3B Scarcity: Preseason Prep – March 14, 2026
3B is one of the most difficult positions to roster. Draft the best ones early and often. But if Machado and Ramirez, etc. are already gone, go bargain shopping with some of these 3B options.
Addison Barger TOR 3B
Barger barged into the Blue Jay lineup in 2025, causing damage from the left side of the plate to the tune of 21 HR and a filthy 51% Hard Hit rate that says it was no fluke. Buttressed by 92 MPH average Exit Velo and 76 MPH Bat Speed, Barger should be able to sustain the power that continued through the Fall Classic. His strong arm ensures OF action and his at-bats against right-handed pitchers should be plentiful with his ability to man multiple positions for Toronto. Add Addison for CI help and don’t be afraid to Barge ahead of 3B options like Areanado & Hayes.
Colson Montgomery CHW 3B
Are you sitting down? What if I told you that you could draft a 3B with the potential for 40 HR and you can have him for the low, low price of…I don’t know, late in a Mixed League snake draft? How does 21 HR in 284 PA strike you? In AL-Only you need Montgomery, if only for the pride of being the one who got ahead of the curve. Sure, he struck out a startling 83 times among those first 284 ABs, but his Barrel Rate neared 15% in limited time and his defensive range ranked solid, so he should stay on the field for the re-re-rebuilding White Sox.
Matt Chapman SFG 3B
Old reliable at the hottest corner, Chapman delivered despite limited PAs due to injury in 2025, in which he slapped 21 home runs, stole nine stolen bases and racked up 61 RBI and 76 runs scored. At age 32, Chapman remains reliable with 13.3% BB Rate, 20% Chase and an ample 92 MPH average exit velocity. The eye is good and the pop is still there, he even appears willing to swipe a few bases. His great defense ensures daily reps at the hottest of corners, and with health, there’s reason to expect a typical .250 BA, 25 HR season in 2026.
Alec Bohm 3B PHI
Bohm has always been the Corner man to dream on. Standing huge at 3B and at the plate, Bohm always seems on the cusp of a monster season. Could 2026 be the season of Bohm? His 2025 .287 BA was helpful across 500 ABs, and Alec’s low 14.6% Whiff Rate and strong 32.5% Square Up Rate point to little reason to worry about his floor. As the Phillies age out of contention, Bohm should remain a solid contributor, with ample opportunity for RBI when he knocks in Bryce and Kyle. His HardHit of 46.4% points to quality contact though his Barrel% at 6.2% may explain the lower than expected HR total. A K% of 16.3% keeps his floor solid and even his fortunate BABIP of .324 dips, Bohm should remain a boon with solid BA.
Munetaka Murakami 3B CHW
A known unknown that would be sure to make Donald Rumsfeld giddy, Murakami comes stateside with an impeccable resume in Japan. He absolutely mashed over there and is only 26 years old with 246 NPB dingers, so the power exists, is just a matter of what MLB pitching looks like to his free-swinging eyes. He struck out nearly 1000 times in the NPB, and that’s without middle relievers like Alex Vesia and Aaron Ashby. The potential is enticing, with powerful possibilities, but the possibility of potential disaster looms as he greets MLB in the least capable hands of the Chicago White Sox. Go big or go home (I’m going home on Murakami).
Caleb Durbin BOS 3B
Durbin hit 11 home runs, stole 18 and sported a .256/.334/.387 slash line in 2025 as a rookie. For this he was rewarded with a trade to the Red Sox who are now without Alex Bregman, Dubin could surge to 20-plus stolen bases, and see an up-tick in his power potential with the Green Monster looming on his pull-side swing. If Durbin takes a cue from Bregman to increase his pull-happy power swing, his contact skills and disciplined approach may equate to greater HR totals in his second full season in the bigs. His elite 9.9 percent strikeout rate and ample 33% Squared-Up rate point to a solid floor. The Bosox seem committed to Durbin at the hot corner for 2026 and if he can improve on his impressive rookie showing, Caleb could deliver top 15 3B numbers.
Ernie Clement 1B/2B/3B/SS TOR
This is a guy who plays baseball with two goals: stay on the field by any means necessary and to break StatCast. The variety of extremes for Ernie are like this: 97th Percentile Squared Up, 2nd Percentile Hard Hit Rate. Wow. Hit the absolute sweet spot of the bat, but not so hard. It’s confounding but in the best ways. His good fortune BABIP of .296 reveals the fruits of his good contact labor. Looking at 2026, Ernie’s contact skills of 86% could translate to yet unseen power, and his playoff performance proved no stage is too big for Ernie. The Blue Jays great lineup adds appeal to his counting stats and strengthens Clement’s cement floor.
