First Base 2025 Fantasy Rankings
First Base Overview
It was a weak year overall for first basemen in 2024. We now head into the 2025 season with a clean slate and fresh optimism that this year’s crop will return more value, and perhaps include a number of young breakouts and veteran rebounds. There isn’t as much category selection needed this year, as just two hitters on this list are projected to earn positive value from stolen bases. So that means we’re back to rostering mashers who need to make a good dent in your home run total goal as you fill out your team.
Today’s Discussion
Oops! Last week, I discussed why I was higher on Spencer Torkelson than the early NFBC ADP. I quickly discovered why — he no longer has a starting job! Apparently Colt Keith’s .301 wOBA was so strong that the Tigers felt his bat was good enough to move to first base. Regardless of what one thinks of the team signing Gleyber Torres, which led to the domino effect of having to move Keith, it places the former uber prospect Torkelson under a cloud of uncertainty. Right now, our Roster Resource page includes him under the Minor Leaguers You Should Know section, which is pretty crazy! So while Torkelson prays for a change of scenery and a fresh start, he has been removed from the top 40.
In his place is a name many of you have asked me about — Luke Raley. He has always been in that 41-45ish area, and once you get into the 30s, really the next dozen plus names are essentially interchangeable. I’ve written about Raley in these notes and in response to questions in the comments of this article. But let me rehash again why he had missed the cut initially and finally joins the rankings at spot 40.
Raley was certainly a solid fantasy contributor the last two years, hitting around 20 home runs, while getting into the double digits in steals. What didn’t go so well was his runs scored and RBI totals. Some of that was due to serving on the strong side of a platoon, which limited him to just 455 PAs last year. But even extrapolated over 650 PAs, he still would have only contributed 82 runs scored and RBI, which is rather unimpressive given a 31-homer pace. He also hasn’t contributed positive value in batting average, thanks to a strikeout rate around 30%, as his SwStk% has been sky-high. That’s even with an above average BABIP!
So what’s the upside here? Well part of the problem is his home park. It ranks dead last in park factor for left-handed hitters and 22nd in left-handed home run factor. The park makes it tough for him to post significantly better results. This is especially true given that he already overperformed his xwOBA for two years running. I therefore just don’t expect much better than what he’s shown, and any additional PAs might merely offset some of the regression.
The Mariners offense is also projected to be mediocre at best. The only team runs scored projections I’m aware of that is available now are Clay Davenport’s and it’s forecasting the Mariners to rank 20th in runs scored. Some of that is due to the park, of course, but a lot of that is also due to the personnel. The weak supporting cast will likely continue to impact Raley’s runs scored and RBI totals, and potentially cut into his PAs as the team runs through the order fewer times.
Changelog
- 1/21/2025 – Luke Raley added, Spencer Torkelson removed
- 1/13/2025 – No Changes
- 1/6/2025 – Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Josh Bell moved up, Josh Naylor, Nathaniel Lowe moved down, Deyvison De Los Santos added, Juan Yepez removed, after trades & free agent signings
- 12/16/2024 – Jake Burger, Isaac Paredes, & Spencer Horwitz up after trades
- 12/9/2024 – No Changes
- 12/2/2024 – First Release
Ranking Methodology
- ADP is based on 30-day rolling NFBC Draft Champions Leagues.
- $ Values are based on standard 5×5 12-team league using the FanGraphs Depth Charts and these Auction Calculator settings. They default to a player’s most valuable position, so if the first base list includes a catcher, it will show that player’s value at catcher.
- ADP and $ Values are updated as of the last update date on this post.
- 5-game eligibility was used for these lists to cast the widest net.
The King
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B/3B/DH | – | 16 | $32 |
After suffering a wOBA decline for two straight seasons, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reminded us why he was an uber prospect not too long ago. His wOBA juuuuust missed rebounding back to the .400 level, as his BABIP skyrocketed to a career best, while his strikeout rate and SwStk% improved to bests as well. He still hasn’t shown the home run power he did during his 2021 coming out party, but he’ll be just 26 during this upcoming season, so I would be shocked if he failed to post another 20% HR/FB rate again.
