The first base position used to be flush with talent where you could wait a while and still get a lot of power from the position. However, that is no longer the case. The position drops off and the tiers are not as flush with talent in the way it once was.
The strategy with first base is very league-dependent. The deeper the league, the more you want to prioritize the position. Once you get past the top 10 first baseman, the pool becomes a lot more risky, so it’s important to get your guy before the position dries up.
Here are my first base tiers for 2025.
- 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit
- Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings
- Fantasy Baseball Research & Advice
- Fantasy Baseball Average Draft Position (ADP)
Fantasy Baseball First Basemen Primer: Rankings & Tiers
Check out our latest fantasy baseball draft primer. This article dives into the first base position. Here’s a rundown of the top first basemen in fantasy baseball, including fantasy baseball rankings, tiers and player notes to help guide your fantasy baseball drafts.
Tier 1 & Notes
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stands alone. There might be an argument for other first basemen being up this high, but I disagree. Guerrero not only gives you power, but an average that is uncommon at the position with 700 plate appearances — massive for a fantastic average base.
Tier 2 & Notes
Matt Olson had a down year in 2024, but it still came with power (29 home runs) and 98 RBI. His average varies from year to year, which is the reason he isn’t in Tier 1, but the entire Braves offense should be better this season, and I expect Olson to profit from that.
Bryce Harper is just a workhorse of a player. If he had a little more volume he would be in the top tier as well, but he hasn’t played 150+ games since 2019. It seems unlikely he ever will again. That said, 30 home runs with a good average is plenty for his cost.
Tier 3 & Notes
Christian Walker landing in Houston is about as perfect of a landing spot as you could ask for. He is a pull hitter with power and the short porch in left field is perfect for his swing. He will hit in the middle of a good lineup and be able to accumulate the counting categories.
Pete Alonso feels like he is pretty well-priced after taking a long time to re-sign in New York. The lineup just got a whole lot better with Juan Soto atop it, so I expect a bounceback season with a boatload of RBI.
Freddie Freeman would have been in Tier 1 or two if not for recent reports that the Dodgers are going to manage him in-season because of his ankle issue. He is 35 now and we are starting to see the decline, but even with fewer projected plate appearances, Freeman is still great on a per-plate appearance basis and at the top of the best lineup in baseball.
Tier 4 & Notes
- Josh Naylor (1B – ARI)
- Vinnie Pasquantino (1B, DH – KC)
- Cody Bellinger (1B, OF, DH – NYY)
- Paul Goldschmidt (1B – NYY)
- Jake Burger (1B, 3B, DH – TEX)
Josh Naylor moved from one of the best parks for left-handed power to one of the worst, which is concerning, but the Diamondbacks had one of the best offenses in baseball in 2024 and could be getting better. I expect the power to drop a little, but the overall stat line should be similar otherwise.
Vinnie Pasquantino has all the talent in the world, but it hasn’t been unlocked yet because of missed time due to injury. He is healthy entering 2025 and there is a lot of reason to hope it happens, but there is a risk he gets hurt again or that this isn’t the year for a breakout. I am cautiously optimistic.
I love Cody Bellinger and this move is fantastic for his value, but he has struggled with injury and consistency. Bellinger has power, speed and a good hit tool, but always seems to disappoint. The park and lineup are fantastic for him, so maybe this is the change of scenery he needs.
Paul Goldschmidt is coming off of a down year, but a lot of Cardinals struggled last year. Moving to New York is the perfect spot with a loaded lineup and a short porch in left field. He will never be the All-Star he once was, but I don’t think Goldschmidt is cooked at this point in his career.
Jake Burger is going to benefit a lot from the trade to the Rangers. He leaves one of the worst parks and teams in baseball and is now in a much better spot. There is a ton of power in the bat and Burger should be a 30-homer guy this season.
Tier 5 & Notes
- Michael Toglia (1B, OF – COL)
- Luis Arraez (1B, 2B, DH – SD)
- Triston Casas (1B – BOS)
- Michael Busch (1B – CHC)
- Tyler Soderstrom (1B – OAK)
- Nathaniel Lowe (1B – WSH)
- Andrew Vaughn (1B, DH – CHC)
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand (1B – CIN)
- Nolan Schanuel (1B – LAA)
- Ryan Mountcastle (1B – BAL)
Michael Toglia is a really interesting bat in the comfy confines of Colorado. He has a lot of power, but the hit tool is the thing in question. If he can keep full-time playing time, he has 30+ home run and double-digit stolen bases upside, but that will come down to whether he can keep the strikeouts in check.
Triston Casas is a conundrum. There is a ton of power in the bat, we know that, but there have been injuries and hit tool issues that have popped up at times as well. There is a massive amount of upside here, but a lot of risk that isn’t reflected in Casas’ current average draft position (ADP) cost.
Tyler Soderstrom has a ton of power, but the hit tool is better than people give him credit for. That is the intriguing part, especially with the A’s playing in a AAA park this season, which is much better for power than the Oakland Coliseum was. Soderstrom may be my favorite late first baseman to draft.
Nathaniel Lowe is moving from a really good older team to an up-and-coming one in Washington. The park change isn’t much but this is a little bit of a downgrade in team construct. That said, the Nationals love to run and we just saw Jesse Winker steal 14 bases in a half-season with the Nats after only stealing three bases his entire career previously, so there might be some sneaky stolen base potential for Lowe.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand has a ton of power but missed most of last season with an injury. He is healthy right now and started hot in spring training, which could end up moving him up a tier if he keeps it up. With Spencer Steer hurt, Encarnacion-Strand should have a starting spot at the beginning of the season.
Tier 6 & Notes
- Josh Bell (1B, DH – WSH)
- Jeimer Candelario (1B, 3B, DH – CIN)
- Carlos Santana (1B – CLE)
- Rhys Hoskins (1B, DH – MIL)
- Justin Turner (1B, DH – CHC)
- Yandy Diaz (1B, DH – TB)
- Jake Cronenworth (1B, 2B – SD)
- LaMonte Wade (1B, OF – SF)
- Ryan O’Hearn (1B, OF, DH – BAL)
Josh Bell gets another shot to be a full-time player, but I think the leash will be very short, as the Nationals are closing in on their competitive window. If he struggles, he could lose his job.
Jeimer Candelario has yet to put it all together and it is hard to know if he ever will, but he is expected to play every day in a great park and an improving lineup.
Carlos Santana is pretty boring but you can bank on 20 home runs and a lot of plate appearances, but there isn’t much more to the profile than that.
Yandy Diaz still provides a great average and the Rays are moving to a much better park for him, but his launch angle issue will continue to limit his power potential despite really good exit velocities.
LaMonte Wade is a pretty boring player, but he will lead off for the Giants until top prospect Bryce Eldridge is ready.
Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | SoundCloud | TuneIn
