- Mike Schmidt is the best third baseman in MLB history.
- Seven third basemen have more than 80 fWAR.
- Brooks Robinson won 16 Gold Gloves.
The best third basemen in MLB history paired reliable defence at the hot corner with significant production at the plate.
It can be a physically demanding position, with a strong arm and range required on defence. Teams often expect their third baseman to be one of their best hitters, too.
15 Best Third Basemen in MLB History, Ranked
| Rank | Player | Team(s) |
| 1 | Mike Schmidt | Philadelphia Phillies |
| 2 | George Brett | Kansas City Royals |
| 3 | Chipper Jones | Atlanta Braves |
| 4 | Eddie Mathews | Milwaukee Braves, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros |
| 5 | Wade Boggs | Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays |
| 6 | Adrian Beltre | Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers |
| 7 | Paul Molitor | Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins |
| 8 | Scott Rolen | Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds |
| 9 | Brooks Robinson | Baltimore Orioles |
| 10 | Jose Ramirez | Cleveland Guardians |
| 11 | Ron Santo | Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox |
| 12 | Manny Machado | Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres |
| 13 | Alex Bregman | Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox |
| 14 | David Wright | New York Mets |
| 15 | Evan Longoria | Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks |
Who Are the Greatest Major League Baseball Third Basemen Ever?
1. Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt won three MVPs and has 10.4 fWAR more than any other third baseman. He also has the highest wRC+ of third basemen to play more than 1,000 big-league games, and won 10 Gold Gloves. He’s far and away the best third baseman of all time.
2. George Brett
A Hall of Famer tied for the fifth-most fWAR among third basemen, George Brett had a phenomenal career with the Kansas City Royals. Brett won a World Series, an MVP award, and three Gold Gloves while posting a 147 OPS+ between 1976 and 1990.
3. Chipper Jones
Tied with Brett in fWAR, Chipper Jones had a very similar career. Jones played for one franchise, won a World Series, and was named MVP. He’s one of the best switch-hitters of all time.
4. Eddie Mathews
Very few third basemen have a better wRC+ than Eddie Mathews. Mathews led the NL in OPS+ in his second year in the big leagues and was selected as an All-Star on 12 occasions.
5. Wade Boggs
A career .328 hitter and two-time Gold Glove winner, Wade Boggs didn’t have the power of the other players on this list, but he was a reliable and productive contact hitter. Boggs received MVP votes in nine seasons.
6. Adrian Belte
Despite being on several teams with short baseball odds to win the World Series, Adrian Beltre only won two playoff series in his 21-year career. Beltre was universally adored by baseball fans for his jovial personality, which he paired with exceptional hot-corner defence and a high offensive peak in the 2010s.
7. Paul Molitor
Integral aa of the Toronto Blue Jays’ back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, Paul Molitor was a late bloomer with his best years coming in his early-to-mid 30s. Molitor had a 140 OPS+ between 1987 and 1994.
8. Scott Rolen
Scott Rolen was rightly inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023 in his sixth year of eligibility. An elite defender with a 133 OPS+ between 1997 and 2004, Rolen checked all the boxes of being an all-time great third baseman.
9. Brooks Robinson
Arguably the greatest defender in MLB history, Brooks Robinson won 16 Gold Gloves and was named an All-Star on 18 occasions. At his peak, Major League Baseball odds made Robinson one of the favourites for AL MVP, and he won the award in 1964 with 8.1 bWAR.
10. Jose Ramirez
Jose Ramirez has five top-six MVP finishes, including a runner-up placing in 2020. The Cleveland Guardians star already has six 20-20 or better seasons and has five Silver Slugger awards to his name.
11. Ron Santo
Ninth in fWAR, I might have been a bit harsh putting Ron Santo outside the top 10. I appreciate how good Santo was at his peak, but his counting stats aren’t as impressive as some of the players above him, and he’s only got a 125 OPS+.
12. Manny Machado
Manny Machado will be in the top 10 in fWAR among third basemen by the time he retires. Throughout his career, Machado has been an inconsistent offensive performer, fluctuating from MVP candidate to a little better than league average. His defence has remained elite throughout.
13. Alex Bregman
Having made his big-league debut at 22 years old, Alex Bregman could also make it into the top 10 in fWAR. He’s currently only on 41.8, but he’s a highly consistent hitter and will always provide plenty of defensive value.
14. David Wright
David Wright could have been several places higher if injuries hadn’t truncated his prime. At the end of his age-30 season in 2013, Wright had 46.5 bWAR and a 137 OPS+. He only played 211 more regular-season games.
15. Evan Longoria
A three-time Gold Glove winner and three-time All-Star, Evan Longoria was set for superstardom after his first three big-league seasons. He was an elite player until his age-31 season. From 2017 to 2023, he produced 10.1 bWAR and had a 101 OPS+.
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