Top Five First Baseman in the MLB going into 2024

First base is one of the most stacked positions in the MLB. There are some studs that are not going to be ranked in the top five. These guys include Jose Abreu, Nate Lowe, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Rhys Hoskins. It’s tough to leave these players off the list, but the guys ranked ahead of them are the best of the best. Let’s get into it!

5. Pete Alonso (New York Mets)

 Alonso is coming off a “down” year, where he only batted .217 with 46 home runs and 118 RBIs. Even though 2023 is looked at as a down year for Alonso, he still posted an .821 OPS. Alonso is a three-time all-star, the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year, and a two-time Home Run Derby champion. He has always been looked at as a sluggish, stone-handed first baseman, but he posted six defensive runs saved with the Mets in 2023. He is the centerpiece of the Mets lineup. With Alonso also going into a contract year, I expect him to absolutely ball out in 2024. 

4. Paul Goldschmidt (St. Louis Cardinals)

Goldschmidt is a certified Hall of Famer. He’s a seven-time all-star, has four Gold Gloves, is a five-time Silver Slugger, and won the National League MVP in 2022. In 2023, Goldschmidt hit .268 with 25 home runs, 89 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. Something that goes under the radar about his game is his speed, with 158 career stolen bases. He also has a 57.4 WAR in 13 career seasons. 

3. Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies)

In case you didn’t know, Harper is now the Philadelphia Phillies’ new first baseman. Like Goldschmidt, Harper is a lock for the Hall of Fame. In 126 games last season, Harper hit .293 with 21 home runs, 72 RBIs, with a 1.900 OPS, and put up a 3.3 WAR. He is a two-time MVP, seven-time all-star, the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year, and the 2022 NLCS MVP. Harper is one of the best players of our generation, with 306 career home runs. I am very excited to see how he does as a full-time first baseman. 

1B. Matt Olson (Atlanta Braves)

It’s way too close between the top two first basemen, so I’m going with a 1A and a 1B scenario. Matt Olson is an absolute dawg. He’s a two-time all-star as well as a two-time Gold Glove winner. 2023 was his first year with the Braves, and he didn’t disappoint. Last season, he hit 54 home runs, had 139 RBIs, and a staggering .993 OPS. He also put up an unreal 6.7 WAR. If Olson can be ¾ of the player he was in 2023, he could easily take custody of the number-one spot.

1A. Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Freeman has been one of the most consistent players of all time. He has a career batting average of .301 and averages 28 home runs a year over a 14-year career.  Freeman, somehow, outperformed Olson in 2023. He batted .331 with 29 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a 7.9 WAR. Freeman is a seven-time all-star, and three-time Silver Slugger plus he won the National League MVP and the World Series in 2020 with the Dodgers.