2012 Fantasy Baseball: Preseason Third Base Rankings

Prior to the Prince Fielder signing, Jose Bautista was my top hot corner option.

With Miguel Cabrera moving over, here are the Lester’s Legends 2012 fantasy baseball third base rankings.

1. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

He was probably the top first baseman before the Prince Fielder signing. Now that he’s moving over to the hot corner, he easily tops this shallow position.

2. Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

Proved that 2010 was not a fluke with 43 home runs last year. His 3B/OF eligibility is a bonus.

3. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays

Had a down year but still mashed 31 HRs. His four-year average of 28.3 HRs and 100.3 RBI speaks for itself.

4.  Hanley Ramirez, Miami Marlins

He had a down year and could struggle switching to third base, but his power/speed combo plus SS eligibility make him an attractive option.

5. Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers

He was limited to 124 games last year but still managed 32 HRs and 105 RBI. Expect big things if he can stay healthy.

6. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals

Only played in 101 games last year and saw his OPS drop a full 100 points to .798, but he has shown that he’s a big-time hitter when he can stay healthy.

7. David Wright, New York Mets

Only played 102 games and had a career low .772 OPS. He should bounce back, though, as he did in 2010. His stolen bases give him a bump.

8. Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants

With a lot of third basemen missing significant time and/or experiencing a down year, it was nice to see Kung Fu Panda return to form. His .315-55-23-70-2 line in 117 games is encouraging. He hit .325 with a .963 OPS after the break.

9. Brett Lawrie, Toronto Blue Jays

Sparkled in his 150 at-bats, hitting .293 with 26 runs, nine HRs, and 25 RBI.

10. Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox

The Greek God of Walks hit just .258 with 17 HRs. He has yet to play 150 games in a season and has missed 102 games over the past two years.

When he plays, he’s effective, but you’ll need a contingency plan.

11.  Michael Young, Texas Rangers

The dude doesn’t age or slow down. You’re not going to get home runs from him, but expect a .300-plus average and a solid number of runs and RBI.

12.  Aramis Ramirez, Milwaukee Brewers

He moved north to Milwaukee. He was healthy last year, playing in 149 games after combining for 206 in the previous two seasons.

He has good power and will give you a decent average, but he’ll miss Prince and Braun during his suspension.

13.  Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

It’s hard not to consider A-Rod a top-10 third base option, but he will turn 37 and hit just 16 home runs in 99 games. Plus, he was brutal during the postseason. Regression has clearly began.

14.  Mark Reynolds, Baltimore Orioles

The average is going to be brutal (.238 lifetime hitter), but he has averaged 38.3 HRs over the past four years. Unfortunately, the stolen bases have taken a hit.

15.  Mike Moustakas, Kansas City Royals

He wasn’t entirely impressive, hitting .263 with a .675 OPS. He finished strong, though, hitting.352 with four HRs and 12 RBI in September.

Also check out:

• 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Rankings
• 2012 Fantasy Baseball Shortstop Rankings
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball First Base Options
• Additional 2012 Fantasy Baseball Second Base Options