Ranking the Top 25 First Basemen of the 2023 MLB Season
It's time to put a bow on the 2023 MLB season with Bleacher Report's final positional rankings.
Throughout the year, we released monthly updates to our position-by-position player rankings, selecting the top 10 players at each spot. Now it's time to finalize those rankings while expanding the list to the 25 best at each position.
Just like the regular-season rankings, past production and future expectations played no part in deciding the order—this is simply a rundown of the best and brightest of 2023.
To qualify for inclusion, a player simply had to have at least 200 plate appearances. Each player was only included at the position where he played the most innings.
Let's get things started with a rundown of the top 25 first basemen.
Notable players who saw semi-regular time at first base but played more innings at other positions and were not eligible for inclusion here include: Josh Bell (DH), Cody Bellinger (OF), Brandon Belt (DH), Alec Bohm (3B), Brandon Drury (2B), Bryce Harper (DH), DJ LeMahieu (3B), Luke Raley (OF) and Justin Turner (DH).
Nos. 25-21
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25. José Abreu, Houston Astros
Stats: 141 G, 87 OPS+, .237/.296/.383, 42 XBH (18 HR), 90 RBI, -0.1 WAR
In the first season of a three-year, $58.5 million deal, Abreu had the worst offensive season of his career. The 36-year-old failed to log an OPS+ above 100 for the first time in 10 seasons since defecting from Cuba. He did finish ninth among first basemen with 90 RBI, and he added four home runs and 13 RBI in 11 games during the postseason.
24. Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees
Stats: 99 G, 94 OPS+, .244/.328/.378, 26 XBH (12 HR), 41 RBI, 0.5 WAR
Rizzo missed the final two months of the 2023 season with post-concussion syndrome, and his production had dropped significantly in the weeks before he was finally shut down. That put a damper on what was shaping up to be a great season in which he hit .304/.376/.505 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 53 games during April and May.
23. Dominic Smith, Washington Nationals
Stats: 153 G, 92 OPS+, .254/.326/.366, 34 XBH (12 HR), 46 RBI, 0.9 WAR
Smith signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the rebuilding Nationals last offseason after he was non-tendered by the New York Mets. The 28-year-old may never replicate the 168 OPS+ he logged over 50 games during the shortened 2020 season, but he was a useful low-cost place-holder and has one more year of arbitration control.
22. Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres
Stats: 127 G, 92 OPS+, .229/.312/.378, 41 XBH (10 HR), 48 RBI, 1.0 WAR
After playing primarily second base during his first three seasons, Cronenworth shifted over to first base with Ha-Seong Kim, Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado manning the other three spots on the infield. Following consecutive 4-WAR seasons in 2021 and 2022, his numbers dipped across the board, but he is still only 29 and in the prime of his career.
21. Ty France, Seattle Mariners
Stats: 158 G, 99 OPS+, .250/.337/.366, 44 XBH (12 HR), 58 RBI, 0.7 WAR
A 4.4-WAR player in 2021 and an All-Star in 2022, France saw his middling hard-hit rate and exit velocity numbers catch up to him during the 2023 season as his power production declined significantly. The 29-year-old saw his name surface in trade rumors at the deadline, and he could be discussed again this winter.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Donovan Solano, Minnesota Twins
Stats: 134 G, 110 OPS+, .282/.369/.391, 32 XBH (5 HR), 38 RBI, 1.8 WAR
Since breaking out during the 2019 season with the San Francisco Giants, Solano has been one of baseball's most productive utility players. The 35-year-old made 64 of his 95 starts at first base in 2023 while playing on a one-year, $2 million deal, and he logged a career-high 450 plate appearances.
19. Andrew Vaughn, Chicago White Sox
Stats: 152 G, 101 OPS+, .258/.314/.429, 53 XBH (21 HR), 80 RBI, 1.0 WAR
The departure of longtime White Sox first baseman José Abreu in free agency allowed Vaughn to return to his natural position after spending his first two MLB seasons miscast as a corner outfielder. The 25-year-old finished with strong hard-hit rate (79th percentile) and average exit velocity (73rd percentile) numbers, and there might still be another step forward in his development.
18. Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles
Stats: 112 G, 122 OPS+, .289/.322/.480, 37 XBH (14 HR), 60 RBI, 1.2 WAR
O'Hearn had an 83 OPS+ and minus-2.8 WAR in five seasons with the Kansas City Royals, and the Orioles acquired him for cash considerations in January. The 30-year-old played almost exclusively against right-handed pitching and put together the best season of his career, also providing some versatility with 18 starts in the outfield.