So Close to the Mountain Top
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Bryce Harper | PHI | 1B | – | 22 | $25 |
3 | Freddie Freeman | LAD | 1B | – | 25 | $24 |
Bryce Harper‘s highest PA total since 2019 boosted his counting stats, so the risk/reward at his expected cost after a healthy season might not be as lucrative as in years past. The skills remain strong, though his maxEV did finish at its lowest since 2016, while his Barrel% ended up his lowest since 2017. Perhaps he won’t be returning to the mid-20% HR/FB rate range, but he won’t need to in order to maintain his spot among the top of the position. He does need to stay relatively healthy though!
This wasn’t quite a vintage Freddie Freeman season, as his wOBA fell to its lowest since 2015, mostly due to a BABIP that dropped to its lowest since 2012. That’s a long time ago! Freeman has been a BABIP king for his entire career thanks to a pristine batted ball profile heavy on line drives and light on pop-ups. This year, his LD% declined to its lowest since…ever, though his IFFB% was normal. Is age harming his line drive stroke or was this just a one-season fluke? It’s anyone’s guess, but he’s still as close to a lock for all-category production in a loaded lineup.
Power Up
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Matt Olson | ATL | 1B | – | 37 | $20 |
5 | Pete Alonso | 1B | – | 58 | $20 |
We all wondered how Matt Olson would follow up his dream 2023 season, but I’m not sure anyone expected him to crash right back down to essentially his 2022 level, as if 2023 literally never happened. All of his Statcast power metrics took a nosedive, fueling a collapse of his HR/FB rate to a career low. That’s pretty shocking, as his Statcast metrics were still excellent, just not as excellent as in 2023. Everything else here looks normal, so you gotta figure at least some sort of rebound.
Pete Alonso‘s value may change depending on which team he signs with, as he’s currently a free agent. He’s posted a higher HR/FB rate on the road than at home, so believe it or not, a more power friendly ballpark could actually boost his value. Alonso is coming off the lowest wOBA, ISO, and HR/FB rate of his career, so there’s a chance that a good landing spot could give him some profit potential. Essentially all his underlying metrics, whether standard or Statcast, suggest he’s the same hitter he’s always been, so I would expect better production next year, regardless of whose uniform he’s wearing.
Power Up Juniors
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | Christian Walker | HOU | 1B | – | 98 | $15 |
7 | Vinnie Pasquantino | KCR | 1B/DH | – | 114 | $14 |
8 | Jake Burger | TEX | 1B/3B/DH | – | 118 | $10 |
9 | Triston Casas | BOS | 1B | – | 122 | $10 |
10 | Paul Goldschmidt | NYY | 1B/DH | – | 177 | $10 |
I actually can’t believe that Christian Walker will already be entering his age 34 season, as he still feels like a younger guy making good on his former prospect status. Injury hampered his counting stats, but he’s been an extremely similar hitter for the last three seasons, though his strikeout rate did jump to its highest since 2019. Since it didn’t come with an increased SwStk%, I would expect a rebound there. It turned out that his 11 steal effort in 2023 was a fluke, which should surprise no one, which makes him a relatively boring power only contributor, but one who appears pretty safe.
I think I remain obsessed with Vinnie Pasquantino, even though he hasn’t exactly performed at the level I’ve considered his upside. Coming off shoulder surgery heading into 2024, I wasn’t gung-ho here, as I worried the injury could sap his power. It didn’t, but perhaps it ensured that his power remained stagnant and failed to grow. I love the skill set though. He combines elite contact ability with a fly-ball tendency, plus he has the HardHit% and maxEV to suggest there’s significantly more power in his bat than the results have suggested. I know you’re going to laugh at me, but the distribution of his skills does remind me of someone you may have heard of — Albert Pujols.
Jake Burger couldn’t repeat the power output he enjoyed during his breakout 2023, but his Statcast metrics remained excellent, solidifying that power as legit. His SwStk% improved dramatically, as his strikeout rates has improved for several seasons straight now. Yet, he’s batted exactly .250 in each of the last three years! The move to a better Rangers lineup and more favorable home park for dingers boosts his value a couple of notches.
