards everywhere. Owners huntings for holes in his game have been unable to find them and are rightfully considering him with Top 5 picks in their drafts. At the tender age of 25, Wright may have enough potential left to push a 40-40 campaign, but simply matching his career-best numbers from 2007 would be enough to take him at No. 4 or No. 5 overall.

3. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Cabrera is the last of a trio of third basemen to go in the first round of drafts, and he may actually prove to be the most valuable. In Florida, Cabrera never had lineup protection that vaguely resembled what he'll have in Detroit, and he still averaged 32 home runs and 115 RBI in his four full seasons there. It would be reasonable to draft Cabrera and expect a .320 average, 35 homers and 140 RBI.

4. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
Braun burst onto the scene with a midseason callup and didn't slow down until the final pitch of Milwaukee's surprising 83-79 season. He takes his game to the outfield in 2008, where he'll be less of a defensive liability. Since he'll maintin third base eligibility throughout the season, added outfield eligibility will only serve to benefit those in need of some flexibility. You just hope the defensive learning curve doesn't take away from his immense potential at the plate.

5. Aramis Ramirez, Chicago Cubs
Ramirez and Garrett Atkins should be joined at the hip, as far as I'm concerned. If you're in need of a third baseman in the fifth round of your draft, you can't go wrong with either one of them. Ramirez brings more upside to the table because he has 40-home run potential. But he also comes with more risk, having played in fewer than 135 games in two of the last three seasons. Weigh out your risk aversion and pull the trigger on Ramirez if you can stomach a little more uncertainty.

6. Garrett Atkins, Colorado Rockies
Atkins got off to a puzzling slow start in the first half last year, then turned it on after the All-Star Break to salvage another very good season. He appears to have leveled off at 25-home run power, but he's a high quality run producer in one of the National League's most dynamic lineups. He'll find himself right in the heart of that lineup once again, which should be good for an automatic 100 RBI.

7. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals
Zimmerman's career is clearly on the fast track, in spite of the fact that his numbers failed to impress in his sophomore season. But, considering the lack of professional hitters in Washington's lineup and the offense supression at RFK Stadium, he may have actually overachieved. Zimmerman sprays the ball from gap to gap, which is where the new Nationals Park figures to benefit players the most. With more favorable dimensions, Zimmerman could be in for his first 30-homer season.

8. Chone Figgins, Los Angeles Angels
Figgins slips this low because it makes very little sense to start him at third base in fantasy. He's an incredibly useful player, but his lack of power and run production at third base would put you in a serious hole against your competitors. But, if your lineup dictates that speed at a corner infield position is necessary, turning to Figgins is by far your best option.

9. Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves
I understand that Jones has proved doubters wrong before and that he'll find a way to be productive and hit for a high average once again. My thought on the matter is, why ask for a guaranteed couple of extra headaches when there are so many other quality third basemen available. The only way I recommend drafting Chipper is if the bargain is too good to pass up, which would be no sooner than the 11th round.

10. Adrian Beltre, Seattle Mariners
It's safe to put a little more trust in Beltre and not hate yourself for making this pick. Three years removed from a 48-homer, 121-RBI contract year with the Dodgers, fantasy owners were obligated to select Beltre on that potential alone. He's developed into a different player, one without 40-home run power, but he's a safer choice than he gets credit for. He's the last of the known commodities available at third base, but is being pushed by some excellent prospects further down the list.

11. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
You don't have much to lose by selecting Longoria ahead of the remaining third basemen. He has more upside than any of them and the type of polish that hasn't been seen by a rookie since, well, Braun last season. Bad comparisons have already been made to Braun, anticipating that Tampa will handle Longoria the same way and start him at Triple-A Durham. The difference is, Longoria can actually defend his position, which will ultimately earn him a place on Tampa Bay's 25-man roster.

12. Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals
Gordon will be further proof that those owners who hang on to disappointment too long will be punished by a player that was slow to arrive. Expectations were awfully high entering last season, too high for a power prospect that needed more time to mature. Justin Morneau is a good comparison because there are similarities between their swings and statures. Morneau arrived a year later than expected, and Gordon should, too.

13. Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox
David Ortiz gets the "clutch" reputation in Boston, but Lowell had just as many key hits in 2008 and took home World Series MVP honors. He hit .324 with 21 home runs, 120 RBI and 79 runs scored. His freakishly high RBI total, relative to his extra-base hits total, was a product of his hitting in pressure situations. He hit .356 with runners in scoring position and .452 with runners on third and less than two outs - a good recipe for run production.

14. Edwin Encarnacion, Cincinnati Reds
Encarnacion is a fantasy favorite this spring, with many looking for a breakout season. Possible, but he's such a high profile sleeper that he, in essence, loses his sleeper status. I've deemed Encarnacion more of a "luxury item" in drafts than a "must-have" this season because he'll be difficult to get at the right price: a 13th-15th round pick.

15. Kevin Kouzmanoff, San Diego Padres
We're in a tough position with Kouzmanoff. It sure looks like he's arriving as a hitter and developing 30-home run power, but Petco Park is so hard on Padres hitters. He finished strong with a .317 average, 11 HRs and 37 RBI after the All-Star Break and had a nice body of work for the season. He's worth a flyer late in drafts, hoping those second-half numbers project for a full season.