Red Sox vs the AL East: third basemen

4 of 5

Sep 25, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria (3) hits a single during the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Evan Longoria, Rays

Longoria had a mysterious down year last season, with his .253/.320/.404 slash line a far cry from his career line of .271/.351/.494 in an unusual 2014 season. And while his minor drop in batting average can be attributed to a 16-point BABIP drop, there’s no reasonable explanation for the disappearance of his power. With a career isolated power of .223, that mark dropped down to .151 last season despite Longoria being in his prime age and dealing with no apparent injuries (he played all 162 games last season). Longoria is still only 29 years old, though, and with an increase of power could return to form as one of the best third basemen in baseball, with his huge ceiling pushing him up to second on this list.

Schedule