Ranking the 10 first basemen in MLB for 2025

Don’t be surprised when, in 10 to 15 years, we’re talking about multiple players from this generation of first basemen getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. The group below has combined for 31 All-Star selections, 11 Silver Slugger awards, seven Gold Glove honors, four home run titles, three MVP awards, two Rookie of the Year nods, three championship rings, one batting title and one World Series MVP. It’s a heavy-hitting class, and none of these players are retiring anytime soon.

Our eight-part position series continues with the top 10 first basemen entering the 2025 season.

2024 stats: .262/.315/.446, 19 HR, 108 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR
2025 ZiPS projections: .262/.331/.470, 22 HR, 121 wRC+, 1.8 fWAR

Coming off a 97-RBI season before his year prematurely ended with a broken thumb, Pasquantino might just be on the verge of breaking out in Kansas City, where he can lead the supporting cast batting behind star Bobby Witt Jr. Pasquantino lacks the power of the heavy hitters on this list, but he has excellent plate discipline. Now he just has to stay healthy long enough to finally record his first full season.

2024: .262/.380/.468, 15 HR, 140 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .238/.341/.423, 16 HR, 117 wRC+, 2.9 fWAR

The Cardinals this spring have been happy with the way Contreras has handled the position switch from catcher to first base, where he’s only played 11 MLB games, and none since 2019. There will likely be some growing pains on the defensive side, but the 33-year-old is projected to nearly duplicate his 2024 numbers, especially due to a decreased physical burden now that he’s not catching.

2024: .281/.341/.414, 14 HR, 120 wRC+, 1.9 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .285/.362/.425, 14 HR, 131 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR

Diaz had a down year last year after winning the American League batting title and finishing sixth in MVP voting in 2023, but he’s projected to improve in his age-33 season, perhaps in part because the ball will fly at the Rays’ new temporary home, George Steinbrenner Field.

2024: .243/.320/.456, 31 HR, 118 wRC+, 2.3 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .264/.330/.450, 22 HR, 112 wRC+, 1.8 fWAR

Naylor is coming off career highs in home runs and RBI (108) while earning his first All-Star award — and, at 27 years old, is just now entering his prime. It’ll be fascinating to watch the slugger, who traded average for power with Cleveland, shift his talents to the desert this year before becoming a free agent in the coming offseason.

2024: .251/.335/.468, 26 HR, 119 wRC+, 3.0 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .232/.317/.445, 26 HR, 116 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR

It will be refreshing to see a top-10 first baseman manning first base for the Astros after their disaster with Jose Abreu’s signing. It’s a good sign that, at age 34, Walker is still projected to put up the same consistent plate production from the past few years. He’s not as much of a power-threat as most of the players ranked higher than him at first base, but he’s an excellent all-around hitter and defender at first.

2024: .240/.329/.459, 34 HR, 122 wRC+, 2.1 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .244/.337/.470, 33 HR, 126 wRC+, 3.1 fWAR

With contract negotiations behind him, the belief is that Alonso will be able to find consistency at the plate throughout the year, a positive departure from the ebbs and flows we saw in the 2024 regular season. Sure, there are real long-term concerns about Alonso’s durability and plate approach, but we can leave those aside for 2025. The best home-run hitter the Mets have ever had, Alonso should be an even better player this year after his valuable postseason experience.

2024: .247/.333/.457, 29 HR, 117 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .252/.345/.483, 32 HR, 127 wRC+, 3.2 fWAR

Olson came back down to earth last year after his incredible 2023 season (MLB-best 54 HR and 139 RBI), but there’s reason to believe he can come close to those marks again, particularly with the improvement in his projections. Olson is going for his fourth consecutive 162-game season in 2025 — and the Braves are motivated to take back the National League East.

2024: .282/.378/.476, 22 HR, 137 wRC+, 4.1 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .298/.384/.492, 22 HR, 143 wRC+, 4.3 fWAR

Concerns about his lingering rib discomfort aside, Freeman somehow only missed 15 games last year given a late-season ankle injury and his son’s scary health concerns. His contact-driven approach at the plate is at the center of his elite production, and after his four home runs, 12 RBI and .300 batting average in the World Series, there’s an argument to be made that he should be even higher in these rankings. Freeman is beginning to leave no doubt about the likelihood that he ends up in the Hall of Fame.

2024: .285/.373/.525, 30 HR, 145 wRC+, 5.2 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .284/.380/.519, 26 HR, 145 wRC+, 4.0 fWAR

Harper’s last full season was in 2019, his first year with the Phillies, and yet the prolific slugger has continued his Hall of Fame trajectory with aplomb. Entering his 14th year in the big leagues, he’s chasing major career milestones all while being motivated to win a championship with Philly. If he can avoid missing time with injury, Harper has the chance to win his third career MVP award, his first since 2021.

2024: .323/.396/.544, 30 HR, 165 wRC+, 5.4 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: .291/.371/.503, 30 HR, 148 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR

It seems like every year we’re ready for this to be the season that Guerrero replicates his runner-up MVP 2021 season (48 HR, 1.002 OPS, 161 G). If the 26-year-old can even come close to those numbers in 2025, his final year under team control, Guerrero will be in Juan-Soto-contract territory. All eyes will be on the slugger’s contract year after his eye-popping 2024 season.

Honorable mentions: Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox; Paul Goldschmidt; New York Yankees; Nathaniel Lowe, Washington Nationals; Jake Burger, Texas Rangers; Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs

Deesha Thosar is a MLB reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for four years as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.