1	Junior Caminero Tampa Bay Rays 3B
Whatever doubts existed for Caminero heading into 2026 were thoroughly expunged by a second consecutive 40-homer campaign in which he nearly doubled his walk rate -- a telltale sign that he's now among the most feared hitters in the game. At 23, he's poised for a lengthy reign atop this position.
2	Miguel Vargas Chicago White Sox 3B
Between the massive increase in average bat speed and the pull-air rate verging on 30 percent, there's little reason to doubt Vargas' power contributions, and he's fast enough to continue impacting the stolen base category as well. Some will be inclined toward skepticism given the enormity of his breakthrough, but third base unfortunately doesn't allow for such nitpicking.
3	Sal Stewart Cincinnati Reds 1B
Stewart's totals were more impressive than his percentages in 2026, which could make him a polarizing player heading into the new season, but based on his minor league numbers, I think he has more ground to gain in strikeouts and pull-air rate. The 15 steals are the most iffy part of his 2026 stat line, judging by his 27th percentile sprint speed.
4	Jose Ramirez Cleveland Guardians 3B
Ramirez's power completely vanished in the second half, when he hit just two home runs, which is concerning enough to dethrone him at the position he has long dominated. He does have a valid excuse for it, seeing as he was coming off a broken hamate bone during that time, and I'll note that his contact skills and base-stealing remained perfectly intact. Still, he doesn't get the full benefit of the doubt at age 34.
5	Alex Bregman Chicago Cubs 3B
After a sluggish opening act in Chicago that positioned him to be a free agent bust, Bregman made some mechanical changes midseason that led to the sort of power production we hadn't seen from him since his 41-homer 2019. While the .317 batting average, 17 homers and 1.103 OPS that he delivered over his final 43 games isn't projectable over a full season, it makes him out to be a trustworthy choice at this thin position.
6	Kevin McGonigle Detroit Tigers SS
McGonigle had a historic rookie season in many ways, but not necessarily the most Fantasy-friendly ways, owing much to his superlative defense and on-base skills. How much power he can pack onto his 5-foot-9 frame, particularly at a restrictive venue, will go a long way toward determining his ceiling. Still, he has ground to gain in batting average and stolen bases.
7	Manny Machado San Diego Padres 3B
The decline for Machado in 2026, while marked, was mostly restricted to batting average, which normally isn't the first indicator of a player aging out. But he is 34 and had only one month (July) with an OPS of .800 or better. I suspect that his issues were mostly mechanical, but it's hard to take a glass-half-full approach with him when he still commands a premium at the position.
8	Zack Gelof Athletics 3B
Gelof faked us out once before with a splashy rookie showing in 2023, but his success in 2026 went beyond just the surface level. He added more than 2 mph in average bat speed and shaved more than 10 points off his strikeout rate from the previous two years. Of course, he missed some time with injuries, but if you project his 22 homers and 16 steals over 162 games, they come out to 32 homers and 23 steals.
9	Kazuma Okamoto Toronto Blue Jays 3B
If Okamoto simply repeats his 2026 stat line, he'll be well worth drafting here, but that's a big if. The league learned to force-feed him breaking balls, diminishing his power over the course of the year, and his poor batting average and uninspired defense already give him a thin margin for error. His success depends on him piling up counting stats, so any threat to his playing time could be a deal-breaker.
10	Isaac Paredes Houston Astros 3B
An early injury to Carlos Correa conferred everyday duty upon Paredes, and it went about as swimmingly as it always does for him, which hopefully means the playing time question won't be raised again. He has little raw power but excels at lofting the ball to the shallowest part of left field, which is generally good for 25-plus home runs, particularly with the Crawford Boxes at his disposal in Houston. His plate discipline elevates him all the more in points leagues.
11	Max Muncy Los Angeles Dodgers 3B
Muncy played in a career-high 149 games in 2026 and performed equally against righties and lefties, which may be enough to quiet the talk of decline. Seeing as he's 36, though, it's still going to be on the tip of everyone's tongue, and just because he performed adequately versus lefties doesn't mean the Dodgers were eager to use him against them. The profile is similar to Isaac Paredes, but I think with more playing time risk.
12	Curtis Mead Boston Red Sox 3B
