Corners Report: More Ranks For Next Year

We fantasy writers do have our tropes. One of the best is the draft day debate types, like where you look at two people at the same spot in the draft and decide which one to take. Third base seems to lend itself to these types of arguments, plus it would be a super fun theme, or something like that.

So these players are ranked by where this author would pick them, by tier, and then there are some notes.

TIER 1:

1. Jose Ramirez

2. Junior Caminero

Yes, the youngster from Tampa makes the top tier for the next year’s draft. There is a case for him to be taken as the first third baseman in drafts. First of all, his age. He’ll turn 23 in July of next year. That’s not his prime, if you were wondering. That will still be coming. Now, he has generated 12.3 imaginary Razzball Player Rater dollars for his home runs, and 8.9 for his RBI. Conversely, Jose Ramirez has 11.5 in the same currency for stolen bases. At 32, will this continue? If that goes down as can be expected, the top billing would have to go to Caminero.

Now, now, you in the back, quiet down. I do know that Caminero plays in a minor league ballpark half the time. That doesn’t mean it’s not legit! If the Trop had not blown away, Statcast tells us he’d have 36 home runs to this point. That’s still really good! Even if he were in Wrigley Field, that number dips to 29. In 22 of the 30 parks, he’d have over 30 home runs. And don’t forget, he calls that minors park home for the next two years.

These two, it’s a preference thing, speed and average or pure power?

Tier 2:

3. Manny Machado: just a steady across the board contributer.

4. Eugenio Suarez: Can’t ignore what he’s done, but have to monitor the landing spot for the upcoming free agent.

Tier 3:

5. Rafael Devers: Well, uh, remember last week when I kinda bashed him? August shut me up. 9 HR and a .989 OPS for the month, he’s good. If he can remotely keep that up through September, he’ll vault up to 2 overall.

6. Maikel Garcia: Speed and average play, he’s really broken out, and there’s no reason to think it’s stopping.

7. Alex Bregman: Another guy who could be a free agent and depends on landing zone.

8. Jazz Chisholm Jr.: “He’s good, he just missed that month!” Yup. Every. Single. Year.

9. Isaac Paredes: Unfortunate hamstring injury aside, Paredes was the perfect fit for Houston. However, keep in mind next year he’s likely to play first with Carlos Correa manning third.

TIER 4: Health Risks

10: Carlos Correa: Houston vibes with him. .290 with four home runs as the team that drafted him re-acquired his services. Not the most consistent guy year to year, but does have a baseline we can count on.

11: Austin Riley: He’s been hurt for large stretches of the season now for two years in a row, and the statcast numbers aren’t great. Sixth percentile in squared up, and the K rate spiked to 28. In 2023, the Big Season, the K rate was 24, and the squared up was 28th percentile. That’s some declining metrics. Is it health related? Maybe, but thanks for further helping prove my argument?

12. Max Muncy: All in on the glasses change, not on age and health, so he’s stuck here.

Of these three, I probably realistically would take Riley just for the upside compared to his spot drafted. If you want safety, go Muncy. If you want steady productivity, likely it’s Correa.

TIER 5: THE RULES SAY YOU NEED A STARTER

13. Matt Shaw

14. Alec Bohm

15. Jordan Westburg

16. Colt Keith

Shaw rules this tier because of his second half. To this point, he has a .564 SLG in that time frame. That’s good, especially for a rookie. Don’t forget how long it takes even elite prospects sometimes to get comfortable. He’s adjusted, he fixed his weird swing things, and if anyone breaks into the top 5 at the position next year, it’s this guy. Shaw likely will bat higher in the Cubs order next year as well, possibly (if the Cubs’ lineup isn’t bad) getting more runs and RBI!

TIER 6: THE RULES…..OH, DEAR.

17. Josh Jung

18. Lenyn Sosa

19. Jake Burger

20. Brooks Lee

Apologies for the last tier. Don’t hate the writer, hate the rules of the game.

For next year, I’d try to make sure I got a good 3B somewhere in the first ten rounds. I’m guessing that Matt Shaw will be in my wallet often. If you don’t, then just wait and take a flyer late. The corner infield spot? Grab a first baseman there.

Thanks for reading once again, even if you just skimmed it!