2009 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: 3B

Five-tool stud. The drop in steals was a disappointment in 2008, but 30 HRs and 20 steals in 2009 should be a lock.

A-rod delivers outstanding numbers even in down years and remains a 5 tool player. In 2008, he hit ONLY 35 home runs after blasting 54 in 2007. But he missed most of May with a quadriceps injury. Even at age 33 and amid the steroid allegations, he remains the safest bet in baseball to hit 40 home runs.

Look for Cabrera to increase his AVG in his 2nd season in the AL. Despite the slow start he still had 37 homers and 127 RBI's. He is primed for career year and could be a bargain on draft day.

The 23 year old reigning AL ROY should continue on the fast track to stardom. Had a poor average in the postseason, but did blast 6 homers. In 2008, he had 27 home runs even though he spent two weeks in the minors and a month out with a fractured wrist. He doesn't have the track record yet but the sky's the limit.

More reliable but more of an injury risk than Longoria. He will likely hit cleanup for a loaded Cubs lineup so will have a ton of RBI chances.

The late June call up exploded by hitting 10 home runs in his first 89 at-bats. The 22-year-old was up and down but did bat .325 in September. His minor-league numbers and 6-foot-4 frame suggest huge power potential, and playing half his games in the Rangers' hitter-friendly park is an added bonus. His move from first to third base at the end of the season also gives him dual eligibility.

Must improve road numbers and his plate discipline to be starter worthy for fantasy teams in 2009. In 2006, he hit .329 with 29 home runs but in 2008 the regression continued as he hit .286 with 21 HRs. Atkins struck out more than twice as much as he walked in 2008. He moved to first base to make room for rookie Ian Stewart at the end of 2008, so does have dual eligibility for 2009. A rebound is very questionable so draft accordingly.

Could be a major bargain in 2009 based on it being a contract-year. Adrian has been on of the most consistent players the past three years while posting 25 homers and 80-90 runs and RBI's. A solid fantasy starter if you can steal him late.

He is a huge injury risk, but you can't let him drop too far. 2008 marked the fifth straight season at less than 140 games played and he'll turn 37 soon. Chipper is always near the top of the majors in OPS and his average/power combo is huge but make sure you draft a quality backup because it

Another potential bargain based on a forgettable 2008 ruined by the injury bug. He is saddled in one of the weakest lineups in the league but the potential for 25 homers and a .280 average is there.

He may be overvalued on draft day coming off a career year. (.312-29-115-91) The Greek God of Walks has position flexibility (1B/3B) as an added bonus as he played 36 games at 3B. Hitting in the middle of the loaded Red Sox lineup should keep him amongst the top ten 3B on draft day.

May be overvalued by a fantasy owner expecting his third year in the bigs to be a breakout season. He does have the possibility to go 20HRs and 15 steals but stuck in a weak lineup will limit his potential and the average is likely to hover between .260 - .270. A better value in keeper leagues but figures to still have growing pains in 2009.

Don't pay for the 2008 production. He has hit 30 HRs before, but several seasons at or below 20 makes me question his value in 2009. In 2008, he topped a .300 batting average and 30 home runs for the first time since 2003. Despite the risk, Huff is a decent value considering the dual position eligibility (1B/3B).

A Big-time source of speed if healthy but was hampered by the injuries in 2008 (played in only 116 games and stole 34 bases). Depending on your league rules his value increases dramatically if he's eligible at 2B.

If he qualifies at 2B his value takes a dramatic increase (played less than 20 games in '08). In the 2nd half of 2008, the prized Rockies prospect hit 10 home runs in 266 at-bats with an average around .300 until a dreadful September slump brought his average down to.259. Unless the Rockies trade Helton or Garrett Atkins, his playing time may be limited but the potential for an injury to Helton is likely so I'd recommend you roll the dice on Stewart because the payoff could be huge.

Its doubtful that he'll ever hit over .290 but the youngster finally showed his power in 2008 and should reach 25 homers this year again while hitting cleanup for a very underrated Reds lineup.

The ultimate high risk / big reward player. His strong 2008 finish could be the sign of a breakout in '09 but he hasn't topped 20 homers since 2000 and has played 65 or less games two years in a row. He does have 1B/3B eligibility and a 25-30 HR season is possible with 600 ABs but that's a big if based on the lengthy injury history.

Legitimate slugger capable of improving his average in 2009. Reynolds has 30 homer power but his strikeout rate is alarming (over 30%). The good in 2008 was 28 home runs and 97 RBI but the bad was a .239 batting average and a major-league record 204 strikeouts. His poor eye at the plate will lead to inconsistency but the power potential is legit and he starts against both left- and right-handers.

He continues to have injury problems and the loss of SS eligibility hampers his value in 2009. If he can stay healthy (a big if at 32 years old) a .290 average with 15 HRs and 90 RBIs are within reach.

Rumors have him moving to 3B in 2009 to clear shortstop for prospect Elvis Andrus. At 32 years old, Young may struggle to regain consistency in '09. He has the potential to hit over .300, the runs scored and RBI numbers figure to be impressive batting atop a loaded Texas lineup. He remains an injury risk but still ranks among the top 10-15 shortstops on draft day.