3rd Base Mock Draft Picks
As a fantasy expert, I recommend using the mock drafts to visualize the 3rd base picks. To illustrate my point, I participated in five mock drafts. This exercise was to get a fantasy sense of the value of the 2025 3rd basemen participating in live mock drafts. The subsequent data collected helps with all fantasy player draft pick decisions. I chose the Yahoo Fantasy Baseball 12-team standard mock draft format. Sixty fantasy managers, including myself, entered the mock drafts. Many fantasy managers participated live in the draft, while I selected the auto-pick feature.
Should a fantasy baseball manager draft high or low when adding the hot corner to the lineup? Are you all in on first-round fantasy stud Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Indians? Or, to build a solid team, you focus on other positions and offensive categories, with the knowledge that many reliable 3rd basemen are available in the later rounds of the draft.
Certainly, Ramirez tops the 3rd base list in many fantasy league rankings like Yahoo and ESPN. The question is, where do the next best third basemen rank in a mock draft scenario? More importantly, do you wait until later to draft a third baseman?
Mock Draft Number One Pick, Jose Ramirez: 3rd Base, Cleveland Indians
Jose Ramirez is a first-round pick, regardless of the fantasy format. His average mock draft position is the fifth spot. Ramirez is a plug-in-and-play everyday position player. He is solid in all the major hitting categories and is projected by ESPN Fantasy Baseball to match his 2024 season numbers. For this reason, he is also reasonably priced at $42 in the Yahoo salary cap leagues.
Ramirez has the potential to smack 30-plus home runs, adding over 100 RBIs and runs scored. His speed on the basepath at 32 years old is projected to be 30 stolen bases. He was one home run shy of becoming the oldest player to join the 40/40 club last season. A solid .280 batting average is topped off with a .850 OPS (On Base plus Slugging Percentage). To summarize, do not miss the opportunity to draft Jose Ramirez in the first round. A player of his caliber will pay dividends to your fantasy team all season.
Mock Draft Number Two Pick, Jazz Chisolm, 3rd Base/OF, New York Yankees
Jazz Chisolm rides the edge between the 2nd and 3rd rounds. He consistently averaged around the 24th pick in this 12-team mock draft. Whereas Chisolm already has multiple-position appeal as a 3rd baseman with outfield experience, the New York Yankees are moving him back to his natural position at second base for the 2025 season. This is in addition to his home run power and stolen base upside. Jazz’s only downside may be his propensity for injuries. Shaking off the injury bug, 25 home runs, and 40 stolen bases for less than $30 would be a steal for the 2nd highest-ranked 3rd baseman.
Hitting the Fantasy 3rd Base Crossroads
Fantasy managers may have hit a crossroads as to whether the next three highest-ranked 3rd basemen are worth drafting here. Slugging Manny Machado, San Diego Padres; Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves; and Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox have similar statistics. All three 3rd basemen averaged around the 30th pick, selected in the third round. These locked-in everyday players will give you on average 30 home runs, 90 to 100 RBI, and a .500 slugging percentage, costing in the range of $24 in salary-cap leagues.
But also available in the 3rd round may be the starting pitchers’ 220 strikeout club, featuring Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves (225k), Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals (223K), and Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners (220K). Every successful fantasy team needs a number one starting pitcher to anchor the rotation. Decisions Decisions.
The Yahoo mock drafts indicated the next best 3rd basemen fell off a cliff to the 8th, and 9th rounds. This group of 3rd basemen averaged 25 home runs and 70 RBI and included steady performers; Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox, Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles, and Mark Vientos, New York Mets. So if you missed out on drafting a 3rd baseman in the early rounds, with a little advanced planning, a manager may feel secure that a good 3rd baseman is still available in later rounds.
A draft strategy is paramount to a successful fantasy baseball team. The mock draft tool, offered by all fantasy leagues greatly assists the manager in planning his team roster.
Mock 1, Mock 2, Mock 3, Mock to you drop!
