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Sports Top 10 MLB first basemen for 2023 season

Top 10 MLB first basemen for 2023 season

75756A5E-120A-4932-810C-2FD980DB785E
By Tim Kelly, Audacy Sports
WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM/66AM New York
Updated on

Ahead of the 2023 Major League Baseball season, here are Audacy Sports' rankings of the top 10 first basemen in baseball right now:

Anthony Rizzo is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now.
Anthony Rizzo is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now. Photo credit (Elsa/Getty Images)

10. Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees

Ranking Last Year: Not Ranked
2022 Statistics: .224/.338/.480 with 32 home runs, 75 RBIs, 58 walks, .817 OPS, -3 defensive runs saved, -2 outs above average and 2.4 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 33

Rizzo may not be the elite defender that he once was with the Chicago Cubs, but he remains a very productive bat with one of the nicer home run swings in the sport. Rizzo reached free agency briefly this past offseason, but the Yankees ultimately brought him back on a two-year/$40 million deal, which includes a $17 million club option for a third season.

Rhys Hoskins is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now.
Rhys Hoskins is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now. Photo credit (Kyle Ross/USA Today)

9. Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia Phillies

Ranking Last Year: 10
2022 Statistics: .246/.332/.462 with 30 home runs, 79 RBIs, 72 walks, .794 OPS, three defensive runs saved, -6 outs above average and 2.2 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 30

Hoskins hit just .159 during the Phillies run to the World Series last year, but did so while homering six times and driving in 12 runs. He's probably best suited to be a DH and does go through some cold stretches at the plate, but by the end of the season, he's a pretty good bet to homer 30 times and be one of your top run producers. Hoskins is entering a contract year, and his agent Scott Boras has already made the case for why the Phillies should retain the services of one of their clubhouse leaders.

Nathaniel Lowe is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now.
Nathaniel Lowe is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now. Photo credit (Jerome Miron/USA Today)

8. Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers

Ranking Last Year: Not Ranked
2022 Statistics: .302/.358/.492 with 27 home runs, 76 RBIs, 48 walks, .851 OPS, -9 defensive runs saved, -11 outs above average and 3.0 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 27

Lowe has emerged as one of the best first basemen in the junior circuit, winning the Silver Slugger Award in the AL at his position in 2022. A top-heavy Rangers team will need Lowe, Marcus Semien and Corey Seager to each have special seasons if they hope to reach the postseason for the first time since 2016.

Christian Walker is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now.
Christian Walker is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now. Photo credit (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

7. Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks

Ranking Last Year: Not Ranked
2022 Statistics: .242/.327/.477 with 36 home runs, 94 RBIs, 69 walks, .804 OPS, 17 defensive runs saved, 14 outs above average and 4.1 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 32

Walker was a late bloomer, but he's turned into one of baseball's most complete first basemen. Not only did he provide excellent power production for the Diamondbacks, but Walker also took home his first Gold Glove Award in 2022. Since he became the full-time first baseman in Arizona in 2019, Walker leads all players at his position in defensive runs saved (29) and outs above average (33).

“…Since the last out of the World Series, the focus for me and my agent Diego was to be part of this (Houston Astros) family, for which I am very grateful, with all my heart.”

José Abreu, during introductory press conference at #MinuteMaidPark. @astros @LosAstros pic.twitter.com/36JMv5PiwL

— Francisco Romero (@FRomeroAstros) November 30, 2022

6. José Abreu, Houston Astros

Ranking Last Year: 6
2022 Statistics: .304/.378/.446 with 15 home runs, 75 RBIs, 62 walks, .824 OPS, one defensive run saved, zero outs above average and 3.9 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 36

There's always a chance that in your age-36 season you hit a wall. But on paper, adding Abreu to the defending World Series Champion Astros almost doesn't feel fair. The former AL MVP posted an .860 OPS across nine seasons with the Chicago White Sox, and should prove to be a massive upgrade over what the Astros got out of Yuli Gurriel a season ago.

Matt Olson is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now.
Matt Olson is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now. Photo credit (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

5. Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves

Ranking Last Year: 3
2022 Statistics: .240/.325/.477 with 34 home runs, 103 RBIs, 75 walks, .802 OPS, six defensive runs saved, two outs above average and 3.1 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 29

Olson's first season in Atlanta felt a tad underwhelming, but he still posted an .802 OPS, homered 34 times and played all 162 games for the second time in his career. Perhaps he's not Freddie Freeman, but if 2022 was the baseline for what Olson will do during his time in Atlanta, his eight-year/$168 million deal will prove to be a bargain.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now. Photo credit (Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays

Ranking Last Year: 1
2022 Statistics: .274/.339/.480 with 32 home runs, 97 RBIs, 58 walks, .818 OPS, three defensive runs saved, -4 outs above average and 2.8 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 24

The only reason that Guerrero didn't win the AL MVP in 2021 was because he happened to put up dominant production in the same year that Shohei Ohtani had a historic campaign, starring both as a slugger and pitcher. Guerrero was still very productive in 2022, making an All-Star Game appearance and winning his first career Gold Glove Award. However, while 2022 was an excellent season for Guerrero, he didn't come close to matching the Hall of Fame-caliber production that he had put up the previous season, which is why he fell a few spots on this list.

Pete Alonso is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now.
Pete Alonso is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now. Photo credit (Elsa/Getty Images)

3. Pete Alonso, New York Mets

Ranking Last Year: 5
2022 Statistics: .271/.352/.518 with 40 home runs, 131 RBIs, 67 walks, .869 OPS, -2 defensive runs saved, -7 outs above average and 4.0 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 28

The Mets lineup is full of hitters who will wear opposing pitchers out and consistently put the ball in play. Alonso is part of that, but he provides the most thump, as evidenced by the fact that he led baseball with 131 RBIs a season ago. Still only 28, Alonso can't become a free agent until after the 2024 season.

Freddie Freeman is one of the best players in baseball right now.
Freddie Freeman is one of the best players in baseball right now. Photo credit (Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

2. Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers

Ranking Last Year: 2
2022 Statistics: .325/.407/.511 with 21 home runs, 100 RBIs, 84 walks, .918 OPS, -2 defensive runs saved, three outs above average and 7.1 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 33

It may have been difficult personally for Freeman to adjust to life after the Atlanta Braves, but it certainly didn't affect his on-field performance. Freeman made his sixth All-Star Game appearance and finished fourth in NL MVP Award voting in his first season with the Dodgers. Freeman will likely don a Braves cap on his Hall of Fame plaque, but maybe he'll be so productive over his six-year deal in Los Angeles that there actually is some debate once his career concludes.

Paul Goldschmidt is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now.
Paul Goldschmidt is one of the best first basemen in baseball right now. Photo credit (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

1. Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals

Ranking Last Year: 4
2022 Statistics: .317/.404/.578 with 35 home runs, 115 RBIs, 79 walks, .981 OPS, two defensive runs saved, -6 outs above average and 7.1 WAR
Age During 2023 Season: 35

Goldschmidt finished runner-up in NL MVP Award voting twice as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and finally took home the award after a monster season with the Cardinals in 2022. A seven-time All-Star, Goldschmidt's advanced metrics are already on par with some other Hall of Fame first basemen.

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