MLB Pipeline will reveal its 2025 Top 100 Prospects list at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 24, with a one-hour show on MLB Network and MLB.com. Leading up to the release of the Top 100, we'll examine baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.

The third-base position is trending old.

Of the third basemen to make MLB Network's list of Top 10 Right Now, seven are 30 or older, and half are at least 32. There are some young guns on the periphery -- Royce Lewis, Mark Vientos and Jordan Westburg are all 25 and could easily break out this season -- but as the main group ages, there should be opportunities for a new generation to take over the mantle.

Enter MLB Pipeline's Top 10 third base prospects for 2025.

Six of the Top 10 have ETAs of 2025, including the top two prospects -- Coby Mayo (Orioles) and Matt Shaw (Cubs). Mayo may be blocked by Westburg on Baltimore's current depth chart, but his plus-plus power already helped him gain 17 games of MLB experience. Meanwhile in Chicago, the Cubs have kept the third-base lane clear for Shaw, especially after trading Isaac Paredes to the Astros in the Kyle Tucker blockbuster.

Cam Smith -- the No. 3 prospect on this list -- was also included on that deal and may be in a spot to become Alex Bregman's long-term replacement in Houston if the two-time World Series winner heads elsewhere in free agency. That's if No. 9 Zach Dezenzo doesn't claim the Astros' job for himself.

No. 6 Jace Jung and No. 7 Brady House could also have opportunities to win Major League jobs with the Tigers and Nationals respectively, depending on how their offseasons shake out.

It's time to stay alert at the hot corner.

The Top 10 (ETA)

1. Coby Mayo, Orioles (2025)
2. Matt Shaw, Cubs (2025)
3. Cam Smith, Astros (2026)
4. Brayden Taylor, Rays (2026)
5. Cam Collier, Reds (2026)
6. Jace Jung, Tigers (2025)
7. Brady House, Nationals (2025)
8. Tommy White, Athletics (2027)
9. Zach Dezenzo, Astros (2025)
10. Mike Boeve, Brewers (2025)
Complete list »

Top tools

Hit: Shaw (60)
The 2023 13th overall pick has an interesting setup at the plate with a closed-off front foot and a massive leg kick when he doesn't have two strikes, but it works for him as he routinely barrels balls to all fields. He's yet to post a strikeout rate above 20 percent at any Minor League stop and has a career average of .303 through two pro seasons.

Power: Mayo (70)
Standing in at a hulking 6-foot-5, Mayo uses every bit of his size to generate loud contact as he's shown in back-to-back Minor League seasons with 25+ homers. At just 22 years old, his 106.8 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity was ninth-best in Triple-A (min. 350 PA), and his bat speed was already registering as well-above-average during his brief run in the Majors.

Run: Shaw (55)
You don't typically think of third basemen as speedsters, but given his size (5-foot-9) and infield versatility, Shaw isn't exactly a typical third baseman anyway. He swiped 31 bags between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa in 2024 and added three more during Team USA's bronze-medal run in the Premier12 tournament this offseason.

Arm: Mayo (70)
As he does with his pop, Mayo uses every inch of his size to generate power in his throws, and his plus-plus cannon provides his best argument for sticking at third base long term.

Field: Taylor, House (55)
It shouldn't be a surprise that two players with ample shortstop experience appear here. Taylor is a good fit for Tampa Bay's versatility-loving organization, and while he's athletic enough to feature up the middle occasionally, his range is a great fit for the corner spot on the left side. House opened his career at the six but slid over to third in 2023 and has improved his actions enough to draw rave reviews from Nationals officials.

Superlatives

Highest ceiling: Mayo
Mayo's power is about as good as it gets in the Top 100, and it isn't often you see an infield prospect with two separate plus-plus tool grades. A potential full-time move to first base may lower his floor some, but if he can find a way to stick across the diamond, he could quickly become one of the game's best slugging third basemen.

Highest floor: Shaw
Shaw's hit tool would be good enough to earn him a spot here considering it's practically Major League-ready now. His above-average power and speed elevate the floor even higher, and the athleticism -- in particular -- means he has other ways to contribute on days he pulls an 0-for at the dish.

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Rookie of the Year candidate: Shaw
The Cubs should be in win-now mode after the acquisition of Tucker, yet they continue to hold space for the former Maryland great in its third-base plans. Barring an unforeseen move, Shaw has a great chance of winning the MLB gig outright this spring, and his multiple tools could help build a solid ROY case.

Highest riser: Boeve
Drafted in the second round in 2023 out of Nebraska-Omaha, Boeve ranked No. 15 in Milwaukee's top 30 last year as questions lingered over his power. Those remain, but the Brewers corner infielder carried his incredible bat-to-ball skills over to Double-A, where he batted .306 with an .821 OPS in 66 games in the pitcher-friendly Southern League. That solidified the belief that he could be a future plus hitter in the Majors.

Humblest beginning: Dezenzo
The former Ohio State star wasn't taken until the 12th round of the 2022 Draft and signed for $125,000, the max allowed without dipping into Houston's bonus pool. He debuted in the Majors 25 months later, becoming the first member of the Astros' 2022 class to crack The Show.

Most to prove: Jung
The 2022 first-rounder struggled to get his power going in his first taste of the Majors as he slugged just .304 through 94 plate appearances, and his glovework at third base remained a work in progress after sliding there from second base. That said, he might be the favorite to win the Opening Day third base spot on the current roster, but the Tigers, who are rumored contenders for Alex Bregman, have talked about how he'll need to win the gig with a strong spring rather than having it handed to him.

Keep an eye on: Eric Bitonti, Brewers
The 2023 third-rounder profiles as the opposite of fellow Milwaukee prospect Boeve. Bitonti hits the ball hard from the left side of the box, and that power helps him overcome otherwise worrisome contact concerns. Considering he was drafted as a 17-year-old, the Brewers played it slow with Bitonti last year, splitting his time between the Arizona Complex League and Single-A Carolina, and he responded by slashing .282/.402/.544 with 16 homers in 79 games. With that base layer of performance, he could be set for a slug-heavy breakout over a larger sample in his second full campaign.