Improved pull-air and strikeout rates put Mead on the breakout path with a .253/.353/.498 slash line. It also compelled the Red Sox to give up an intriguing young hurler ( Connelly Early ) for him at the trade deadline. They have yet to see any benefit since he got hurt right away. However, Mead is in line to start for them at second base, which would only expand his already favorable eligibility. His swing should theoretically play well at Fenway Park, but he remains largely unproven.
13	Casey Schmitt San Francisco Giants LF
Like Curtis Mead Schmitt's breakout was interrupted by a midseason injury (torn meniscus), and in some ways, it was the more compelling of the two. He picked up 1 mph in average bat speed and had an xBA (.288) and xSLG (.512) that were 95th percentile or better. He has a tendency to swing at everything, though, which leaves him vulnerable to the right game plan. Also, while Mead's home venue is likely to help, Schmitt's is likely to hurt.
14	Bo Bichette New York Mets 3B
It's hard to keep giving Bichette the benefit of the doubt when he fails us twice in three years, and by ranking him this low at a weak position, I would say that I'm not. But I'm also not burying him for three reasons: He hit .284 with a .772 OPS over the final four months, was reportedly still feeling the effects of a PCL sprain early in the year, and will only be 29 next year. It's a batting average-dependent profile, and those can be volatile.
15	Austin Riley Atlanta Braves 3B
It's even harder to give Riley the benefit of the doubt now that his numbers have declined five straight years, with the biggest drop coming in 2026, but by golly, he still hits the ball hard. The jump in chase rate this year suggests that his issues are more related to mechanics or approach than diminished tools, which leaves the door open for a fix. It's a long shot, of course, but it's glimmer enough for a budget corner infield pick, particularly with his kind of upside.
16	Bryson Stott Philadelphia Phillies 2B
Stott ranks 11th for me at second base, which makes a compelling case that it's actually the weaker position, despite third base's reputation. His upside is more limited than the four ahead of him here. Still, I could see him leapfrogging them on Draft Day, depending on how the scarcities shake out (not just positionally but also statistically, with him being a superior base-stealer).
17	Maikel Garcia Kansas City Royals 3B
The jump from seven home runs to 16 made Garcia a premier third baseman in 2025, so when he regressed to only three (albeit in 82 games) the following year, it's probably reason enough to dismiss him as a one-hit wonder. Trouble is that all three came before he suffered a hand injury in mid-May, and I'm not sure he was ever quite right thereafter, needing separate IL stints for the injury. That he stopped stealing bases is another concern, though.
18	Nolan Arenado Arizona Diamondbacks 3B
Arenado seemed to be on his way out as a power hitter, his dwindling exit velocities reaching a tipping point as he failed to deliver 20 homers in consecutive seasons, and this made it all the more shocking to see him bounce back with 30 this year, 16 of which came in the final two months. I'm skeptical of a repeat, both because he's in his mid-30s and because his average exit velocity actually diminished further to the 3rd percentile. If the Diamondbacks are at all to credit for the turnaround, he'll surely enjoy having another season with them.
19	Brooks Lee Minnesota Twins 3B
Availability can sometimes trump ability, and simply by virtue of starting 151 games for the Twins (and coming off the bench in five others), Lee compiled some pretty good totals in 2026. The only area where you might consider him a plus, though, is home runs, and those came more from an optimal pull-air rate than a natural ability to impact a baseball. Any slippage in health or production would reduce him to mediocrity again.
20	Jordan Westburg Baltimore Orioles 2B
Westburg spent all of 2026 recovering from a UCL tear, submitting to full-blown Tommy John surgery in May, but since he's a hitter and not a pitcher, he should be in pretty good shape come spring training. The 27-year-old was a burgeoning power threat prior to the procedure, showing the capacity for 30-plus homers in a healthy season, and isn't near the batting average liability that, say, Colson Montgomery is.

Early 2027 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top 20 at third base reveals how risky the position has become

Jose Ramirez will still command a premium, but Bo Bichette and Austin Riley won't after disappointing seasons reshape the 2027 rankings

What changes in points leagues?

Fantasy baseball 2027 rankings: Top 20 at 3B led by Junior Caminero