The rankings for the best third basemen in 2024 may look a little different than they did a year ago. Well, maybe not much different. There are at least two names who are already accomplished enough to be mentioned among the greatest third basemen in MLB history.
But what if we limit our list to the best third baseman in 2024?
Best MLB third baseman in 2024
If we just thought about the best third basemen of 2024, who would be on that list? These aren't just players with a proven track record.
These are the players who are expected to shine during the upcoming season. After careful consideration, we've compiled a ranking of the top 10 third basemen in 2024.
10. Josh Jung
The Rangers are certainly thrilled with the way Josh Jung contributed to last year's World Series title. The rookie hit .266 with an OPS of .782 during the regular season and then proceeded to hit .308 with eight extra base hits in 17 postseason games.
There are certainly some difficult parts to his game, most notably his batting average. However, Young has shown enough promise as a starter in 2023 to make us believe he will be a good third baseman for many years to come.
9. Matt Chapman
Don't let Matt Chapman's long free agency saga fool you because he is still among the best players at his position. Defensively, there is still someone better than him. He won a Gold Glove last year, giving him four in the past six seasons, not to mention two Platinum Gloves earlier in his career.
Offensively, Chapman put together a solid if unspectacular campaign for the Blue Jays in 2023. He managed 17 home runs and an OPS of .754. These numbers are a bit below his career averages, but he can still hit and play excellent defense, and there is a lot of value in that.
8. Isaac Paredes
Leave it to a member of the Rays to sneak up on everyone and become one of the best players in baseball out of nowhere. That's exactly what Isaac Paredes did last season, as he smashed 31 homers and posted an OPS of .840.
Without a proven track record prior to last season, the 25-year-old could be a one-season wonder. But it looks like he will be strong and put together another impressive campaign this season.
7. Nolan Arenado
There is perhaps no more consistent third baseman in baseball than Nolan Arenado. He's been an All-Star every year since 2015 and won every Gold Glove Award from 2013 to 2022. The only caveat is that he didn't win a Gold Glove or Silver Slugger last season.
His offensive numbers are down significantly from his production in 2022. This gives us some reason to be concerned about him, especially since he benefited greatly from playing at Coors Field early in his career. Arenado isn't finished yet, but he may no longer be among the best third basemen in baseball.
6. Alex Bregman
Since first arriving in the major leagues in 2016, Alex Bregman has been one of the most productive third basemen.
He certainly peaked in 2019 and hasn't earned All-Star honors or won a Silver Slugger Award since then. But he has reached 48 total over the past two seasons and is still going strong through 2024.
5. Gunnar Henderson
After his first season, the sky is the limit for Gunnar Henderson. Baltimore's third baseman turned just 22 midway through last season, yet he won Rookie of the Year and Silver Slugger honors. The baseball world is waiting to see what Henderson does as a follow-up after he collected 28 homers, 82 RBI, and 10 stolen bases to go along with an .814 OPS.
Full disclosure, there's a chance Henderson will play a fair amount of shortstop this season. But his future likely lies at the hot corner, and he is already among the best third basemen in baseball.
4. Raphael Devers
On the heels of signing a 10-year, $313.5 million extension, Rafael Devers put together another strong season in 2023 and won Silver Slugger Awards. Even with six major-league seasons under his belt, Devers is just 27 years old and in the prime of his career right now.
As long as he stays healthy, Devers is a virtual lock for 30 homers and 100 RBI. But he also has a much higher ceiling, which is why he belongs to the elite third basemen in the game.
3. Manny Machado
Manny Machado's 2023 season clearly didn't go the way he wanted it to, especially in the wake of signing an 11-year contract extension. But even in a disappointing year, he hit 30 home runs.
Machado was also just one year removed from being a member of the All-MLB first team. Machado is still too young at 31 to write off last season as anything but a blip on the radar. He should return to being an All-Star-caliber third baseman in 2024.
2. Jose Ramirez
There is perhaps no third baseman in baseball today who has been an elite player over as long a period of time as Jose Ramirez. The 31-year-old has five All-Star selections and four Silver Sluggers on his resume.
He also had a 30-30 season in 2018 and was a second-team All-MLB selection last year. Ramirez has posted an OPS over .800 in eight straight seasons and carried Cleveland's lineup for long stretches during that span. Just as importantly, we see no evidence that Ramirez will slow down anytime soon.
1. Austin Riley
Even with a strong list of candidates for the position, there should be no doubt that Austin Riley is the best third baseman in the MLB right now. He has been a Silver Slugger winner and All-MLB first team selection in two of the past three seasons.
Riley collected at least 90 RBI in three straight seasons. He also averaged 36 home runs per season over those three years. What's interesting is that Riley turns 27 in April, so he's in his prime right now. In other words, the 2024 season could be his best season yet.