Injury limited Triston Casas to less than half a season, but he maintained the majority of his skills established during his first full season in 2023. He even upped his HR/FB rate and his Statcast metrics are strong enough to believe it wasn’t a total fluke. The one red flag here is a spike in his strikeout rate, but he’s never had such contact issues anywhere previously, so I’ll chalk it up to a small sample fluke.
Paul Goldschmidt is coming off the worst offensive season of his career, but a 20/10 season meant he was still delivering value for his fantasy owners, albeit probably less than his owners paid. The skills still remain pretty good, though his strikeout rate trend is alarming, as it has risen for four straight years since the short 2020 season. At age 37, I don’t know how much of a rebound, if any, we can expect. However, the move to the Yankees should raise his HR/FB rate and increase his home run upside.
Still Feeling Okay to Start
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | Josh Naylor | ARI | 1B/DH | – | 102 | $14 |
12 | Luis Arraez | SDP | 1B/2B/DH | – | 196 | $10 |
13 | Alec Bohm | PHI | 1B/3B | – | 185 | $8 |
14 | Christian Encarnacion-Strand | CIN | 1B | – | 225 | $2 |
15 | Cody Bellinger | NYY | 1B/OF/DH | – | 105 | $8 |
16 | Yandy Díaz | TBR | 1B/DH | – | 216 | $11 |
17 | Yainer Diaz | HOU | C/1B/DH | – | 57 | $24 |
18 | Salvador Perez | KCR | C/1B/DH | – | 74 | $24 |
Josh Naylor‘s power was at its best ever during the first half, and then it took a vacation the rest of the way, as it returned to the levels we originally forecasted. His full season Statcast metrics do not support the increased home run power, as his maxEV was actually at its lowest since a tiny 2020 sample, while his Barrel% was right in line with the previous two seasons. If he does turn back into his pre-2024 version early on, he might fall back into a strong side platoon role, hampering his counting stats. The move to the Diamondbacks could exacerbate his HR/FB rate regression.
I’m always hesitant to rank a hitter so reliant on batting average where he belongs based on the forecast. There’s just so little margin for error when you sport a career 3.8% HR/FB rate. And sort of poor BABIP luck and you’re going to find yourself swimming in the free agent pool. Luis Arraez did steal a career high nine bases in 2024, which matched his combined total from the past three seasons. Does he do it again? It’ll certainly add a couple bucks to his value if he could. Otherwise, he’s just a batting average ans slightly above average runs scored guy, meaning you’ll need your power from somewhere else if he’s your starting first baseman.
We all keep waiting for Alec Bohm to experience a power spike, right?! His ISO did inch up to another career best, but his HR/FB rate actually fell back into single digits. It’s bizarre, because his HardHit% and maxEV are well above the league average and suggest significantly better power output. However, he simply doesn’t barrel the ball frequently enough, but that could change, of course. The other skills all remain stable and are solid, so it just comes down to betting on a power surge coming at some point.
Injury limited Christian Encarnacion-Strand to just 123 PAs and he was awful before his season was cut short. The upside remains, though. He has posted a 20%+ HR/FB rate at every professional stop, and a consistently high BABIP should help offset some of the sting of his potentially high strikeout rate. That should result in an acceptable batting average, rather than a killer mark. The potential is there for him to earn significantly more value than this rank, but it’s best to stay cautiously optimistic.
Just as his xwOBA screamed, Cody Bellinger‘s performance collapsed in 2024, as his BABIP regressed to his career average and his HR/FB rate couldn’t stay in double digits paired with mediocre Statcast metrics. On the positive side, he’ll still on the right side of 30, continues to steal bases, and sustained his strikeout rate improvement, exactly matching his 2023 mark, which was a career best. This is still a solid all-around fantasy profile and obviously there’s upside for better. The move to the Yankees should significantly improve his HR/FB rate potential and home run upside.
It would be nice if Yandy Díaz‘s power remained consistent. Instead, his HR/FB rate has yo-yo’d up and down, despite strong Statcast metrics. There’s no doubt that he hits the ball hard — he ranked 19th in HardHit% and sixth in maxEV among qualified hitters in 2024. He just hits a relatively low rate of fly balls, and when he does, they sometimes just haven’t gone out at the same rate as in other seasons. There’s no reason to think he couldn’t reach the 20-homer plateau again.
