Third base has become one of the most top-heavy positions in Fantasy, offering little of real value after the elite class of Evan Longoria, Alex Rodriguez, Jose Bautista, David Wright and Ryan Zimmerman.
The same is true at the minor-league level.
Mike Moustakas is a potential franchise player, and you'll find a few other game-changers like Brent Morel and Lonnie Chisenhall. But the rest of the position is a collection of role players and long-term projects who won't exactly leave Fantasy owners counting down the days until their arrival.
But role players still count for something, particularly in AL- and NL-only leagues. If you remember them on Draft Day, they might just deliver that last little bit that puts you over the top, be it a cheap home run from Dayan Viciedo or a few extra steals from Eduardo Nunez.
Note: This list has been adjusted for Fantasy purposes. Long-term potential is one of several factors that influence the order and is arguably less important than the player's expected role in 2011. Not every one of these players profiles as a superstar, but they're the names most worth knowing in Fantasy right now.
1. Mike Moustakas, 22, Royals
Where
played in 2010: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats:
.322 BA, 36 HRs, 124 RBI, .999 OPS
Just when the scouts began to doubt Moustakas, the second overall pick in the 2007 draft made them look silly, putting together arguably the best season of anyone in the minors. A midseason promotion to Triple-A Omaha slowed his momentum a bit, but he eventually caught fire there as well, finishing with 15 homers in 225 at-bats. Now, the only thing standing in his way is Royals management, which might want him to spend a few more months in the minors to delay his arbitration clock. He has been a slow starter at each step up the ladder, but his incredible contact rate -- just 67 strikeouts in 484 at-bats -- should keep him from being overmatched at the major-league level. He's a stud in waiting at an increasingly shallow position, and with the Royals playing for the future, he should arrive by midseason. He could make an impact even in mixed leagues when that day comes.
2. Brent Morel, 23, White Sox
Where
played in 2010: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats:
.322 BA, 10 HRs, 64 RBI, .839 OPS
Major-league stats: .231 BA
(65 at-bats), 3 HRs, 17 Ks, 4 BBs
Morel stands to take over as the White Sox's starting third baseman in 2011 after a 21-game trial last September that yielded mixed results. He showed improvement in the one area of his game that didn't live up to expectations in the minors, his home-run power, but he also fell short in the one area that made him such a highly regarded prospect in the first place, his high contact rate. He struck out more than once every four at-bats, putting together only two multi-hit games. You can dismiss those struggles as inexperience, though. Morel profiles as a consistent .300 hitter in the majors and could live up to that promise as soon as this year. He might top out at 15 homers or so, making him sort of a modern-day Jeff Cirillo, but that'd be good enough to make him a starter in Fantasy. He can go undrafted in mixed leagues, but he'll matter in AL-only leagues right away.
3. Lonnie Chisenhall, 22, Indians
Where
played in 2010: Double-A
Minor-league stats: .278 BA, 17
HRs, 84 RBI, .801 OPS
Chisenhall is a natural hitter who the Indians selected as their third baseman of the future in the first round of the 2008 draft. And considering they currently have Jayson Nix starting at the major-league level, the future may come sooner than you think. Chisenhall's minor-league numbers don't look all that special, but he played with a strained shoulder for the first month. He hit .284 with 17 homers and an .852 OPS over his final 90 games, which is about what the scouts project for him in the majors. He may never hit more than 20-25 homers, but if his sweet stroke allows him to become a consistent .300 hitter, he'll be an impact player in Fantasy. He doesn't have any issues with strikeouts, suggesting his transition to the majors should be a smooth one. And as things currently stand, that transition could come by midseason. He's worth drafting in AL-only leagues.
4. Matt Dominguez, 21, Marlins
Where
played in 2010: Double-A
Minor-league stats: .252 BA, 14
HRs, 81 RBI, .744 OPS
For reasons only they could fully explain, the Marlins have all but declared Dominguez their starting third baseman for 2011, actually creating an opening for him by moving Chris Coghlan to center field instead of third base as originally planned. You could argue the decision shows their confidence in Dominguez's talent, but that confidence seems a bit premature considering Dominguez has yet to put up above-average numbers outside of Class A. The Marlins could always backtrack and decide the 21-year-old needs more seasoning, but for now, the job is his. He does have upside -- he was the 12th overall pick in 2007 -- but chances are if he makes the team out of spring training, he'll stick around for only a month or two before convincing the Marlins he needs more time to develop. As a long-term prospect, he's still intriguing for Fantasy purposes. As a 2011 option, he's strictly for NL-only leagues.
