Top 20 Fantasy Baseball First Basemen Rankings 2026

4. Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants

Switching leagues and switching ballparks seemed to have no impact on Devers as he actually hit five more home runs for the Giants than he did for the Red Sox with only about 15 more games played in the NL. He won’t turn 30 until playoff time next year, and Devers has been extremely reliable when it comes to health and production. You aren’t going to get any speed out of him, but other than that Devers is fairly elite at the other categories.

Tier 3: Solid Mid-Tier & Value Picks

5. Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves

It is nitpicking a bit to say he’s dropped under 30 home runs the past couple of seasons because he had 29, but his RBI total has also been a little down the past two years. He is still someone to target as his hard-hit rate and fly ball rate are still quite strong so we could see him revert back to 35 home runs. His batting average doesn’t hurt you and he walks a pretty good amount so even if Olson just stays where he was last season, it would be production that is hard to argue with.

6. Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers

He teased us for a couple of years running the bases and adding to his value, but I think we would be extremely lucky to see double digit stolen bases out of a 36-year-old. He has to get back over the 25 home run plateau to be considered a top 5 option at first base though. On the flip side, he is a plus to your batting average which is always hard to find and his strikeout to walk ratio is elite. You pretty much know what you will get from Freeman, it is just a little less than we used to expect.

Tier 4: Upside & Risk Plays

7. Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies

There are a lot of pluses and minuses with Harper and at the end of the day they add up to a pretty great baseball player. Shockingly for a powerful lineup, Harper doesn’t score or drive in as many runs as you’d want from a guy you will pay a heavy price tag for. He also gets hurt to a certain degree seemingly every year. He has played over 140 games just two times in the last six seasons. He only missed 50+ games in two of those six, but losing a stud for even a month has its impact. On the plus side, he is going to hit .280+ almost guaranteed. I know he didn’t last year, but history says he will. He doesn’t strikeout a ton, he can easily hit 30 home runs and you are probably looking at a dozen steals. So, while I think he is a step below the elites at the position, Harper has shown he is capable in the past and could replicate that at any time.

8. Josh Naylor, Seattle Mariners

He certainly found a home in Seattle who opened up their pocketbooks for him in a big way and now we see if he can replicate last year. I can’t see any way that he is a 30 stolen base threat again, but even if he gets to half of that, no one would complain with his 20+ home run potential and a batting average likely north of .280. He has wonderful plate discipline which helps even more in OBP, and Naylor is a very economical option to get great production out of your first base spot.

9. Vinnie Pasquantino, Kansas City Royals

If he can continue to stay healthy like last year, I think we can get more power out of Pasquantino. At 6’3” and 245 pounds he is a monster in the batter’s box and when he gets a hold of one, and he has a pretty good eye for a guy whose primary offense is the home run. He might move up the rankings a little with news of the Royals moving in their fences. Steals are out of the question and runs scored are a little lacking for a guy who hits in the middle of the order, but Vinny P is going to crush home runs and his batting average won’t kill you either.

10. Ben Rice, New York Yankees

He looked lost at times at the plate during his first 50 games in 2024, but Rice certainly looked the part last season when he popped 26 home runs. His barrel rate and hard-hit rate are both among the best at the position, and I have no doubt that he is going to hit a bunch of home runs this season. Where his batting average falls is anyone’s guess as Rice seemed to be a home run or bust guy but hit a respectable .255 last season. He does enough at other categories to avoid the “one trick pony” label, but home runs are certainly going to be Rice’s strong suit for your fantasy team.

11. Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers

When healthy, Tork has shown you what he can be. A guy who hits 30+ home runs, drives in a decent number of runs, but hits a less than inspiring batting average. He also strikes out a lot and won’t run at all. Your roster build will have to have a couple of players to boost your batting average if you draft Torkelson, but he will give you some nice power numbers to make up for it.

12. Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay Rays

The 25 home runs hit by Diaz in 2025 likely represents his ceiling. His hard-hit rate is very good, but his fly ball rate doesn’t scream “big home run hitter” at all. However, if you prioritize power at some of the other positions, Diaz can be a great fit for your team as he still should hit 17-20 home runs, and his batting average will be elite for first basemen. Trusting Diaz is the opposite of trusting Torkelson; he will give you the average, but you will have to make up home runs elsewhere.