Yeah, you’re probably playing Yainer Diaz at catcher, especially given the price you’ll end up paying for him. However, his combination of batting average and power make him valuable even as a first baseman. He couldn’t sustain his 2023 power output, as his ISO and HR/FB rate both plunged. It was entirely due to a drop in Barrel%, as both his HardHit% and maxEV were actually higher. That’s a good sign that his power will at least partially rebound.
Yes, it’s odd that the two catcher-eligible names on these rankings are back-to-back, but that’s just how the cookie crumbled. Salvador Perez refuses to experience any sort of age-related decline, as his strikeout rate actually finished at its best since 2017, while his Barrel% was third highest of his career. Even his walk rate notched a new high! Everything looks good here, but do remember that he’ll be 35 for most of the 2025 season.
Stat Buffet With Upside
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 | Isaac Paredes | HOU | 1B/3B/DH | – | 195 | $7 |
20 | Andrew Vaughn | CHW | 1B/DH | – | 270 | $7 |
21 | Spencer Steer | CIN | 1B/2B/OF/DH | – | 122 | $7 |
22 | Michael Toglia | COL | 1B/OF | – | 183 | $2 |
23 | Nathaniel Lowe | WAS | 1B | – | 252 | $3 |
24 | Josh Bell | WAS | 1B/DH | – | 341 | $1 |
25 | Ryan Mountcastle | BAL | 1B/DH | – | 244 | $1 |
I totally forgot that Isaac Paredes will only be 26 years old for this upcoming season, which means he still has time to improve the weaker parts of his offensive profile. He continued to pull a high rate of his fly balls, which helped him post mid-teen HR/FB rates in 2022 and 2023, despite weak Statcast metrics. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen in 2024, as his HR/FB rate plunged into single digits. That’s the risk of relying on such a pull-heavy approach without true raw power. The good news is he’s got excellent plate discipline metrics and a fly ball tendency, so there’s a strong foundation of skills here. The move to an Astros team that plays in a significantly more favorable home park for dingers boosts his chances of returning to the 30-homer plateau.
Do you remember that Andrew Vaughn was last ranked as our 13th best prospect?! He’s been ho hum since his 2021 debut, posting stable skills, with limited improvements. It’s actually pretty crazy how consistent he has been, which would be great if he was consistently a high performer. There is a sliver of hope though — his HardHit% and maxEV are both strong, and his Barrel% has risen for two straight years, inching closer to the only double digit mark he posted during his rookie season. One of these years we’ll get a major breakout, and I’d love to speculate cheaply.
Once again, Statcast’s xwOBA called Spencer Steer‘s 2024 decline, as he simply couldn’t maintain an inflated BABIP. It fueled a plunge in batting average, which really took a bite out of his value. However, he did his best to offset some of the decline by stealing 10 more bases, and since he stole those 25 bases at a high success rate, perhaps he could come closer to a repeat than the projections assume. On the other hand, I’m not too excited about his power given mediocre maxEV and Barrel% marks.
Michael Toglia, where’d you come from?! He was ranked just 34th among Rockies prospects, but found himself a regular for much of the year and delivered lots of power and even some surprise steals. He wasn’t even just a product of Coors Field, as his wOBA splits were nearly identical. Heck, he even posted a significantly higher HR/FB rate on the road! His xwOBA is also dramatically higher than his actual wOBA, so does he have additional upside? I have no faith that the Rockies will stick with a young player all season long, but it’s hard to ignore a 17.2% Barrel%, the sixth highest mark among those with at least 450 PAs.
Outside of his best season in 2022, Nathaniel Lowe has essentially been replacement level in standard 12-team leagues. But like many others on the list, the HardHit% and maxEV are there for better power output. For whatever reason, his Barrel% has slid off a cliff the pst two seasons. He does still take a walk and consistently posts high BABIP marks so at least his batting average should be neutral at worst. It would be nice if his power returned though. Unfortunately, moving to the Nationals won’t help the home run count, but he’ll be in a better home park for batting average.
