Ranking Every MLB Team's Starting First Baseman for the 2024 Season
Welcome to Bleacher Report's 2024 MLB position rankings series.
With the beginning of a new baseball season right around the corner, we'll be ranking each team's starter at every position in the coming weeks to provide a full position-by-position preview for the 2024 campaign.
Freddie Freeman and Matt Olson are the cream of the crop at first base, with guys like Paul Goldschmidt, Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just behind them. Triston Casas and Spencer Torkelson are rising stars behind them, while Bryce Harper enters his first season as a full-time first baseman.
Players were ranked based on expectations for the 2024 season. Offensive and defensive contributions were both considered, and past track record played a major role in determining each player's outlook.
Included on each slide is also a look at the next man up at first base. This is who would take over if the current starter missed significant time. In some cases, it's a minor leaguer or bench player; in others, it's a starter moving over from a different position.
Let the debate begin.
Catch up on the 2024 Position Ranking series: Shortstops, Third Basemen
30. Rowdy Tellez, Pittsburgh Pirates
1 of 30
Next Man Up: Connor Joe
Rowdy Tellez was one of baseball's most prolific power hitters during the 2022 season, posting a 113 OPS+ with 35 home runs and 89 RBI hitting in the middle of the Milwaukee Brewers lineup.
However, with a .209 average and .306 on-base percentage, poor defense and base-clogging speed, he was only a 0.8-WAR player while finishing fifth on the NL leaderboard for home runs.
The Brewers non-tendered him at the start of the offseason and the Pirates signed him to a one-year, $3.2 million deal in December hoping he could provide similar value to last year's Carlos Santana signing.
29. Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs
2 of 30
Next Man Up: Patrick Wisdom
Michael Busch has nothing left to prove in the minors after hitting .323/.431/.618 with 26 doubles, 27 home runs and 90 RBI in 98 games at Triple-A.
However, he hit just .167 with a 45 OPS+ and a 33.3 percent strikeout rate in his first MLB action, and with no clear path to playing time on the Los Angeles Dodgers roster behind Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy at the corner infield spots he was traded to the Chicago Cubs this winter.
The 26-year-old entered camp as the front-runner for the first base job, ahead of slugger Patrick Wisdom and prospect Matt Mervis, while Cody Bellinger will also once again be an option at the position.
28. Joey Meneses, Washington Nationals
3 of 30
Next Man Up: Juan Yepez
Joey Meneses made his long-awaited MLB debut shortly after his 30th birthday following the blockbuster deal that sent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline.
He went on to hit .324/.367/.563 with 14 doubles, 13 home runs and 34 RBI in 240 plate appearances as a surprise breakout performer, and while he failed to match that level of production over a full season in 2023, he was still a solid run producer on a rebuilding team.
The 31-year-old hit .275/.321/.401 with 36 doubles, 13 home runs and a team-leading 89 RBI in 154 games, and while he only played 19 games at first base last year with Dominic Smith serving as the starter, he should be the primary option in 2024.
27. Kris Bryant, Colorado Rockies
4 of 30
Next Man Up: Hunter Goodman
Kris Bryant kicked off his hyped MLB career with a bang, winning 2015 NL Rookie of the Year and 2016 NL MVP while helping the Chicago Cubs win a long-awaited World Series title.
Injuries have derailed his career trajectory in the years since he burst onto the scene, but he still had enough upside to land a seven-year, $182 million contract from the Colorado Rockies prior to the 2022 season.
He has played just 122 games through his first two seasons in Colorado, and last year he posted a 76 OPS+ and minus-1.0 WAR in 80 games. The Rockies will now shift him from the outfield to first base in an effort to keep him healthy.
26. Nolan Schanuel, Los Angeles Angels
5 of 30
Next Man Up: Matt Thaiss
Nolan Schanuel hit .447/.615/.868 with 18 doubles, 19 home runs and 64 RBI in 59 games during his junior season at Florida Atlantic while tallying far more walks (71) than strikeouts (14) en route to going No. 11 overall in the 2023 draft.
He played just 22 games in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut on Aug. 18, hitting .275/.402/.330 with 30 hits and 20 walks in 29 games while spending time hitting leadoff in the batting order.
