A look at the competition for 3B

[wildcard]

If you believe that  Galvis at SS and Sanchez at 2B are the most likely outcomes because of their defense then the question of who plays 3B is one of the biggest to be solved in ST.  Here are the  leading candidate IMO.

Rio Ruiz the incumbent

He will be 27 on May 22nd.   His career 222/295/372/667 sets a low bar.  His defense is average.  He will make close to the minimum.   He has an option left.

He sets a low bar for someone to jump over him and take  his job.

Pat Valaika

He will play 2021 at 28 years old.    Long time utility player who got regular playing time in 2020 and  hit for  a 277/315/475/791.  Those splits were driven by a 279/354/581/936 vs lefties.     His career 230/271/420/691 is competitive with Ruiz.   He has not played a lot of 3B but he may get the chance to show what he can do there in ST.  My guess is his defense may be slightly below Ruiz but only slightly.   He has a 825K major league contract and a split contract for 300K in the minors.  He has an option left.

Stevie Wilkerson

29 years old is not on the 40 man roster but will be invited to camp.  Also a utility player that came through the minors as a 2B.  In 2019 he showed he can hit right-handed pitching in the majors with a 264/311/472/783 split.  But only a 465 OPS vs lefties which makes him a platoon player.   He defensive numbers at 3B are not impressive but Stevie is an athlete.  I would not be surprised to see him competing for  a platoon spot at 3B this spring.    He will make close to the minimum if he makes the team.  He has an option left.

Yolmer Sanchez 

Will begin the season at 28 (BD: June 29th).   Won a Gold Glove at 2B and seems the favorite to start there.   But he has played 3B for a full season and he could play there this year.  That would move the position battle to 2B where  Valaika, Wilkerson and Urias have more experience.    He is not much of an improvement to Ruiz in terms of offense.    He has no options left.

Ramon Urias

Will turn 27 on June 3rd.  Starting at 3B would be a big jump for him.   Mainly a SS/2B in Mexico  and a 2B in the PCL, he would be trying to jump from the minors and to a position he has not played much.   Probably has a better change to make the team as a utility player.   He will make close to the minimum if he makes the team.  Has an option left.

Rylan Bannon

Turns 25 in April.  If Elias follows his normal path, Bannon be begin the season at AAA.  

TBD

Elias is no doubt still looking for better alternatives.

That is my take.  What do you think?

 

 

[Sports Guy]

[jabba72]

[Legend_Of_Joey]

Even though he hasn’t played there much since his debut, let’s not forget Stevie’s two plays early on: the diving stop and throw at third against the Nats and his charging, barehand throw in extras against the Braves that kept the game tied.

He probably is the better defender of the first 3 that were mentioned. 

[Tony-OH]

This is certainly a position that Elias may look for other alternatives no in the organization through either waiver claims or small free agent signing. 

Maikel Franco could make some sense if he wants a hitter friendly place to play on a one year deal and hope to hit pay dirt next offseason as a free agent when teams may be more willing to pay. 

 

[eddie83]

I thought they may add someone and maybe they still do but it’s Ruiz and nobody else right now. The other players have better positions they play.  
 

Maybe early in the year Bannon will be a nice surprise and be an option, maybe.  

[Philip]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

If you believe that  Galvis at SS and Sanchez at 2B are the most likely outcomes because of their defense then the question of who plays 3B is one of the biggest to be solved in ST.  Here are the  leading candidate IMO.

Rio Ruiz the incumbent

He will be 27 on May 22nd.   His career 222/295/372/667 set a low bar.  His defense is average.  He will make close to the minimum.   He has an option left.

He sets a low bar for someone to jump over him and take  his job.

Pat Valaika

He will play 2021 at 28 years old.    Long time utility player who got regular playing time in 2020 and  277/315/475/791.  Those splits were driven by a 279/354/581/936 vs lefties.     His career 230/271/420/691 is competitive with Ruiz.   He has not played a lot of 3B but he may get the chance to show what he can do there in ST.  My guess is his defense may be slightly below Ruiz but only slightly.   He has a 825K major league contract and a split contract for 300K in the minors.  He has an option left.

 

Stevie Wilkerson

29 years old is not on the 40 man roster but will be invited to camp.  Also a utility player that came through he minor as a 2B.  In 2019 he showed he can hit right-handed pitching in the majors with a 264/311/472/783 split.  But only a 465 OPS vs lefties makes him a platoon player.   He defensive number at 3B are not impressive but Stevie is an athlete.  I would not be surprise to see him competing for  a platoon spot at 3B this spring.    He will make close to the minimum if he makes the team.  He has an option left.

 

Yolmer Sanchez 

Will begin the season at 28 (BD: June 29th).   Won a Gold Glove at 2B and seems the favorite to start there.   But he has played 3B for a full season and he could play there this year.  That would move the position battle to 2B were  Valaika, Wilkerson and Uria have more experience.    He is not much of an improvement to Ruiz in terms of offense.    He has no options left.

 

Ramon Urias

Will turn 27 on June 3rd.  Starting at 3B would be a big jump for him.   Mainly a SS/2B in Mexico  and a 2B in the PCL, he would be trying to jump from the minors and to a position he has not played much.   Probably has a better change to make the team as a utility player.   He will make close to the minimum if he makes the team.  Has an option left.

 

Rylan Bannon

Turns 25 in April.  If Elias follows his normal path, Bannon be begin the season at AAA.  

 

 

TBD

Elias is no doubt still looking for better alternatives.

That is my take.  What do you think?

 

 

Bannon or TBA. Love Wilk but he’s got his meme, his insurance, his pension, and a few bucks for his trouble. Send him on his way.

Ruiz should go before Wilkie.

Valiaka is ok as late-inning filler, unless his bat comes alive.

Urias is a question mark. I had him as utility guy on my roster prediction, which leaves Valiaka as odd man out. And that’s fine.

[Just Regular]

If we end up having $$$ for a respectable Franco bid with Cobb savings (or you know, just with "more" money), I'll be rooting for an Iglesias structure with a Year 2 option in case he's any good.   

Maybe the Cubs keep Bryant and Mariners Seager, but guessing Franco at least needs to see if Justin Turner can find somebody to bid against the Dodgers.   If I'm Franco's agent, I think the '21 Orioles can hang with Cubs/Mariners as a showcase if they let go of their veterans.

Dodgers, Nationals, Braves, Brewers decent clubs with spots for those four, so higher degree of difficulty than Galvis, but someday Elias will have the augmenting with decent to good MLB players thing to do.

I imagine there would still be some contrast in the generic BP or FG article if say the Dodgers (or any of WAS/ATL/MIL, really) signed Maikel Franco vs. if the Orioles signed Maikel Franco, though I think we are perhaps as close as one Bowie month of going 19-8 from being trendier.   Bowie Month1 has a pretty good edge on Baltimore Month1 for how soon this can get good.

 

[wildcard]

I doubt the O's would bid more than 1.5m for Franco.

[Lucky_13]

If Bannon has a decent spring I don't know how he doesn't get the job. He probably has the most upside out of anyone in that group

[interloper]

I am hoping Rylan Bannon just sets ST on fire. A man can dream...

[ScGO's]

I still think Urias is the wildcard here whether he ends up at 2B, SS, 3B or a Utility role.

[Explosivo]

Could Gunnar be the future at 3b?

[Can_of_corn]

Yes, he could.

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Explosivo said:

Could Gunnar be the future at 3b?

He could..Westburg could.