Josh Bell is coming off one of his typical seasons, but after three straight seasons over a 20% HR/FB rate, he’s been down in the low-to-mid double digit range, though his Statcast metrics aren’t significantly worse. Essentially the definition of replacement level and stopgap solution when injury strikes. Fortunately, the move to the Nationals is better for his home run potential than if he had stayed in Arizona.
With the Orioles overflowing with exciting youngsters, it’s hard to feel comfortable rostering Ryan Mountcastle. His power collapsed this year as his Barrel% declined, but his HardHit% and maxEV remained strong. The reasonable strikeout rate and .300+ BABIP means he’s been a batting average contributor the last two seasons. If his power stroke returns, his playing time should be more secure…but will it?
Profit Potential or Free Agent by May
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
26 | Jeimer Candelario | CIN | 1B/3B/DH | – | 300 | -$1 |
27 | Rhys Hoskins | MIL | 1B/DH | – | 289 | $2 |
28 | Brandon Lowe | TBR | 1B/2B/DH | – | 248 | $1 |
29 | Jose Miranda | MIN | 1B/3B/DH | – | 350 | $1 |
30 | Alec Burleson | STL | 1B/OF/DH | – | 232 | $1 |
31 | Michael Busch | CHC | 1B | – | 247 | $3 |
32 | Nolan Schanuel | LAA | 1B | – | 310 | $2 |
It wasn’t obvious, but Jeimer Candelario‘s xwOBA just hit a career low. Many of his underlying skills are trending in the wrong direction, and now he’ll have to contend with Christian Encarnacion-Strand again for first base/DH at-bats. However, his fly ball tendency and conistently respectable strikeout rate, along with a handful of steals, does give him fantasy upside.
After missing all of the 2023 season to injury, Rhys Hoskins endured the worst offensive season of his career in 2024. Although his HR/FB rate was in line with history, both his ISO and walk rate fell to career lows, while his strikeout rate spiked to a career worst. That’s not a great combination! The good news is he maintained a single digit SwStk%, so the strikeout rate surge appears to be a bit of a fluke. That said, he has never contributed in batting average and won’t steal more than a couple of bases. So it’s homers and RBI you’re paying for here.
Just once has Brandon Lowe reached even 450 PAs. Amazingly, he recorded an almost identical season between 2023 and 2024, from both a counting stat and wOBA perspective. The Statcast power metrics remain pretty good here, though he hasn’t posted a 20%+ HR/FB rate since 2021. Aside from injury risk, there’s always the chance he falls into a strong side platoon and loses PAs against southpaws.
The batting average is really boosting Jose Miranda‘s ranking, as he combines above average BABIP and strikeout rate marks. The real issue here has been his lack of power. His HR/FB rate has been in freefall and his Barrel% doesn’t provide much glimmer of hope. However, both his HardHit% and maxEV are above average, suggesting at least a league average and double digit HR/FB rate. Plus, he showed breakout power back in 2021 at both Double-A and Triple-A, providing hope he could recapture that at some point.
Alec Burleson enjoyed a nice little breakout fantasy season, just missing that elusive 20/10 club. I think the power output will be easy to repeat, with upside for some more if he could boost his Barrel%. However, I don’t see him reaching double digit steals, as he ranked in the bottom 100 in the league in Sprint Speed. I love the strikeout rate though, which should help his counting stats as he’s able to put lots of balls into play.
I expected better Statcast power metrics from Michael Busch, who posted a sub-110 MPH maxEV and HardHit% just below 40%. He did get the most of those marks though with a double digit Barrel%, driving a mid-teen HR/FB rate. I think it’ll be hard for him to repeat his above average BABIP given a fly ball tendency and double digit IFFB%, which could lead to a pretty weak batting average.
I was actually quite excited to see how Nolan Schanuel would perform this year given his unique profile. What I didn’t expect is incredibly weak Statcast power metrics pairing with a 10.1% HR/FB rate! It’s hard to imagine that happening again, though it would be silly to think a 23-year-old couldn’t improve those power metrics to actually justify a double digit HR/FB rate. His 10 steals were also a surprise given his 433rd ranking in Sprint Speed. I like the plate discipline and think he’s got BABIP upside given a strong batted ball profile, but I’m skeptical of his power and speed, making him another wait-and-see.