The 22-year-old has a clear path to being the team's Opening Day first baseman after Jared Walsh was cut loose, and his mix of power and on-base ability should make him a staple in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
25. Ryan Noda, Oakland Athletics
6 of 30
Next Man Up: Tyler Soderstrom
Ryan Noda was a pleasant surprise for the Oakland Athletics as a 27-year-old rookie, posting a 121 OPS+ on the strength of a .364 on-base percentage and 15.6 percent walk rate while also tallying 22 doubles, 16 home runs and 54 RBI in a 2.3-WAR season.
His expected batting average (.213, 5th percentile) and expected slugging percentage (.392, 28th percentile) from last year don't paint the most promising picture of his projected production going forward.
He will break camp as the team's primary first baseman, but he could be pushed by former top prospect Tyler Soderstrom if he gets off to a slow start.
24. Ryan O'Hearn, Baltimore Orioles
7 of 30
Next Man Up: Ryan Mountcastle
In five seasons with the Kansas City Royals, slugger Ryan O'Hearn hit .219/.293/.390 for an 83 OPS+ over 1,071 plate appearances, and the Baltimore Orioles acquired him last offseason in exchange for cash considerations.
The change of scenery proved to be a springboard for a breakout season and he hit .289/.322/.480 for a 122 OPS+ with 22 doubles, 14 home runs and 60 RBI in 368 plate appearances.
The 30-year-old also made 15 starts in right field and three in left field last year while tallying just 29 plate appearances against left-handed pitching as a platoon player, and he will fill a similar role in 2024.
23. Ty France, Seattle Mariners
8 of 30
Next Man Up: Tyler Locklear
Ty France had a breakout season in 2021 and earned his first All-Star selection in 2022, but he took a significant step backward last season.
- 2021: 128 OPS+, 51 XBH, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 4.4 WAR
- 2022: 125 OPS+, 48 XBH, 20 HR, 83 RBI, 3.1 WAR
- 2023: 99 OPS+, 44 XBH, 12 HR, 58 RBI, 0.7 WAR
The Mariners shopped him at the trade deadline last year, and while he has two years of club control remaining, he could be on the move once slugging prospect Tyler Locklear proves he is ready for the big leagues.
22. Carlos Santana, Minnesota Twins
9 of 30
Next Man Up: Alex Kirilloff
Carlos Santana reached some major milestones in 2024, tallying his 300th home run and 1,000th RBI with the Milwaukee Brewers after he was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline.
The 37-year-old remains a productive option at first base after posting a 103 OPS+ with 33 doubles, 23 home runs and 86 RBI in 146 games in 2023, and the Minnesota Twins signed him to a one-year, $5.25 million deal this winter.
Alex Kirilloff and Jose Miranda are also options at first base, and Santana could see semi-regular action at designated hitter in an effort to keep him fresh over a full season.
21. LaMonte Wade Jr., San Francisco Giants
10 of 30
Next Man Up: J.D. Davis
After serving in a utility role shuffling between first base and the outfield, LaMonte Wade Jr. took over as the San Francisco Giants starting first baseman last year following the departure of Brandon Belt in free agency.
The 30-year-old hit .256/.373/.417 for a 119 OPS+ with 14 doubles, 17 home runs and 45 RBI in a 2.7-WAR season, and he is controllable through the 2025 season.
The addition of Matt Chapman as the team's new everyday third baseman means that J.D. Davis and Wilmer Flores could see more action at first base, with Wade potentially shifting back into a super-utility role where he occasionally starts in the outfield.
20. Vinnie Pasquantino, Kansas City Royals
11 of 30
Next Man Up: Nick Pratto
Vinnie Pasquantino was a popular breakout pick heading into the 2023 season after a strong debut the previous year, but a torn labrum in his right shoulder ended his season after just 61 games.
In 133 games and 558 plate appearances total over the past two years, he has hit .272/.355/.444 for a 122 OPS+ with 27 doubles, 19 home runs, 52 RBI and 1.5 WAR, and he has the upside to produce even better numbers over a fully healthy season.
The 26-year-old is once again a potential breakout candidate heading into the 2024 season, and he could emerge as a key run producer for a Kansas City Royals team on the rise following a busy offseason.
19. Andrew Vaughn, Chicago White Sox
12 of 30
Next Man Up: Gavin Sheets
After two seasons miscast as an outfielder, Andrew Vaughn shifted back to his natural first base position last year after José Abreu departed in free agency and signed with the Houston Astros.
Still only 25 years old and with club control through the 2026 season, he has a chance to be a cornerstone piece of the team's current retooling efforts, and the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 draft is still capable of another step forward.
