The top 2014 fantasy baseball sleepers (third basemen) are revealed below.

Nolan Arenado, Col

Many have said that Arenado should have been given a roster spot directly out of spring training last year. The young third baseman ended up being summoned from Triple-A in late April only to prove his internal doubters completely wrong. The 22-year-old managed to make Major League history by becoming the first National League rookie third baseman to win a Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Arenado hit a modest .267 with 10 bombs. Expect his numbers to improve as a result of his intense off-season training.

Nolan Arenado of the Colorado Rockies

The Rockies seem to be pleased with Arenado’s success at the plate this spring, as the sure-handed infielder had gone 10 for 26 (.385) with one home run and four runs batted in over 10 games. Playing at Coors field should make him a bit more appealing to fantasy owners, especially after a major sleeper like Michael Cuddyer randomly won a batting title last season while playing in that offensive wonderland.

Xander Bogaerts, Bos

Bogaerts made his Major League debut on August 20, 2013, becoming just the fifth player from Aruba to play in the MLB. He definitely chose the right year to join the Red Sox, as they went on to win their eighth overall World Series. Despite arriving so late, the 21-year-old had an outstanding performance during the postseason, where he hit .296 with a couple RBIs in 12 games while also playing some good defense. Some players manage to play for two long decades without winning a ring, so earning one in just a few months’ service is one hell of a start to what seems like the beginning of a promising professional career.

I will admit, Bogaerts does appear to be struggling at the plate this spring, notching just three hits in his first 20 at-bats, but March is way too early to sweat a player’s production. I’m sure manager John Ferrell would like to see Xander get back in the groove of things, but he is well aware that all it takes for those championship cobwebs to clear is time.

Chris Johnson, Atl

The trade that managed to bring Justin Upton to Atlanta also gave the Braves a potential Chipper Jones replacement. Now we all know that no one can fill Chipper’s shoes, but the Braves had no problem deploying the 29-year-old Johnson at third base for a grueling 142 games last season. With the caliber of season that he put together last year, many reluctant fantasy owners are already beginning to foam at the mouth.

Johnson made his major league debut on September 7, 2009. The Florida native spent time with the Astros and Diamondbacks before having his breakout season with the Braves, where he hit .321 with 12 home runs and 68 RBIs, finishing just second behind Cuddyer for the NL batting title. Not bad for a guy drafted in the 37th round, eh? It’s easy to admire this player’s sweet right-handed swing, and if his power numbers begin to elevate, I think he will end up shocking some people come the end of the year.

Nick Castellanos, Det

Miguel Cabrera moves back over to first base, instantly opening up a huge chunk of playing time for Castellanos to play third. In 2010, the organization drafted the 22-year-old directly out of high school. Castellanos quickly emerged as the team’s top hitting prospect and eventually one of the top prospects in all of baseball. He was selected to appear in the 2012 All-Star Futures game, where his talents earned him the game’s Most Valuable Player award.

Nick Castellanos of the Detroit Tigers

Nick made his Major League debut in early September of last year, and ended up going 5 for 18 (.278) for the Tigers in 2013. He doesn’t have much major league experience, but his minor league statistics are far too impressive for a fantasy player to completely ignore. Having the opportunity to start everyday at third gives Castellanos a solid chance at being a productive big leaguer. He is hitting around .400 this spring, with a pair of home runs and an eye-popping 13 RBI through 11 games.

Matt Dominguez, Hou

Back in 2012, third baseman Matt Dominguez was acquired by the Astros in a three-player deal that shipped slugger Carlos Lee off to Miami. Years later, it seems that the Astros are finally starting to benefit from that trade. Dominguez is going into this season at age 24, where he will look to replicate last year’s 21 home run, 77 RBI campaign. His .241 average wasn’t all that impressive, but the power numbers are certainly there for any player manning the hot corner. Dominguez can only get better with experience, and if he raises that average another .25-30 points, then you can officially consider him fantasy relevant.

Matt Davidson, CWS

The White Sox are set to feature a boat load of young talent in 2014, and not all of them will gain immediate respect like slugger Jose Abreu. On December 16, the Diamondbacks traded third baseman Matt Davidson to the Sox for pitcher Addison Reed. Like Detroit’s Castellanos, Davidson was also named All-Star Futures Game MVP the next year. A day later he won the Triple-A All-Star Home Run Derby, earning himself a promotion to the big leagues later that month. The 23-year-old hit .237 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 31 games for the Sox, and has a lot more to prove coming into the new campaign as the team’s starting third baseman. Even though Davidson is having a quiet spring, I would keep an eye on him come fantasy draft time, as I am sure he will go unnoticed.

Casey McGehee, Mia

After a year-long hiatus playing ball overseas in Japan, third baseman Casey McGehee returns to American soil as the newest member of the Miami Marlins. McGehee led the Rakuten Golden Eagles to their first Japan Series title, while soaking up knowledge from teammate and fellow former Major Leaguer Andruw Jones. Since his debut in 2008, McGehee has spent time with the Cubs, Brewers, Pirates, Yankees, Golden Eagles, and now the Marlins. The 31-year-old is by far the most experienced player on our list of third baseman, but his career .257 average could come up a bit before you consider him fantasy relevant. McGehee is having a respectable spring, hitting .308 with one home run in his first 26 at-bats.

Lonnie Chisenhall, Cle

25-year-old Lonnie Chisenhall has been going head-to-head with former catcher and converted third baseman Carlos Santana as the Indians everyday third baseman. Santana has proven himself with the bat, so it’s obvious that he is Terry Francona’s favorite to win the job, but Chisenhall is looking to make an impact with the tribe either way. Coming into his fourth year as a big leaguer, now would be the time for the .244 career hitter to step his game up. On the down side, he hasn’t shown much power, hitting just 11 home runs in 289 bats last year, but I see him hitting a solid 15-20 in 2014 if his playing time remains consistent.

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