Where does NY Mets legend David Wright rank among MLB third basemen all-time?

It’s a landslide victory for David Wright when ranking the best third basemen in New York Mets history. A problematic position in the franchise’s history in more ways than one, he was the answer for more than a decade. It was only a matter of time before the organization retired his number 5. Regarded as the second best Mets player behind only Tom Seaver, there’s a whole different question we can ask about his placement in MLB history.

Arguments in favor of Wright becoming a Hall of Famer one day aren’t too outlandish, but may be a bit biased. He hasn’t done particularly well in his first few appearances on the ballot. A big part of the reason why he won’t get into Cooperstown are the injuries that cost him years at the end of his career. That doesn’t mean he should be left out of the conversation entirely as one of the better third basemen to play the game even if he’s a tier down from the Hall of Fame.

So, exactly where does Wright rank among everyone at his position?

There’s a fair argument to make David Wright a top 25 or 30 third basemen in MLB history

Looking at some statistics of third basemen throughout the history of the game, Wright actually ranks pretty well. He didn’t have the courtesy of DH’ing or spending time at another position. He was as much a true third baseman as his idol, Brooks Robinson.

When it comes to WAR, Wright ranks 29th in MLB history at 49.1. He’d rank higher if not for some mediocre or worse seasons as a defensive player. Although he managed to win a pair of Gold Gloves and become a very good defensive player, the stats aren’t so kind to him overall. Worth just 0.3 WAR on defense, he’s behind many peers as a result.

Exclusively from an offensive standpoint, Wright ranks even better, ranked within the top 25. Let’s not put an exact number on him yet. Jose Ramirez and Manny Machado are right around Wright’s 51.9 oWAR. His .296 batting average, ranked 30th among MLB third basemen all-time, further explains why a spot within the top 25-30 seems appropriate.

Of course, it’s very complicated to rank so many athletes from such a variety of eras while putting them exclusively at a single position. Edgar Martinez is on this list of third basemen and yet most of his career wasn’t spent playing defense. Overdue Hall of Famer Dick Allen with his -16.3 dWAR is the worst listed here. Paul Molitor at -6.9 isn’t a whole lot better.

Wright has a permanent spot on the Mets Mount Rushmore for a lot of reasons. His ability as a player but also as a leader made him one of the most appreciated New York athletes of all-time. As a third baseman, he might be a little underappreciated. Cooperstown is a tough museum to crack. Mets fans appreciate him. How does the baseball world actually feel?