In 2023, he posted a 101 OPS+ with 30 doubles, 21 home runs and 80 RBI in 152 games, and strong showings in average exit velocity (73rd percentile) and hard-hit rate (79th percentile) hint at the potential for more.
18. Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres
13 of 30
Next Man Up: Nathan Martorella
In four seasons in the big leagues, Jake Cronenworth has seen regular action at second base (298 starts), first base (128 starts) and shortstop (45 starts), and that versatility has helped him pile up 11.5 WAR and a pair of All-Star selections.
The 30-year-old shifted into the starting first base role last season after Xander Bogaerts joined Ha-Seong Kim and Manny Machado on the infield, and his offensive production proved less valuable at the position.
He hit .229/.312/.378 for a 92 OPS+ with 24 doubles, 10 home runs and 48 RBI in 127 games, and now he enters the first season of a seven-year, $80 million extension that was signed prior to the 2023 season.
17. José Abreu, Houston Astros
14 of 30
Next Man Up: Jon Singleton
José Abreu posted a 135 OPS+ with 243 home runs, 863 RBI and 31.8 WAR in nine seasons with the Chicago White Sox, winning 2014 AL Rookie of the Year and 2020 AL MVP while establishing himself as one of the most productive offensive players in team history.
The Houston Astros signed him to a three-year, $58.5 million deal last offseason to plug a glaring hole at first base, and while he had an 18-homer, 90-RBI season in 141 games, he hit just .237/.296/.383 for a career-low 83 OPS+ in 141 games.
With two years and $39 million left on his contract the Astros are banking on a bounce-back season, and he did finish strong last year, going 13-for-44 with four home runs and 13 RBI in 11 games during the postseason.
16. Jeimer Candelario, Cincinnati Reds
15 of 30
Next Man Up: Christian Encarnacion-Strand
The Washington Nationals signed Jeimer Candelario to a one-year, $5 million deal last winter after he was non-tendered by the Detroit Tigers, and that proved to be one of the steals of the offseason.
He posted a 125 OPS+ with 30 doubles, 16 home runs, 53 RBI and 2.8 WAR in 99 games with the Nationals before he was traded to the Chicago Cubs at the deadline in exchange for a pair of quality prospects, and he ended the year with 39 doubles, 22 home runs and 70 RBI in 576 plate appearances.
The 30-year-old signed a three-year, $45 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds during the offseason, joining a crowded infield in the process. He will likely see time at both corner infield spots and designated hitter.
15. Josh Bell, Miami Marlins
16 of 30
Next Man Up: Troy Johnston
The Cleveland Guardians made a rare splurge in free agency last offseason when they signed Josh Bell to a two-year, $33 million deal, but before a disappointing first season with the team was over, he was flipped to the Miami Marlins in a swap of bad contracts that sent Jean Segura the other way.
While Cleveland released Segura before he suited up for the team, Bell joined a Marlins team pushing for a playoff spot and posted a 119 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 26 RBI in 53 games.
The 31-year-old exercised a $16.5 million player option at the start of the offseason, and he could give the Marlins offense a major boost in a full season with the team.
14. Rhys Hoskins, Milwaukee Brewers
17 of 30
Next Man Up: Jake Bauers
Rhys Hoskins has been one of baseball's most consistent power threats since bursting onto the scene with 19 home runs in 50 games as a rookie in 2017, and he was a key member of a Philadelphia Phillies team that reached the World Series in 2022 when he posted a 123 OPS+ with 30 home runs and 79 RBI in 156 games.
The 30-year-old looked poised for a significant payday heading into a contract year last season, but instead spent all of 2023 watching from the sidelines after suffering a torn ACL during spring training.
The Milwaukee Brewers signed him to a one-year, $16 million deal that includes an $18 million mutual option in 2025 and a matching player option in 2026, and now he will look to rebuild his stock.
13. Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees
18 of 30
Next Man Up: Ben Rice
Anthony Rizzo had a terrific season for the New York Yankees in 2022, posting a 130 OPS+ while matching his career-high with 32 home runs protecting Aaron Judge in the middle of the batting order.
The Yankees brought him back on a new two-year, $40 million deal, but a concussion and the lingering effects limited him to just 99 games in 2023, and he posted a 94 OPS+ with 12 home runs and 41 RBI in 421 plate appearances.
