Who is the best first base in MLB? Olney presents his top 10
Is Freeman, is Harper, is Guerrero Jr.? Buster Olney presents its top 10 of initialists in MLB
Spring training camps are underway, which means it is time to analyze baseball status. As part of our preview of the 2025 season of the MLB, Buster Olney of AM850 Bring your classification series by positions back, in which you surveyed people in the industry to help you classify the 10 best players in each position.
Today, we classify cream and cream in the first base.
The objective of this exercise is to identify the best players for the 2025 season, not who could be the best in five years or throughout their career. We will present a position per day during the next two weeks under the following calendar: Receptors (17/2), Second Base (19/2), Third Base (20/2), Campocortos (21/2), corner gardeners (24/2), central gardeners (25/2), designated batters (26/2), openings openings (27/2) and relieved (28/2).
When the names of almost all the first base of the 10 best on this list are examined, it is possible that a common denominator is noticed beyond the position in which they play. Freddie Freeman is one of the best left -handed batters of his generation, but throws with his right hand. Bryce Harper Batea with the left but throws with the right. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. throws with his right hand and the same does Pete Alonso.
In fact, only one of the 10 best base is left -handed, which is strange due to the natural advantages of a left -handed pitcher in the position: faster touches in the pickoffs and better angles in the releases to other bases. Any list of the most pleasant aspects of sport would have to include the defensive work of the best and most fluid first base in history, from Keith Hernández and Don Mattingly Even JT Snow and Anthony Rizzo.
And yet Sarah Langs:
(Games played by first -base players who launch with the left hand) 2001: 1,905 2006: 1,589 2011: 1.836 2016: 1,356 2021: 944 2024: 1,173
He was asked about this tendency to a nourished group of evaluators, from major league coaches to managers, general managers, people involved in the development of players and Don Mattingly, who was one of the best first -base players they throw with the left hand of all time, and showed no more than surprise. “I have no idea,” said a main office employee. “It is not linked to any broader strategy.”
Another wrote: “I can’t think of a reason. Maybe it’s just random?”
A staff member said that many first -base players are converted from other positions, often into the table. Harper is an example of this: he was a receiver as Amateur, he was changed to the gardens by the Nationals, then he went to the first base after undergoing elbow surgery.
Matt Olson throws with his right hand. Paul Goldschmidt throws with his right hand. Both winners of the golden glove, Christian Walker and Carlos Santana, throw with their right hand.
Go to know why.
Now, here are the 10 best first -base players, according to the comments of the evaluators:
The 10 best base
As Ichiro failed to be unanimously chosen for the Hall of Fame for a vote, one of the natural questions remains: What position players have the opportunity to obtain 100 percent of the votes? Freeman, apparently, has an opportunity, because he has met all the requirements: a legacy of the World Series, with one of the most memorable postseason performances of all time the past fall, and has been part of two champions teams.
He has won an award to the most valuable player and has finished eight times in the top 10. It has been eight times there. He leads all active players in hits, races, drive and double races, and probably are years of play. He has been a high -level defender. He is 35 years old and could be among the last players to reach 3,000 hits. He has had 11 seasons of 21 or more home runs. Your OPS+ adjusted is 142.
After Anthony Rendon’s recent injury, much has been discussed about whether his contract with Los Angels is the worst in history for a team in terms of his execution. Well, you could say that Bryce Harper’s hiring by the Phillies is one of the best in history.
This is the seventh year of a contract of 13 for 335 million dollars, and in its first six years, Harper generated 23.3 WAR (despite dealing with important injuries) and 152 home runs along with emblematic moments and a large postseason in 2022. From the first day, it promoted a deep connection with the Phillies fans base, serving well to the organization and the organization. He is 32 years old and is probably large years ahead.
Speaking of legacy: This will be the year in which Harper will connect his homer number 350, his promoted number 1,000 and the double 400 double of his career.
If Juan Soto was the most commented player of 2024, dominating for the Yankees before signing his record contract of $ 765 million (more important benefits) with the New York Mets, well, 2025 could be the year of Vladdy Jr. now that Guerrero’s deadline to sign a long -term agreement with the Blue Jays has passed, it is likely that the speculation on whether the jays will change this summer during this summer May, June and July. If it remains healthy and chains last year’s good season with another, it will surely overcome salaries paid to other first -base free agents in recent years.
In his last 132 games last season, he hit .346, with an OBP of .412 and a SLG of .588, registering 69 extrabase hits and 73 strikeouts. He will turn 26 next month. It is not surprising that the Mets talk internally about finding a way to sign it and match it with Juan Soto over the next few years.
In what was a 2024 low season for him, Olson still had an OPS+ of 118, with 29 homers, 37 doubles and 98 ranked races, and that with many stars around him in the Atlanta lineup wasting time in the list of injured. That will change in the next season. By the way: Olson has participated in all games since he signed with Los Braves, and in all the games of his team in five of the last seven seasons.
5. Pete Alonso, New York Mets
No player had his most dissected skills set this winter than Alonso as his free agency lasted. It is probably a better defender of what is perceived: he led all the first base, by far, in the metric of the Paragraphs position, and his -3 in defensive races saved is not really so far from the first base that he has emulated in his work, Paul Goldschmidt. Alonso’s numbers in the base run have not been good during his career, but before last year, they were not terrible.
There are a couple of things in which Alonso stands out, and they have great value. First, his numbers: Alonso has lost only 24 regular season games in six years. And his power is elite: only Aaron Judge has connected more homers during Alonso’s career in the MLB, and Alonso occupies the seventh place among all the hitters in ISO.
He has won three consecutive gold gloves and, although he is not a batter who, although not only pulls the Bat as his new teammates Jose Altuve and Isaac Paredes, Walker, who beats to the right, should be able to take advantage of the Crawford boxes in the Daikin Park in Houston.
It is one of those players that looks better in the summer than in the winter. You can imagine what is said about him in players evaluation meetings in the central offices of all sport in the low season: he does not hit with power, does not run, does not have a natural position. But in the summer, this is what is said of him: he will hit the ball with force somewhere.
The hiring of Contreras by St. Louis to play as a receiver turned out to be a huge mistake, but this year he will play on the first base and this has always been true: hit at maximum capacity. Contreras has an OBP of .353 and 152 homers in his career, and it is logical that the cardinals get something in return now that stops playing behind the dish.
One of the most important questions for Cleveland is: how will Naylor’s production compensate after redeeming Arizona? Naylor connected 68 homers with a combined 123 in the last three seasons and is eligible for free agency in autumn.
He can hit big (he hit .330 in 2023) before his PAHA fell 277 points last season.
Honorary mentions
Paul Goldschmidt, New York Yankees: The Yankees have opted that the most valuable player in the National League of 2022 will play more as he did in the second half of last season instead of his bad first half.
Vinnie Pasquantino, Kansas City Royals: He recorded an OPS+ adjusted 111 in his first complete season, and given the improved depth of the KC lineup, he could reach 100 races promoted this year after adding 97 last year.
Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox: Since he was selected by the Red Sox in 2018, he has played 100 commitments in a season once: in 2023, when he played 132, he connected 24 homers and generated a percentage of slugging of .490. This will be an important campaign to show that it can remain in the field, because it will be eligible for arbitration for the first time next winter.
Nathaniel Lowe, Washington Nationals: Your OBP from year after year in the last four seasons before being exchanged for the Rangers this low season: .357, .358, .360, .361.
Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs: His first season as the first base of the CUBS was good and, as he wins experience, he will surely improve.
