Matt Chapman has been one of the most durable third basemen in MLB in recent years, and the 2025 season was another example of that. He has played at least 125 games in five seasons in a row, and in fact, this was the first time since his rookie year (excluding the 2020 shortened season) in which he played fewer than 130 games.
That durability and his sustained production at the hot corner make him a player worth targeting as a mid-round option in most fantasy formats heading into the 2026 fantasy season. Chapman is coming off a solid campaign in 2025, hitting .231 with a .770 OPS, 21 homers, 61 RBIs, and 76 runs scored across 535 plate appearances.
In a position that doesn’t have a lot of talent overall, this production is good enough to consider Chapman as a reliable, starting-caliber option at the hot corner.
What to Expect from Matt Chapman in 2026 Fantasy Baseball
Chapman experienced a decrease in his batting average in 2025, but it wasn’t a marked one. In fact, he hasn’t hit above .250 in any of the last five seasons, so fantasy managers shouldn’t expect him to hit for a high average.
He’s hit above .245 in just three of his nine seasons, but his strength in fantasy comes from the power side of things. Chapman has hit at least 20 homers and 20 doubles in back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025.
He’s not going to be the dominant presence he was in his prime, as he posted an OPS well north of .800 in his first two full seasons in the majors. However, he should be able to post around 20 to 25 homers, with around 30 doubles, an OPS around .780, and an ISO hovering around the .200 mark if he stays healthy.
He’s a lock for at least 100 hits, and since he’s expected to continue hitting in the middle of the order, he should be a solid threat for RBIs in a lineup that will also feature Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, and Jung Hoo Lee as valuable contributors.
Chapman has always been heralded for his elite defense at the hot corner, and while he’s never going to be a player who will hit for a high average, his power, hit rate, and OPS certainly compensate for that.
Chapman is no longer an elite third baseman, but in a position that doesn’t really have a lot of talent, he should be a valuable alternative as a mid-round target in most formats. He’s certainly good enough to be considered an everyday starter at the hot corner.
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