One of the positions in baseball where offense plays a big part is first base, so it’s not surprising to see that having a well-established first baseman could go a long way toward assembling a competitive lineup in most fantasy formats, regardless of whether you’re playing in a roto or points-based league.
We’ll take a deep look at the tiers at first base for the 2026 MLB season in fantasy. This is a top-heavy list, with several elite options to choose from, but the gap in quality once the best players are off the board is worth noting. Since this is a points-based league, we’re looking for the total package, not just for a player who could thrive in one particular category.
Tier 1: Elite First Base Options
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays), Nick Kurtz (the Athletics), Pete Alonso (Baltimore Orioles), Matt Olson (Atlanta Braves)
It’s impossible to talk about elite first basemen in MLB right now without mentioning Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Even though there are other first basemen who should be considered top-tier, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say Guerrero has a tier of his own. He slashed .292/.381/.467 with an .848 OPS across 156 regular-season games in 2025, and he took his game to a whole new level in the playoffs with 8 long balls and a playoff-best 1.289 OPS across 18 postseason contests. Guerrero enters the 2026 MLB season as the undisputed top option at first base, and he’s probably the only player at the position who’s good enough to build a roster around him.
Tier 2: Borderline Elite First Basemen
Josh Naylor (Seattle Mariners), Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies), Rafael Devers (San Francisco Giants), Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers)
One player to keep an eye on in this tier is Josh Naylor. He signed a five-year contract with the Mariners shortly after the end of the 2025 World Series and is looking to build off what can only be described as a successful half-season spell with Seattle. He was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks and hit .299 with 9 homers and 33 RBI in 54 regular-season games with Seattle.
Naylor has smacked at least 20 homers in three of his last four seasons and has recorded 90-plus RBI in his last three campaigns. The production is clearly there, and if he repeats what he did with Seattle after the trade over a full season, we’re looking at a 30-homer, 120-RBI player while posting a strikeout-to-walk rate of around 1:2. That’s strong production from the first base spot. Bryce Harper, Freddie Freeman and Rafael Devers all can hit, but between age (Freeman), slumps (Devers) and injury history (Harper), Naylor gets the nod here.
Tier 3: Solid, but Not Elite First Basemen
Michael Busch (Chicago Cubs), Vinnie Pasquantino (Kansas City Royals), Ben Rice (New York Yankees), Spencer Torkelson (Detroit Tigers), Munetaka Murakami (Chicago White Sox), Yandy Diaz (Tampa Bay Rays), Willson Contreras (Boston Red Sox)
This is the most crowded tier of this list, and for good reason. All of these players are proven players who can add value to a fantasy roster, though none is widely seen as one of the top five first basemen in the sport. There are some unknowns, like Munetaka Murakami, and some proven commodities over the last few seasons, like Michael Busch and Willson Contreras. One player to keep an eye on here is Vinnie Pasquantino, though.
The 28-year-old first baseman played in all but two games for the Royals in 2025, slashing .264/.323/.475 across 682 plate appearances while tallying career-high marks in several categories, such as home runs (32), RBI (113) and runs scored (72). He took a giant step forward compared to the 2024 campaign, when he hit .262 with a .761 OPS and 19 homers, and after a season like 2025, it could move him up a tier or two for the future.
Tier 4: Players Who Aren’t Primary First Basemen
Salvador Perez (Kansas City Royals) and Tyler Soderstrom (the Athletics)
Perez and Soderstrom share an interesting trait, as both players have eligibility at first base despite having a different primary position: Perez is a catcher and Soderstrom is an outfielder. They’re great options to have on any roster, both from roster-flexibility and production perspectives, but neither should be your everyday first-choice first baseman. Perez remains an elite hitter despite his age, although he’s likely to start showing signs of decline sooner rather than later, while Soderstrom had a breakout campaign in 2025 (.820 OPS with 25 homers and 93 RBI across 158 games).
Tier 5: Other First Base Options to Consider
This is a list of players who might not find a roster spot in 12-team leagues but could be worth a look as late-round fliers. This list includes names such as Spencer Steer (Cincinnati Reds), Andrew Vaughn (Milwaukee Brewers), Sal Stewart (Cincinnati Reds), Kyle Manzardo (Cleveland Guardians), Christian Walker (Houston Astros) and Luis Arraez (San Francisco Giants).
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