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
33 | Tyler Soderstrom | OAK | 1B | – | 298 | $3 |
34 | Pavin Smith | ARI | 1B/OF | – | 366 | -$15 |
35 | Spencer Horwitz | PIT | 1B/2B/DH | – | 313 | -$6 |
36 | Jake Cronenworth | SDP | 1B/2B/DH | – | 297 | -$2 |
37 | Ryan O'Hearn | BAL | 1B/OF/DH | – | 349 | -$7 |
38 | Dylan Moore | SEA | 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF | – | 358 | -$8 |
39 | Deyvison De Los Santos | MIA | 1B/3B | – | 394 | -$9 |
40 | Luke Raley | SEA | 1B/OF | – | 305 | -$4 |
You gotta love Tyler Soderstrom‘s home run potential, but a weak supporting cast capping his RBI and runs scored totals, and a weak batting average with no speed, really hampers his fantasy value. It’s too bad he lost his catcher eligibility, as he could have been a near Cal Raleigh clone.
Pavin Smith…with power? It was only a 158 PA sample, but his HardHit% increased, his maxEV reached the highest of his career, and his Barrel% skyrocketed. All those metrics fueled a career best 22% HR/FB rate and .277 ISO. We’ve seen this story before, where a hitter comes out of nowhere to show big power, and then turns into a pumpkin the following season. But Smith doesn’t own some pretty good skills, including double digit walk rates, sub-20% strikeout rates, and significantly better BABIP marks during his last two Triple-A stints. A specuative buy.
Spencer Horwitz posted solid results in his first extended action. With just middling power and limited speed, his strong plate discipline is his best asset. As such, he should deliver a batting average that’s neutral at worst, along with reasonable counting stats while hitting in the middle of the Pirates order.
Man has Jake Cronenworth’s skills been all over the place. Both his FB% and HR/FB rate have been up and down, but somehow he’s still remained relatively consistent on the home run front, outside of his down 2023. Most of his value is driven by his playing time and slot in the middle of the Padres order. As a result, I would probably opt to roster someone younger with more upside, even if his projections value him higher.
Gosh, what a weird season for Ryan O’Hearn, who followed up his mini 2023 breakout by recording a career high PAs and only suffering slight wOBA regression. The oddity stems from a decline in power, paired with an incredible improvement in both SwStk% and strikeout rate. Some players have to choose between contact and power, so it does make sense to see one improve, while the other falls. But then you also see a career high FB%, which would only make sense with increased power, and you lose your understanding of what exactly happened. Like Mountcastle, his playing time outlook is murky, but he’s been good enough recently to be deserving of starting most games.
If you’re hoping to roster a hitter who qualifies at every non-catcher position, then Dylan Moore is your man! It’s anyone’s guess at this point if he’ll amass 400+ PAs again after notching a new career high in 2024. But his speed makes him worth monitoring, along with being a non-zero in home runs. The downside, of course, is the ugly batting average, as he strikes out often and frequently posts well below average BABIP marks.
Deyvison De Los Santos hit 40 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last season, while posting a magnificent 35.4% HR/FB rate. He would have hit even more home runs if he didn’t continue to post the FB% of a slap-hitter, which means that he actually has greater home run upside if he could elevate the ball more frequently. His plate discipline is awful and he possesses zero speed, so it’s all about betting on the 70 grade Raw Power here. He’s the true definition of boom or bust.
Luke Raley has now enjoyed two straight seasons with 20ish home runs and double digit steals, doing his best to deliver fantasy value despite his platoon status. That status, though, limits his PAs and counting stats, making him a tough start in shallower weekly transaction leagues.
