The Top Ten First Basemen (1B) in 2022

Player Name

For our next official positional rankings for the 2022 MLB season, we’re looking at the first baseman with the best chance at a monster season.

By Zach Smith

The first base position is chock-full of behemoths. At first base, more weight is placed on offensive production, but we rewarded players for well-above-average defense.

We have accounted for defensive and offensive production since 2019, with an added emphasis on 2021. The Just Baseball Show breaks down the first basemen who will rake in 2022:

C.J. Cron – COL Trey Mancini – BAL Ty France – SEA Anthony Rizzo – NYY Rhys Hoskins – PHI

Honorable Mentions:

He struggles mightily against lefties and is a below-average defender at the position, but Walsh is a top-10 first baseman, and the world will realize that in 2022.

10. Jared Walsh  Los Angeles Angels

He walks, hits balls on the screws, doesn’t chase, and plays above-average defense. Belt is the real deal, but keep in mind that he only played 97 games this past season.

9. Brandon Belt  San Francisco Giants

Abreu hit 36 home runs and drove in 107 RBIs in his rookie year. Since that debut season, he has logged at least 30 home runs and 100 runs driven in four of six full seasons.

8. Jose Abreu  Chicago White Sox

He turns 38 in June, and he just won a batting title and a Gold Glove in the same year. While he doesn’t hit it hard, he still hits. And that’s why Gurriel is seventh on this list.

7. Yuli Gurriel  Houston Astros

Joey Votto is one of the great leaders in baseball and still bangs. Last year he hit 36 home runs with a 140 wRC+, his highest mark since 2017.

6. Joey Votto  Cincinatti Reds

Alonso hit 53 home runs during his rookie season in 2019 and is the two-time defending Home Run Derby champ. Call 2021 a “down year” if you want, but he hit 37 bombs and slugged .519.

5. Pete Alonso  New York Mets

It’s impossible to find something Goldschmidt does that’s not considered above average. He finished sixth in MVP voting and won a Gold Glove in 2021.

4. Paul Goldschmidt  St. Louis Cardinals

The two-time Gold Glove winner  got his first All-Star nod this past year, and he ended the 2021 season with 39 home runs and 111 RBI’s to go along with a .271 batting average.

3. Matt Olson  Atlanta Braves

The only reason Vladdy isn’t checking into the top spot is that he’s only done it for one season. If he replicates his 2021 campaign, it’s over for the rest of the league.

2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr Toronto Blue Jays

Freeman is the top dog, and he’s now financially compensated as such. The 2020 NL MVP has won three-straight Silver Sluggers and just got the Braves their first World Series since 1995.

1. Freddie Freeman  Los Angeles Dodgers