The 34-year-old will now look to rebound slotted behind Juan Soto and Judge in what could be one of baseball's most potent lineups, and his performance will determine whether the team exercises a $17 million club option in 2025 or opts for a $6 million buyout.
12. Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers
19 of 30
Next Man Up: Keston Hiura
Spencer Torkelson was expected to move quickly through the minors following a prolific collegiate career at Arizona State that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, and the hype only grew after a 30-homer, 94-RBI season in his first full year of pro ball.
He broke camp with a spot on the Opening Day roster in 2022, but struggled to find his footing in the big leagues. He was demoted back to Triple-A at the All-Star break, and he finished his rookie season hitting .203/.285/.319 for a 74 OPS+ with only eight home runs in 404 plate appearances.
The 24-year-old took a significant step forward last year, hitting .233/.313/.446 for a 105 OPS+ with 34 doubles, 31 home runs and 94 RBI. The next step forward in his development will be improving his plate discipline and rounding out the defensive side of his game.
11. Josh Naylor, Cleveland Guardians
20 of 30
Next Man Up: Kyle Manzardo
The Cleveland Guardians acquired Josh Naylor in the blockbuster deal that sent Mike Clevinger to the San Diego Padres at the 2020 trade deadline, and he is finally starting to deliver on the vast potential he showed as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2015 draft.
After showing flashes during the 2020 postseason and in a limited role in 2021, he broke out in 2022 when he posted a 121 OPS+ with 28 doubles, 20 home runs and 79 RBI as the team's starting first baseman.
The 26-year-old was even better last year, hitting .308/.354/.489 for a 133 OPS+ with 31 doubles, 17 home runs, 97 RBI and 10 steals in a 2.5-WAR season, and he will once again be tasked as the primary protection for José Ramírez in the middle of the lineup.
10. Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers
21 of 30
Next Man Up: Sam Huff
In a rare misfire by the Tampa Bay Rays front office, Nathaniel Lowe was traded to the Texas Rangers in a five-player deal prior to the 2021 season, and he immediately became the team's everyday first baseman.
The 28-year-old has hit .276/.359/.441 for a 121 OPS+ over the past three seasons while averaging 30 doubles, 21 home runs, 78 RBI and 2.7 WAR. He won Silver Slugger honors in 2022 and a Gold Glove in 2023.
With three years of club control remaining, it's low-cost, high-production players like him that have allowed the Rangers to spend freely in recent offseasons.
9. Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox
22 of 30
Next Man Up: Bobby Dalbec
It was a tale of two seasons for Triston Casas as he settled in as the starting first baseman for the Boston Red Sox.
- 1st Half: 291 PA, .225/.330/.398, 9 HR, 27 RBI, 26.1 K%
- 2nd Half: 211 PA, .317/.417/.617, 15 HR, 38 RBI, 23.7 K%
His 1.034 OPS ranked fourth among all qualified hitters after the All-Star break, behind only Shohei Ohtani (1.098), Matt Olson (1.077) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (1.039), and he finished a 2.2-WAR rookie season with a 129 OPS+ and 24 home runs in 132 games.
The 24-year-old should be a staple alongside Rafael Devers on the infield and in the middle of the Boston lineup for the foreseeable future.
8. Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks
23 of 30
Next Man Up: Ivan Melendez
Christian Walker was a candidate to be non-tendered after he posted a lackluster 88 OPS+ with 10 home runs and 46 RBI over 445 plate appearances in a 0.5-WAR season as the Arizona Diamondbacks starting first baseman in 2021.
The D-backs opted to bring him back for another year and he rewarded them with a breakout 2022 season, posting a 125 OPS+ with 36 home runs and 94 RBI in 160 games during a 5.1-WAR campaign.
The 32-year-old backed up that performance last year, finishing with a 123 OPS+ while tallying 33 home runs and 103 RBI, and he also took home his second straight NL Gold Glove. Free agency awaits after the 2024 season, and he could get a nice payday next offseason with more of what he has done the last two years.
7. Yandy Díaz, Tampa Bay Rays
24 of 30
Next Man Up: Harold Ramírez
Here is a full list of all the qualified hitters who posted a .300/.400/.500 batting line during the 2023 season:
- Ronald Acuña Jr.
- Mookie Betts
- Yandy Díaz
- Freddie Freeman
- Shohei Ohtani
Díaz hit .330/.410/.522 to win the AL batting title while setting career-high marks in hits (173), doubles (35), home runs (22), RBI (78), total bases (274) and WAR (5.2). He started the All-Star Game and finished sixth in AL MVP voting.
