The third base position is not one we typically consider when we think of stolen bases for fantasy baseball. Third base is usually the place drafters turn to for batting average, home runs, and RBI. Early-round standouts like Rafael Devers, Austin Riley, and Manny Machado are all high-average, elite-power, low-steals players. 

Further down draft boards, even solid players like Alex Bregman, Nolan Arenado, and Jake Burger will help with power, but very little with steals. Our 2024 projections, in fact, only list seven third basemen reaching even 10 steals. Third basemen with both skill sets such as Jose Ramirez and Royce Lewis are few and far between.

 

What if, however, you are in the middle of your draft without a third basemen and home runs and RBI are not what your team needs? If your team is in need of steals, is there anywhere to find them at the hot corner outside the first three rounds for 2024 fantasy baseball?

There are solid options available at third base for steals later in the draft. Missing out on Lewis or Ramirez can be softened by these players in later rounds. 

Let's look at three third basemen with their NFBC ADP who are sneaky candidates to add a solid number of steals to your fantasy baseball roster. 

Noelvi Marte, Cincinnati Reds (ADP 163)

Currently, Roster Resource projects that Noelvi Marte will win the third base job for the Cincinnati Reds coming out of Spring Training. The Reds could consider Elly De La Cruz or Spencer Steer, but they want to give their young rookie a shot. 

Marte is just 22 years old has just 123 Major League plate appearances, but he has one thing none of his peers at third base do: lightning speed. 

Marte.was behind only Edmundo Sosa for sprint speed among third basemen last season, and that was by the slimmest of margins (29.2 feet/second for Sosa, 29.1 for Marte). In just 35 games, Marte stole six bases last year, meaning a pace of 25 is not out of the question. 

The disadvantage for Marte is that he is currently projected to bat ninth. That will limit plate appearances for Marte, but hopefully the Reds give him the green light to move up the base paths so the big hitters can drive him in. 

Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates (ADP 165)

Pirates' third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes has two important things the other two players on this list do not have: three and a half years of MLB experience, and a spot in the top three of their team's lineup. 

If ever there was a year for Hayes to break out, 2024 would be the one. He is likely to bat third right behind Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds, and those two plan to be on base a lot in 2024. 

But unlike most players who bat third in their lineup, Hayes has 20-20 potential in his range of outcomes. He already has a 15-homer season and a 20-steal season on his resume, so all he needs is health and opportunity to set career highs in both. 

Hayes is not the fastest player you will ever see (33rd at the position in sprint speed), but he is great at picking his spots and taking advantage of a lackadaisical pitch to the plate. 

Going after pick 160 in drafts, Hayes is an absolute steal for those who want, well, steals after the 12th round of the draft. 

Maikel Garcia, Kansas City Royals (ADP 220) 

If you need absolutely zero help with your power numbers on your team but you need very late steals, Maikel Garcia is one of my favorite targets late in the draft. 

He is still young at just 24 years old, but already has more than 530 MLB plate appearances. In his 123 games last year in his rookie season, Garcia stole 23 bases out of 30 tries. That's not a tremendous success rate, but the Royals are always a team that has the green light turned on. 

Our projections have Garcia stealing 13 bases in 511 at bats, but I personally feel like that is too low. Other projection systems like ATC and The Bat all have Garcia with more than 20 steals again in 2024. 

With a projected batting average in the .260-.275 range, he isn't going to damage your squad in the category either. Like Marte, Garcia is likely hitting ninth this season, but that shouldn't slow him down one bit once he finds himself on base.