13. Mark Vientos, New York Mets

His 2025 season is quite confounding as his advanced stats didn’t suggest that his power should have decreased like it did or his batting average totally tank, and yet that is what we saw. Vientos looked overmatched at the plate for a lot of the season. However, the guy is still young and he is a year away from a 27-home run season, so I am not ready to throw in the towel on him again. I am expecting a nice bounce back in Queens.

14.  Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs

He still sits some against lefties but definitely improved in that area and ended up with nearly 600 plate appearances and swatted an impressive 34 home run. His batting average is a little risky as well considering how much he cooled off at the end of last year and seeing him hit over 30 home runs again seems like a bit of a stretch. He certainly has value, like many of the players in this tier, but you are better off with him at your corner infield than as a starting first baseman.

15.  Kyle Manzardo, Cleveland Guardians

He still struggled badly against lefties, which brings some possible platoon concerns, but Manzardo has legit power and his barrel rate is about where you want it to be for a guy to hit 25+ home runs. There is risk for his batting average to crumble a bit with his contact rate, but you aren’t drafting him for his batting average. He is likely to hit right behind Jose Ramirez, which may limit his run producing chances a bit, but Manzardo still has solid fantasy value.

16.  Christian Walker, Houston Astros

He didn’t quite get the power bump we hoped for with the move to Houston, but Walker remained the guy we’ve known for a while. A good number of home runs, and a suspect batting average. That average got even more suspect last season with the drop to .234 as his strikeouts continued to rise and his walks continued to drop. He will turn 35 as the season is about to start so there is a little bit of a risk of an age drop here, but on the surface, Walker should be a solid source of power numbers without really killing your averages.

17. Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds

The power is tantalizing as I think there is more to be had as Steer entered 2025 with some shoulder soreness. He battled through to play most of the season and topped 20 home runs for the third straight year, but that batting average and walk rate are tough to handle. The biggest red flag was the fact he had averaged 20 stolen bases a year over 2023 and 2024 and watching that number fall to seven in 2025. Steer is exciting for the long ball, but without hitting .250 or stealing even double digit bases, he is a mid-level corner infielder.

18. Willson Contreras, Boston Red Sox

When he was consistently hitting over 20 home runs with a reasonable batting average at catcher, Contreras was always a fairly hot commodity. Now at nearly 34, only eligible at first base, and declining skills, he has slipped to the second half of the draft. This is not to say he isn’t worthy of a roster spot, but Contreras is on the wrong side of his career. Perhaps a new home will rejuvenate him some, but don’t count on much.  

19.  Luis Arraez, Free Agent

Depending on where he lands he could improve on this ranking, but he is also held back by his inability to hit home runs at a position that generally is one where you draw power stats from. However, he has won more than one batting title, and that isn’t something you often find at first base. He is a hit machine with ridiculous contact rate, but you will get way more doubles than you get home runs. Build your roster correctly if you are targeting Arraez.

20.  Andrew Vaughn, Milwaukee Brewers

He’s never lived up to the power hype when he came into the league, but he has always had some value in leagues that require a corner infielder. Vaughn caught fire for the Brewers and in July and September he hit over .365. Can Vaughn ever get the 25+ home runs that we thought we would get consistently? He doesn’t really have any competition for at-bats and perhaps a full season in Milwaukee will finally unlock his potential.

Conclusion

There isn’t a lot past Vaughn that might be fantasy relevant. There are some players who lay other positions that can qualify at first base like Salvador Perez of the Royals, Alec Burleson of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Jake Cronenworth of the Padres. There are a few up and comers like Jac Caglianone in Kansas City and Sal Stewart in Cincinnati who don’t have a path to regular at-bats right now but could improve their fantasy standing during the season. Good luck with your first basemen and your fantasy leagues this season. 

People Also Ask

Is first base still a strong fantasy position in 2026?
Yes, but the depth has thinned. The elite players still produce, but the drop off after the top tiers is steeper than in past seasons.

When should I draft a first baseman in 2026?
If you want stability, you should target one in the early rounds. Waiting too long often forces you into batting average or playing time risk.

Who is the safest first baseman in fantasy baseball this year?
Pete Alonso profiles as the safest blend of power, durability, and lineup support heading into 2026.

Are batting averages a problem at first base now?
Yes. Many first basemen now come with high strikeout rates, making batting average a real concern if you are not careful.

Can I wait and use a corner infielder instead?
You can, but it requires careful roster construction. Third base and multi-position bats often offer more balance later in drafts.