Here’s the first look at the 2015 Lester’s Legends third base rankings.
1. Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals
Anthony Rendon hit .287 with 111 runs, 21 home runs, 83 RBI and 17 stolen bases last year. Rendon’s main position is third base, but he played 28 games last year at second base to give himself positional eligibility and additional flexibility.
2. Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays
Josh Donaldson has averaged 91 runs, 26.5 home runs, 95.5 RBI and 6.5 stolen bases over the past two years. Those numbers were attained while playing in Oakland. Look for his power numbers to increase in Toronto. His .268 lifetime batting average keeps him just out of the top spot.
3. Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds
Todd Frazier hit .273 with 88 runs, 29 home runs, 80 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 2014. He has averaged 22.3 home runs over the past three seasons.
4. Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers
Adrian Beltre hit .324 last year with 79 runs, 19 home runs, 77 RBI and one stolen base. He’ll turn 36 in April, which makes him a little riskier than the top three choices. At what point does age catch up with him?
5. Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
Evan Longoria hit .253 with 83 runs, 22 home runs, 91 RBI and five stolen bases last season. In seven years, he has averaged 79.1 runs, 26.3 home runs, 90.7 RBI and six stolen bases while hitting .271.
6. Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners
Kyle Seager hit .268 with 71 runs, 25 home runs, 96 RBI and seven stolen bases in 2014. Over the past three years, he hit .262 while averaging 70.7 runs, 22.3 home runs, 83.7 RBI and 9.7 stolen bases.
7. Pablo Sandoval, Boston Red Sox
Pablo Sandoval hit .279 with 68 runs, 16 home runs and 73 RBI in 2014. The move to Fenway Park should pay dividends for the Kung Fu Panda.
8. Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies
Nolan Arenado hit .287 with 58 runs, 18 home runs, 61 RBI and a pair of stolen bases last season. Already a two-time Gold Glove winner, look for him to take a step forward offensively.
9. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians
Carlos Santana played 26 games at third base last year, giving him positional eligibility (along with first base). He hit .231 last year with 68 runs, 27 home runs, 85 RBI and five stolen bases. You’ll have to live with the .248 lifetime batting average, but he has averaged 23 home runs and 78.5 RBI over the past four seasons.
10. David Wright, New York Mets
David Wright hit .269 last year with 54 runs, eight home runs, 63 RBI and eight stolen bases in 134 games. Staying healthy has been an issue the past few seasons, but when he is healthy, Wright is a five-category contributor.
This article first appeared on LestersLegends.com.
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