In this edition of the Fantasy Baseball Sleepers, we’ll finish off our tour around the infield as we take on one of the most valuable positions in all of fantasy baseball, third base. Now this position was a bit harder to find sleepers due to the value players who play and have third base eligibility hold. Like I’ve previously mentioned, the corners of the infield are valuable positions where you want to nail down studs early on in the draft. You still need depth for those positions on your roster and most leagues have a utility spot or two, that’s where the likes of the three players listed below come into play. Heck, I’d argue that the first player we list could be your starting fantasy third baseman and your team could be successful.
Tommy Edman (St. Louis Cardinals)
ADP: 144th
Positional Rank: 21st
2019 Stats: .304 BA, 11 HR, 36 RBI, 59 R, 15 SB, .350 OBP, .500 SLG
2020 Projection (via RotoChamp): .280 BA, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 83 R, 23 SB, .327 OBP, .438 SLG
So, if you’ve checked out any of the earlier editions of these articles, typically our sleepers fall around, or later than, an ADP of 200th. With third base being so valuable, we’re going a little more non-traditional here for us and go a little earlier. In terms of third base eligible players, Edman is still the 21st off the board with a ADP of 144. He comes with elite speed as he is in the 97th percentile in the league for sprint speed. He’s going to give you a lot of stolen bases. He was a crucial part of the Cardinals’ playoff run a year ago in his rookie season. We know that the Cardinals are a win-now team and Edman will be an everyday player for them. He could very easily hit 15 homers and steal well over 20 bases. He’s someone I would easily take over his 144th ADP. He’s also OF eligible.
Scott Kingery (Philadelphia Phillies)
ADP: 185th
Positional Rank: 25th
2019 Stats: .258 BA, 19 HR, 55 RBI, 64 R, 15 SB, .315 OBP, .474 SLG
2020 Projection (via RotoChamp): .243 BA, 17 HR, 53 RBI, 67 R 15 SB, .293 OBP, .419 SLG
What’s part of the attraction to Kingery is the amount of positions he is eligible for. He is eligible to play third base, shortstop, second base and outfield. That’s hard to find. Anyhow, as of right now, he’s set to be the Phillies’ every day third baseman, or second baseman. Whatever position it is, he’s going to be given the chance to be an every day player and show what he can do before the Phillies’ prized prospect Alec Bohm gets called up later this year, or next year. I believe the Phillies are to ride with Kingery this year and bring Bohm up next year. Plate discipline is obviously less than desired but Kingery does possess the rare combination of power and speed. If he saw the photo of him coming into spring training, you also know you want a share of this guy in fantasy. He’s a guy who could very well be flirting with a 20-homerun and 20-steals season.
Gio Urshela (New York Yankees)
ADP: 236th
Positional Rank: 27th
2019 Stats: .314 BA, 21 HR, 74 RBI, 73 R, 1 SB, .355 OBP, .534 SLG
2020 Projection (via RotoChamp): .295 BA, 17 HR, 68 RBI, 73 R, 1 SB, .334 OBP, .473 SLG
It’s not easy to find sleepers on teams such as the New York Yankees, but we do have one here. Urshela’s stat line from a year ago definitely puts him on the sleeper radar with his current ADP. He’ll get the nod to be the Yankees’ opening day third baseman and will have the position as long as he plays well, and if last year was an implication of that, he will. He will hit later in the Yankees’ lineup, but that lineup is loaded top to bottom, so nothing to worry about there. He does it all too. He hits for average. He hits home runs and therefore RBIs, which also boosts his OBP and SLG. The only thing he doesn’t do is steal bases. If you can find stolen bases elsewhere and have a spot for third base depth later in the draft, grab Urshela.