Brett Baty 3B/1B NYM
In the second half of 2025, Baty slashed .291/.353/.477 until a right oblique strain stymied him in the final stretch. Baty’s 2025 season revealed some of his elite power potential. His HardHit% of 46.7% and Barrel% of 12.8% point to continued power for the young lefty, despite his slightly elevated K% of 25%. His batting average tracks well with his xBA of .257 and even if he splits the distance with his somewhat fortunate 2025 BABIP of .304., his BA floor should remain steady. Baty can mash and his 18 HR and 8 SB in part-time duty last season point to a path toward 20 HR and 10 SBs in 2026. If Brett finally gets full time reps in the Big Apple, this could be a great season to take a bite of Baty.
Zach McKinstry 3B/2B/OF DET
Zach knocked 12 home runs, grabbed 19 stolen bases, collected 49 RBI and gained 68 runs scored in 511 PAs for the Tigers in 2025. It basically all came together for him, leading to a .771 OPS representing his best MLB season by far. It’s not likely to be another 500 PA season for the utility man, who took advantage of a high .314 BABIP in 2025 while walking at a nice 9.2%. He’s a nice AL-Only late stash to protect for a starter going done and a late-late-late snag for Mixed League for the same reason. Age 30 peak has likely been summited, so don’t overpay for the career-year.
Colt Keith 3B DET
Keith kicked into gear in 2025 with a .256/.333/.413 slash and 13 home runs over 137 games, a solid output for the former top prospect. Keith has an elite Sweet Spot of 41% and a solid 10% BB Rate that should keep his bat in the lineup, at least vs RHP. Playing time could be an issue, but if the path clears for Keith, he could offer sneaky value at CI or 3B in AL-Only. He’s just 24 years old, so the potential for more is there if you want to draw Colt on draft day.
Royce Lewis 3B MIN
What is this guy? Can he still be the monster with 15 HR in 239 PAs and the .920 OPS he revealed in limited time back in 2023? Limited time is the operative (no pun intended) phrase here, as Lewis is among the more injured Twins, and that’s saying a lot. While his HardHit% of 40.3% pointed to the power in his recent past, Lewis struggled with a 31% Chase Rate and his Barrel% dipped to 8%. His OBP was an unsightly .283, which may explain why he hired a private hitting coach over the off-season. The old axiom of once you have a skill you own it forever will be tested with Royce Lewis, and as always, health is the key. If he plays, the potential for 25 HR or more is very real…and as you don’t want to miss the boat, you might be starring at Royce Lewis’ year.
Whoever the Brewers Put at 3B
Luis Rengifo looks to get the most looks at the not-so-hot corner for the Brew Crew. He cratered in 2025 as LAA lost their way, going .287 OBP with 5% Barrels and a paltry 6% BB Rate. The Brewers are betting on a return to his 2024 or 2023 form, in which he combined to swat 22 HR and swipe 30 bags. The Brewers bank on a Andrew Vaugn-like ascension for Rengifo, again betting on their organizational approach to swing decisions to bring the formerly solid offensive contributor back to life. Bet on Rengifo to hold down 3B unless he absolutely cannot hit or proves to be inept defensively, in which case…David Hamilton is ranked amongst the best defenders in MLB, which should have Matt Arnold racing the sausages to get Hamilton into the game. The possibility of pairing the lefty Hamilton with Rengifo in a mini-platoon is real, especially as Hamilton owns elite 95th Percentile Sprint Speed to go along with the glove.But, the investment in Jett Williams, who the Crew snagged in the Freddy Peralta trade with NYM, is real and after 1,000 minor league PAs with a .388 OBP and 99 SBs, there’s not much more for him to prove. Getting the top prospect on the field may be a priority for the Brewers and 3B could be a landing spot for Jett, especially if Rengifo fails. Short answer, avoid 3B for the Brewers in 2026, except for bench depth and NL-Only desperation.
José Caballero 3B/SS NYY
We know who this guy is and he’s worth owning, even if just for the SBs and the coverage he can offer on your bench. The only catch can be knowing when he’ll play, as he can be an in-game sub that leaves 2 SBs on your bench. If you can stomach 5% Barrels and sporadic playing time, Caballero has shown patience with a 13% BB Rate and some nice Sweet Spot action at 36.5%. He plays for Aaron Judge’s Yanks, so he’s bound to score some runs and continue his theft whenever possible. A good AL-Only late stash and decent Mixed League very late round snag for bench help and to keep his SBs off your opponent’s roster.