5. Dayan Viciedo, 22, White Sox
Where
played in 2010: Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .274
BA (343 at-bats), 20 HRs, 78 Ks, 11 BBs
Major-league stats:
.308 (104 at-bats), 5 HR, .840 OPS, 25 Ks, 2 BBs
Make no mistake about it: Viciedo can kill the ball. No matter where he is or who he's facing, when he makes solid contact, somebody's getting a souvenir. Unfortunately, his lack of discipline keeps him from making solid contact as often as he should. His walk rate is downright embarrassing, meaning as soon as pitchers figure out what he'll chase out of the strike zone, his batting average will tumble, especially if he continues to strike out once every four at-bats. The good news is that at age 22, he still has plenty of time to improve his approach. His build makes him unlikely to stay at third base long term, but in Fantasy, you mostly care about his bat. He showed no fear against major-league pitchers during a trial run in 2010, so if he has to fill in for a corner infielder, he could hit 10-12 homers. He's worth a flier late in AL-only leagues.
6. Eduardo Nunez, 23, Yankees
Where
played in 2010: Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .289
BA (245 at-bats), 4 HRs, 23 SBs, .721 OPS
Major-league stats:
.280 (50 at-bats), 1 HR, 5 SBs, 2 Ks, 3 BBs
Nunez came closer to becoming the Yankees' starting shortstop than anyone could have imagined when contract talks with Derek Jeter hit an unexpected speed bump this winter. But the two sides eventually worked out their differences, putting Nunez in the utility role the Yankees had always envisioned for him. But just because he won't start doesn't mean he couldn't. He never struck out more than 76 times in a minor-league season, hitting .306 over the last two, and that ability to make consistent contact immediately translated to the majors last year. He's sort of another Chone Figgins, meaning if the Yankees find enough at-bats for him, he could offer a useful number of stolen bases and runs scored. He probably isn't worth your time in long-term keeper leagues since he may never have the inside track on a starting job, but you can bet he'll factor in AL-only leagues, particularly Rotisserie formats.
7. Juan Francisco, 23, Reds
Where
played in 2010: Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .286
BA, 18 HRs, .565 SLG, 81 Ks, 16 BBs
Major-league stats: .273
(55 at-bats), 1 HR, 20 Ks, 4 BBs
Francisco falls into the Dayan Viciedo category of good power, no discipline. His major-league debut wasn't as explosive as Viciedo's, but the Reds were too busy contending to give him much of a chance, leaning heavily on veteran Scott Rolen at third base. Of course, Rolen isn't getting any healthier at age 36, putting Francisco one twisted ankle away from regular at-bats. He'll likely begin the season in the minors, where he'll try -- with no luck, most likely -- to improve that ugly strikeout-to-walk ratio, but if he continues to put up the power numbers he has been, you can bet the Reds will summon him at some point. He's worth a flier in deeper NL-only leagues just for the possibility of cheap homers, but he's not quite as attractive in long-term keeper leagues. His free-swinging ways could prevent him from holding down a full-time job even when he reaches his prime.
8. Josh Vitters, 21, Cubs
Where
played in 2010: Class A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .247
BA (316 at-bats), 10 HRs, 39 RBI, .717 OPS
Some prognosticators have jumped off the bandwagon on Vitters, having watched his numbers decline every year since the Cubs selected him third overall in 2007. But Mike Moustakas is a perfect example why you shouldn't give up on high draft picks before they've physically matured. They could put it together seemingly overnight, and when they do, all that natural talent will take over. No doubt, Vitters' stock has taken a hit, making him no longer the long-term keeper option he once was, but if you're looking for a third-base prospect, his ceiling is still as high as anybody's. If nothing else, he's making consistent contact, striking out no more than 65 times in a season. He's unlikely to reach the majors this year, especially given his struggles in the minors, but his pedigree alone earns him a spot on this list.
9. Alex Liddi, 22, Mariners
Where
played in 2010: Double-A
Minor-league stats: .281 BA, 15
HRs, 92 RBI, .829 OPS, 145 Ks
The scouts aren't as high on Liddi as they once were, but the reasons aren't so obvious. It can't have anything to do with his numbers. How can you complain about a .281 batting average, 15 homers and an .829 OPS? Granted, those numbers don't hold a candle to his .345-23-1.005 line from 2009, but cut him some slack. He wasn't playing in the heavy-hitting California League anymore. The one knock anyone could have on Liddi is his high strikeout rate. He struck out 145 times last year and has struck out at least 115 times each of the last four. That's reason enough for him to remain in the minors for now, but if he continues to progress, he could emerge as a viable starting option for the Mariners within a couple years. He doesn't have the highest ceiling, making him less than a must-own in long-term keeper leagues, but you could certainly do worse.
10. Bobby Borchering, 20,
Diamondbacks
Where played in 2010: Class A
Minor-league
stats: .270 BA, 15 HRs, 74 RBI, .763 OPS
Borchering is on this list mostly because he was a first-round pick in 2009. He actually disappointed to some extent in 2010, perhaps even allowing Matt Davidson to slip past him on the organizational depth chart. But we'll give Borchering the nod since he's half a year older and has the better pedigree. Because of his power potential and switch-hitting ability, the scouts compared him to Chipper Jones going into the draft, but he'll need to master the strike zone to make the most of his potential. He's likely a few years away from the major leagues, but if he suddenly puts it all together, you never know. Only Melvin Mora stands in his way at the major-league level. You wouldn't want to draft Borchering outside of long-term keeper leagues, but he's worth monitoring.
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