The three-year, $24 million extension he signed prior to the 2023 season now looks like a stroke of genius, and it also includes a $12 million club option for 2026.
6. Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
25 of 30
Next Man Up: Alec Burleson
Was 2023 simply a down year for Paul Goldschmidt, or was it the beginning of an inevitable decline as he exits a prime that made him one of the baseball's most productive players at his peak?
After winning 2022 NL MVP honors, he hit .268/.363/.447 for a 120 OPS+ with 31 doubles, 25 home runs and 80 RBI in a 3.4-WAR season last year. That still represents terrific production relative to most at the position, but his .810 OPS was almost 100 points off his .907 career mark.
The 36-year-old is now entering the final season of the five-year, $130 million extension he signed shortly after he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, and his performance in 2024 will go a long way toward determining his future beyond the upcoming season.
5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
26 of 30
Next Man Up: Spencer Horwitz
Will Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ever replicate the MVP-caliber season he put together in 2021 when he hit .311/.401/.601 with 48 home runs, 111 RBI and 6.7 WAR to finish runner-up to Shohei Ohtani in the AL balloting?
It's a fair question to ask after good-not-great seasons in 2022 and 2023 where he posted a combined 125 OPS+ while averaging 32 doubles, 29 home runs, 96 RBI and 3.0 WAR.
Still only 24 years old, he is more than capable of reaching that top-tier of production again, but until he does it's difficult to slot him any higher in the rankings. He will be a free agent after the 2025 season, so the Toronto Blue Jays also need to start considering where they stand on an extension.
4. Pete Alonso, New York Mets
27 of 30
Next Man Up: Mark Vientos
Slugger Pete Alonso leads the majors with 192 home runs over the past five seasons, dating back to crushing a rookie record 53 home runs in 2019 when he won NL Rookie of the Year honors.
He posted a 122 OPS+ with 46 home runs and 118 RBI last season, but also hit just .217 with a .318 on-base percentage in a down year by his standards, and now he enters a contract year looking to prove he belongs in the same financial tier as Freddie Freeman (six years, $162 million) and Matt Olson (eight years, $168 million).
The 29-year-old looked like a potential trade candidate after the New York Mets flipped Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer over the summer, but now a long-term extension appears far more likely.
3. Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies
28 of 30
Next Man Up: Darick Hall
Bryce Harper was limited exclusively to designated hitter duties last season in his return from Tommy John surgery, and once he did put on a fielding glove again in July it was to make 36 starts at first base.
The Philadelphia Phillies announced at the start of the offseason that Harper would be the team's everyday first baseman in 2024 and beyond, closing the door on a possible reunion with Rhys Hoskins in the process.
Harper has eight years remaining on his 13-year, $330 million deal, and the two-time MVP and seven-time All-Star remains on a Hall of Fame trajectory entering his age-31 season with 306 home runs, 889 RBI and 46.2 WAR over 12 seasons.
2. Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves
29 of 30
Next Man Up: Travis d'Arnaud
Matt Olson had the unenviable task of replacing face of the franchise Freddie Freeman at first base for the Atlanta Braves, and after a solid first season with the team in 2022, he etched his name in the franchise record books last year.
The 29-year-old led the majors in home runs (54) and RBI (139) in 2023, and in the process he set the Braves single-season franchise record for home runs, surpassing the 51 hit by Andruw Jones during the 2005 season.
He is also a two-time Gold Glove winner as one of the better defensive first basemen in baseball, and while his offensive game is not quite as well-rounded as the No. 1 player on this list, he can essentially be considered "1A" in these rankings.
1. Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
30 of 30
Next Man Up: Max Muncy
Freddie Freeman had arguably the best season of his terrific career in 2023, hitting .331/.410/.567 for a 161 OPS+ with 211 hits, 59 doubles, 29 home runs, 102 RBI, 131 runs scored and 23 steals.
His 6.5 WAR was a career-high and he finished third in the NL batting title race while making a run at joining the exclusive 60-double club, and entering his age-34 season he is showing no signs of slowing down.
Freeman is also one of the most durable players in the sport, taking the field in 859 of 870 games over the past five years, and that should help him continue to rack up stats while building a compelling Hall of Fame resume.
.jpg?w=600 "NFL strength of schedule breakdown")
.jpg?w=600 "WWE Raw Results & Grades 🔠")
