Top 10 Third Basemen Under 30

January 14, 2009

All Positions: C / 1B / 2B / SS / 3B / CF / OF

Top 10 Third Basemen Under the age of 30
No. Player Pos. Comments Age Org Lvl
1 David Wright 3B Call him Mr. Consistency: Wright's gone better than .300/.380/.520 each of 4 full MLB seasons 25.8 NYM MLB
2 Evan Longoria 3B Offensively, he was 08's Ryan Braun -- less power and speed, more walks and better glove 23.0 TB MLB
3 Ryan Zimmerman 3B Similar offensive production to Gordon (.345 wOBA in 1932 career PA), much better defense 24.0 WAS MLB
4 Adrian Beltre 3B 8.2% BB rate highest since signing with Seattle; .359 road wOBA and he is an elite defender 29.5 SEA MLB
5 Alex Gordon 3B/1B Improved contact rate slightly from '07 to '08 + walk rate up 4.8% on his way to a .338 wOBA 24.7 KC MLB
6 Pedro Alvarez 3B High upside hitter w/ power + patience; missed time in '08 (contract disputes/broken hamate) 21.7 PIT NCAA
7 Mike Moustakas 3B Tale of two halves in '08; pre all-star: .228/.285/.386, post all-star: .321/.392/.557; .343 wOBA 20.1 KC A
8 Jorge Cantu 3B Not much patience (5.8% BB); gets it done w/ power (.204 IsoP); .340 wOBA highest since '05 26.7 FLA MLB
9 Edwin Encarnacion 3B .215 IsoP, 10.5% BB career highs; 17.6% K worst since '05; .351 wOBA; poor defender 25.8 CIN MLB
10 Ian Stewart 3B Ugly 30.9% K paired w/ likely unsustainable .364 BABIP leave us wondering how good he'll be 23.5 COL MLB
Honorables: Kevin Kouzmanoff (SD), Mark Reynolds (ARI), and Brett Wallace (STL).
* Our rankings combine a player's ceiling with the odds that he'll reach it within a five-year period
** Ages are as of November 1st, 2008
*** Level is the highest level the player has reached
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Questions about this list can be directed toward Adam Foster at .