17. LaMonte Wade Jr., San Francisco Giants
Stats: 136 G, 119 OPS+, .256/.373/.417, 33 XBH (17 HR), 45 RBI, 2.6 WAR
Wade played more first base than in years past following the departure of Brandon Belt in free agency, though he still tallied 112 innings in the outfield. The 29-year-old logged a 14.6 percent walk rate and .373 on-base percentage while hitting primarily leadoff in the batting order.
16. Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers
Stats: 159 G, 105 OPS+, .233/.313/.446, 66 XBH (31 HR), 94 RBI, 0.8 WAR
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Torkelson struggled to a 74 OPS+ and minus-1.2 WAR during his rookie season while getting demoted back to the minors at the All-Star break. His second season in the big leagues was a vast improvement, though his poor defense (-11 DRS, -10.1 UZR/150) dragged down his overall value.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Ryan Noda, Oakland Athletics
Stats: 128 G, 121 OPS+, .229/.364/.406, 39 XBH (16 HR), 54 RBI, 2.3 WAR
Nola was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers last December, and he ended up serving as the starting first baseman in Oakland while putting together a quietly productive rookie season. The 27-year-old ranked sixth among players with at least 400 plate appearances with a 15.6 percent walk rate.
14. Ryan Mountcastle, Baltimore Orioles
Stats: 115 G, 117 OPS+, .270/.328/.452, 40 XBH (18 HR), 68 RBI, 2.1 WAR
Mountcastle lost some playing time to Ryan O'Hearn, but he was still a solid contributor and he finished strong with a .322/.404/.489 line in 208 plate appearances after the All-Star break. The 26-year-old has steadily trimmed his strikeout rate from 27.5 percent as a rookie in 2021 to 22.8 percent this year.
13. Wilmer Flores, San Francisco Giants
Stats: 126 G, 136 OPS+, .284/.355/.509, 45 XBH (23 HR), 60 RBI, 2.6 WAR
Flores had the best season of his career in 2023, splitting his time between first base (45 starts), designated hitter (36 games) and third base (16 starts) while slugging a team-leading 23 home runs. He has always crushed left-handed pitching, and 2023 was no different as he hit .303/.359/.527 in 181 plate appearances against southpaws.
12. Carlos Santana, Pittsburgh Pirates/Milwaukee Brewers
Stats: 146 G, 103 OPS+, .240/.318/.429, 57 XBH (23 HR), 86 RBI, 2.7 WAR
Santana posted a 109 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 33 RBI in 52 games after joining a contending Milwaukee Brewers at the trade deadline, and he also slugged his 300th career home run in September. The 37-year-old was also a Gold Glove finalist, and he turned out to be a steal on a one-year, $6.75 million deal.
11. Josh Naylor, Cleveland Guardians
Stats: 121 G, 133 OPS+, .308/.354/.489, 48 XBH (17 HR), 97 RBI, 2.5 WAR
Following a breakout 2022 season, Naylor took another step forward with modest improvements to his batting average (+.052), on-base percentage (+.035) and slugging percentage (+.071) while also setting career-high marks in hits, doubles, RBI, runs scored, steals, total bases and WAR.
10. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
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Stats: 156 G, 117 OPS+, .264/.345/.444, 56 XBH (26 HR), 94 RBI, 2.0 WAR
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was an All-Star for the third straight season in 2023, but he is still chasing the level of production he reached in 2021 when he hit .311/.401/.601 for a 167 OPS+ with 48 home runs and 111 RBI.
Still only 24 years old, he is now just two years away from reaching free agency, and after discussing a potential long-term deal last offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays could get more serious about extending their homegrown slugger this winter.
9. Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox
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Stats: 132 G, 129 OPS+, .263/.367/.490, 47 XBH (24 HR), 65 RBI, 2.2 WAR
After posting a 113 OPS+ with five home runs and 12 RBI in 27 games as a September call-up in 2022, Triston Casas broke camp with the starting first base job for the Boston Red Sox. The 23-year-old started off slow, but he was one of the most productive players in baseball during the second half.
He had a middling .728 OPS during the first half of the season before hitting .317/.417/.617 with 15 home runs and 38 RBI in 54 games after the break.
8. Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds
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Stats: 156 G, 119 OPS+, .271/.356/.464, 63 XBH (23 HR), 86 RBI, 3.0 WAR
The deal that sent Tyler Mahle to the Minnesota Twins at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand has a chance to go down as one of the most lopsided deals in recent memory.
The Reds welcomed a wave of young talent to the majors throughout the 2023 season, and Steer was there from the jump, breaking camp as the team's starting third baseman. The 25-year-old ended up playing all over the field, starting games at first base (53), third base (42), left field (36), second base (13), DH (6) and right field (2).
7. Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers
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Stats: 161 G, 111 OPS+, .262/.360/.414, 58 XBH (17 HR), 82 RBI, 2.6 WAR
Nathaniel Lowe won AL Silver Slugger honors in 2022, and while he didn't quite match his .302 average or 139 OPS+, he still had a solid all-around offensive season and took home Gold Glove honors to boot.
The biggest change in his offensive game was a more patient approach at the plate, as he tallied 93 walks and saw his walk rate climb from 7.4 to 12.8 percent. The 28-year-old is controllable through 2026 and will continue to be a key cog for the reigning World Series champions.
6. Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
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Stats: 154 G, 121 OPS+, .268/.363/.447, 56 XBH (25 HR), 80 RBI, 3.4 WAR
Paul Goldschmidt added another solid season's worth of production to what is increasingly looking like a potential Hall of Fame resume, and he was one of the few bright spots for a disappointing St. Louis Cardinals team.
The 36-year-old has one season remaining on his five-year, $130 million deal, and depending on what the team's plans are for the 2024 season, he could potentially be shopped this winter as a means of upgrading the pitching staff and acquiring more long-term pieces.
5. Pete Alonso, New York Mets
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Stats: 154 G, 122 OPS+, .217/.318/.504, 69 XBH (46 HR), 118 RBI, 3.2 WAR
One of baseball's elite power hitters, Pete Alonso reached the 40-homer mark for the third time in his five-year career, though the rest of his offensive numbers make it difficult to slot him any higher in these rankings.
His .217 average was a career-low and his 22.9 percent strikeout rate represented a step backward after progress in that department the previous two seasons. The 28-year-old will be a free agent for the first time after the 2024 season, so his long-term status with the Mets will be a storyline to watch this offseason.
4. Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Stats: 157 G, 123 OPS+, .258/.333/.497, 71 XBH (33 HR), 103 RBI, 3.8 WAR
Christian Walker has quietly developed into one of the best all-around first basemen in the game, posting his second successive season with 30 home runs, 3.0 WAR and NL Gold Glove honors at first base.
The 32-year-old had at least four home runs and 14 RBI in every full month of the season, and that consistency went a long way in the middle of a young lineup. He will be eligible for free agency following the 2024 season, and locking him up should be a priority for the D-backs this winter.
3. Yandy Díaz, Tampa Bay Rays
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Stats: 137 G, 158 OPS+, .330/.410/.522, 57 XBH (22 HR), 78 RBI, 5.2 WAR
One of the best contact hitters in baseball, Yandy Díaz won the AL batting title with a .330 average while also showing a new level of extra-base pop, reaching career-high marks in doubles (35), home runs (22), RBI (78) and total bases (274).
The 32-year-old earned the starting nod at first base for the American League in the All-Star Game, and the three-year, $24 million extension he signed in January looks like another brilliant move by the Tampa Bay front office.
2. Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves
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Stats: 162 G, 162 OPS+, .283/.389/.604, 84 XBH (54 HR), 139 RBI, 7.4 WAR
Matt Olson set an Atlanta Braves franchise record and led the majors with 54 home runs in his second season with the team, and he also paced the National League in RBI (139) and slugging percentage (.604).
The 29-year-old has done an admirable job filling the big shoes left behind by Freddie Freeman, and while he doesn't earn the No. 1 spot in our rankings, there is no doubt a case to be made that he was the most productive first baseman in the game in 2023.
1. Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Stats: 161 G, 161 OPS+, .331/.410/.567, 90 XBH (29 HR), 102 RBI, 6.6 WAR
An extra 48 points in batting average and 21 points in on-base percentage, along with an MLB-leading 90 extra-base hits, are enough for Freddie Freeman to get the edge over Matt Olson by the slimmest of margins.
Freeman also tallied 23 steals in 24 attempts for the first 20/20 season of his career, and his 59 doubles were the highest single-season total since Todd Helton in 2000 and tied for the seventh-highest all-time.
