Sleeper Candidates: Third Basemen
George Bissell and Dave Shovein break down their favorite sleeper candidates at the hot corner heading into 2025.
The nebulous “sleeper” label has evolved into all-encompassing shorthand in the fantasy baseball lexicon to highlight undervalued players heading into draft season. Every fantasy manager seems to have a different interpretation. The Buzz is sticking with the more traditional historical definition by classifying sleeper candidates as mostly unheralded or unproven players (or aging veterans that are being similarly overlooked) that are currently flying under-the-radar (typically late-round selections) but have a real chance to emerge next season as impact fantasy contributors. George Bissell and Dave Shovein provide in-depth breakdowns of their favorite fantasy sleepers at second base including: Joey Ortiz, José Tena, Jace Jung and Shay Whitcomb.
Editor’s Note: We’re extremely bullish on Cubs top prospect Matt Shaw here at The Buzz. He’s the most logical breakout candidate at the position by a country mile. Simply put, he hardly fits the definition of a traditional sleeper candidate, especially since we have him ranked as a borderline top-15 option already. The 23-year-old top prospect has a wide-open path to begin next season as Chicago’s everyday third baseman and projects as an immediate power-speed combo fantasy contributor with realistic 20-homer and 20-steal upside. He’s not going to be a traditional “sleeper” by the time most fantasy managers are drafting in mid-to-late March, especially once he starts making some serious noise in Cactus League exhibition contests.
Joey Ortiz, Brewers
2025 Rankings: The Buzz (28) Bissell: (28) Shovein: (29)
There are so many quality options at the hot corner that I genuinely struggled to identify someone that fits the traditional sleeper model. I’ve harbored some affinity for Joey Ortiz over the last few years, mostly due to his elite defensive prowess, and it certainly helps that he’s one of the few third base-eligible options that possesses legitimate 20-steal potential. The 26-year-old former top prospect’s track record and underlying metric don’t scream massive untapped offensive upside, but he projects to make a realistic five-category impact for fantasy managers, especially in deeper formats. He’s a certifiable defensive wizard, which will keep his bat in Milwaukee’s lineup for years to come. It wouldn’t be shocking if some minor tweaks to his offensive approach, most notably some improved swing decisions, unlock some additional lurking upside.
In addition to being more selective, which would cut down on weaker contact, Ortiz will need to start putting the ball in the air more often if he’s going to add some additional over-the-fence pop, especially since his pedestrian average exit velocity (87.8 mph) and barrel rate (4.6 percent) last year finished within the lower quartile among qualified hitters. The bat speed is there for him to start to tap into some additional thump and his solid bat-to-ball skills suggest that he’ll continue to hit for a decent batting average — most likely in the .250-.260 range — and get on-base at a decent clip, which will lead to plenty of stolen base opportunities. Barring an unexpected metamorphosis, Ortiz doesn’t project as a fantasy superstar, but his ability to provide a realistic double-digit home run and stolen base floor shouldn’t be overlooked by fantasy managers in the late rounds of 2025 drafts. — George Bissell
José Tena, Nationals
2025 Rankings: The Buzz (32) Bissell: (40) Shovein: (23)
The obvious major sleeper at third base is Matt Shaw, but I already gave a full breakdown on my thoughts on him in this week’s Early ADP Analysis for the third base position. In summary, the Cubs rookie third baseman is a threat to challenge for 20-20 in his debut season and unlike most top prospects, the market price doesn’t seem to have caught up to the hype just yet. His current ADP sits way down at pick 230 with a min of 177. While I generally like to play it safe and take solid, proven production early on in drafts, these are the types of risks that I love taking in the middle rounds. His stock is going to soar come March when it’s clearer that he’s locked in as a regular in the Cubs’ lineup, but as of now I’d be looking his way all day in the 12th round at pick 173.
Outside of Shaw, the one sleeper at the position that completely jumps off the page for me this season is José Tena. The 23-year-old more than held his own in his first prolonged action in the big leagues, slashing .274/.305/.363 with three homers, 15 RBI and six stolen bases in 164 plate appearances with the Nationals. He possesses that dynamic blend of power and speed that all fantasy managers are constantly searching for and he should have an everyday role in a much improved Nationals’ lineup that has added Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell over the winter. I have just nine players at the hot corner projected for double digits in both home runs and stolen bases, and Tena goes off the board the latest of the nine. He’ll also do so without being a liability in batting average or with his counting stats. A true late-round gem. — Dave Shovein
Jace Jung, Tigers
2025 Rankings: The Buzz (35) Bissell: (36) Shovein: (35)
If we’re trying to mine for late-round value even further down on the list, the name that interests me the most is Tigers’ third baseman Jace Jung. Obviously that all goes out the window if the Tigers are successful in quest to bring Alex Bregman to Motown, but in the meantime, Jung is locked into a strong side platoon role. He has terrific command of the strike zone and already exhibited an elite walk rate in his brief cameo at the end of the 2024 campaign. Jung flashed strong power potential in the minor leagues and should contribute a bit of everything across the board. Sometimes, playing time is king, and getting a starting third baseman around pick 500 doesn’t usually happen — especially when it’s a top prospect with major upside. — Dave Shovein
Shay Whitcomb, Astros
2025 Rankings: The Buzz (NR) Bissell: (38) Shovein: (NR)
This is one for the deeper mixed leagues. One of the more intriguing under-the-radar prospects in the dynasty landscape, Shay Whitcomb finally ascended to the big leagues without a ton of fanfare late last season after destroying Triple-A pitching to the tune of a robust .293/.378/.530 triple-slash line with 25 homers and 26 thefts in 481 plate appearances. The versatile utility specialist’s power evaporated once he reached the big leagues, hitting .220 (9-for-41) with three extra-base hits (zero homers) during a brief 20-game cameo. It’s too small of a sample to overreact and the Astros have ostensibly cleared the decks in recent months for him to open the season in the majors in a multi-positional bench role. He’s pretty much off fantasy manager’s radar screens completely, outside of deeper dynasty leagues, but there simply aren’t a ton of obstacles standing in his way to regular at-bats in Houston. He’ll probably never be a fantasy superstar, but his power-speed combo figures to make him a useful multi-category contributor in deeper mixed leagues. — George Bissell