Full Rankings Without Tiers
Rank | Name | Team | Pos | Change | ADP | $ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | TOR | 1B/3B/DH | – | 16 | $32 |
2 | Bryce Harper | PHI | 1B | – | 22 | $25 |
3 | Freddie Freeman | LAD | 1B | – | 25 | $24 |
4 | Matt Olson | ATL | 1B | – | 37 | $20 |
5 | Pete Alonso | 1B | – | 58 | $20 | |
6 | Christian Walker | HOU | 1B | – | 98 | $15 |
7 | Vinnie Pasquantino | KCR | 1B/DH | – | 114 | $14 |
8 | Jake Burger | TEX | 1B/3B/DH | – | 118 | $10 |
9 | Triston Casas | BOS | 1B | – | 122 | $10 |
10 | Paul Goldschmidt | NYY | 1B/DH | – | 177 | $10 |
11 | Josh Naylor | ARI | 1B/DH | – | 102 | $14 |
12 | Luis Arraez | SDP | 1B/2B/DH | – | 196 | $10 |
13 | Alec Bohm | PHI | 1B/3B | – | 185 | $8 |
14 | Christian Encarnacion-Strand | CIN | 1B | – | 225 | $2 |
15 | Cody Bellinger | NYY | 1B/OF/DH | – | 105 | $8 |
16 | Yandy Díaz | TBR | 1B/DH | – | 216 | $11 |
17 | Yainer Diaz | HOU | C/1B/DH | – | 57 | $24 |
18 | Salvador Perez | KCR | C/1B/DH | – | 74 | $24 |
19 | Isaac Paredes | HOU | 1B/3B/DH | – | 195 | $7 |
20 | Andrew Vaughn | CHW | 1B/DH | – | 270 | $7 |
21 | Spencer Steer | CIN | 1B/2B/OF/DH | – | 122 | $7 |
22 | Michael Toglia | COL | 1B/OF | – | 183 | $2 |
23 | Nathaniel Lowe | WAS | 1B | – | 252 | $3 |
24 | Josh Bell | WAS | 1B/DH | – | 341 | $1 |
25 | Ryan Mountcastle | BAL | 1B/DH | – | 244 | $1 |
26 | Jeimer Candelario | CIN | 1B/3B/DH | – | 300 | -$1 |
27 | Rhys Hoskins | MIL | 1B/DH | – | 289 | $2 |
28 | Brandon Lowe | TBR | 1B/2B/DH | – | 248 | $1 |
29 | Jose Miranda | MIN | 1B/3B/DH | – | 350 | $1 |
30 | Alec Burleson | STL | 1B/OF/DH | – | 232 | $1 |
31 | Michael Busch | CHC | 1B | – | 247 | $3 |
32 | Nolan Schanuel | LAA | 1B | – | 310 | $2 |
33 | Tyler Soderstrom | OAK | 1B | – | 298 | $3 |
34 | Pavin Smith | ARI | 1B/OF | – | 366 | -$15 |
35 | Spencer Horwitz | PIT | 1B/2B/DH | – | 313 | -$6 |
36 | Jake Cronenworth | SDP | 1B/2B/DH | – | 297 | -$2 |
37 | Ryan O'Hearn | BAL | 1B/OF/DH | – | 349 | -$7 |
38 | Dylan Moore | SEA | 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF | – | 358 | -$8 |
39 | Deyvison De Los Santos | MIA | 1B/3B | – | 394 | -$9 |
40 | Luke Raley | SEA | 1B/OF | – | 305 | -$4 |
Mike Podhorzer is the 2015 Fantasy Sports Writers Association Baseball Writer of the Year and three-time Tout Wars champion. He is the author of the eBook Projecting X 2.0: How to Forecast Baseball Player Performance, which teaches you how to project players yourself. Follow Mike on X@MikePodhorzer and contact him via email.
Good rankings Mike. For me if I can’t get Vladdy I will go cheap and grab either Nolan Schanuel or Andrew Vaughn. Both are dirt cheap but guaranteed to play full time and produce decent numbers. Schanuel is only 23 years old and Vaughn produces decent numbers every year. You have to go cheap at a couple of positions and I see 1B as a good opportunity.
Can’t disagree! Personally, I’d go Vaughn given his power potential. At this very moment, Schanuel doesn’t excite me. But perhaps he shows up to camp a new powerful version, ya never know!