Third base is called the hot corner because of the short reaction time for smashes down the line, but it also requires quick reactions for fantasy baseball managers who are looking to fill the position with a productive offensive option. There are a few proven, elite options at the top of the position, but the drop-off is sharp after the first few options go off the board. If you’re stuck without an elite option or looking for depth at 3B, a few fantasy baseball sleepers make sense at the position, but they do come with risk factors, so avoid over-reaching for them. At the right time of the draft, though, these 3B options are strong fantasy baseball sleepers relative to their current ADP (average draft position).
Whether you prefer season-long leagues, DFS contests or DraftKings Best Ball, DK Network will have you covered throughout the upcoming season. Earlier in this series, we’ve looked at fantasy baseball sleepers at catcher, first base, second base and shortstop. In this post, we’ll look at my top three 3B sleepers coming into spring training.
Addison Barger, Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays’ run to the World Series had many young heroes, and Barger emerged as a top contributor at the plate, excelling even on the biggest stage. Even after his regular-season and postseason success, Barger is not in the top 12 of 3B in ADP coming into spring training.
The 26-year-old is likely headed to the outfield for most of the time this season since the Blue Jays brought in Kazuma Okamoto at third base. Barger should remain an everyday contributor, though, and he’ll likely be near the top of the order in a lineup that should score plenty of runs and produce solid power.
Barger ran hot and cold during his rookie season, but when he was locked in, he was outstanding. He hit .243 with 21 homers and 74 RBIs in his 135 games with the Jays last season, and he finished with a 50.9% hard-hit rate that landed him in the top 10% of qualified hitters. Not surprisingly since he was a rookie, he struggled in lefty-lefty matchups, but he hit much better against righties and at home.
In the playoffs, he went 22-for-60 (.367) with four doubles, three homers and a 1.025 OPS.
He’ll look to build off that late-season success and even out his splits on the plus side to become an elite starter at 3B. In almost all formats (10 and 12 team leagues), he’s an underrated, low-end starter with big upside this season.
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Caleb Durbin, Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox lost Alex Bregman to free agency and spent most of the offseason trying to fill in their infield. They acquired Caleb Durbin in early February via a trade with the Brewers, and whether he ends up at 3B or 2B, Durbin is an intriguing option if you miss out on the top options. He’s currently the No. 18 3B by ADP but moving to Fenway could make him a startable option this season.
Durbin was traded last offseason as well, leaving the AL East when the Yankees sent him to Milwaukee as part of the trade that landed Devin Williams. In 2024, he hit .287 in Triple-A with 10 homers and a .388 wOBA in 82 games. He also tacked on 29 stolen bases for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
It didn’t take long for the Brewers to move him to the majors. After just 13 games in Triple-A, he played 136 games for the Brewers. He hit .256 with 11 homers, a .319 wOBA and 18 stolen bases. The Brewers didn’t put nearly as much emphasis on the run game as the Red Sox do, so his stolen bases could climb with a full season in Boston.
He ended up finishing third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting and still has the potential to add a little power and speed with his solid batting average and contact metrics shipping up to Boston. He’s not locked into an everyday role with the Red Sox now having lots of mix-and-match plays in the infield, but Durbin should be a big part of the team’s infield solution and has nice upside as one of the top fantasy baseball sleepers at the position coming into spring training.
Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks
Lawlar is an example of a “post-hype sleeper” coming into the season after getting lots of attention as an elite prospect the last few seasons but failing to deliver much fantasy production in the majors. Lawlar was blocked coming into last season by Eugenio Suarez, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte. Even after Suarez was traded, the Dbacks brought in Nolan Arenado to fill 3B, leaving Lawlar without a clear path to playing time in the infield. Arizona now plans to move the 23-year-old righty into the outfield mix, but he starts the season with 3B eligibility, which makes him one of the top fantasy baseball sleepers at the position.
Last season, Lawlar struggled in very limited work in the majors, hitting only .182 in 28 games. It’s probably safe to ignore those numbers, though, given how productive he has been throughout his rise to the majors. Last year in Triple-A, he hit .313 with 11 homers, 20 stolen bases, a .420 wOBA and a 41.4% hard-hit rate for the Reno Aces.
With Lourdes Gurriel Jr. recovering from a torn ACL and Corbin Carroll recovering from surgery to remove a broken hamate bone, Lawlar should have a clear path to playing time in the outfield. His defense might be questionable in his new position, but his bat seems to be MLB-ready.
He has a very high ceiling as a versatile prospect with the potential to be a star. His ADP indicates that the hype has died down to the point that 30 other 3B are going off the board ahead of him. If you need a late flier, Lawlar is an option worth looking at, especially if he shows he’s ready for an everyday role in spring training.
