MLB Positional Fantasy Rankings: First Base

by theScore Staff
Rick Scuteri / USA TODAY Sports

Here are theScore's 2016 fantasy first basemen rankings (projections provided by Steamer (via Fangraphs) and theScore staff):

Positional Rankings
C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF1 | OF2 | OF3 | DH | SP1 | SP2 | SP3 | RP

1. Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 19 75 69 9 .300
2015 33 103 110 21 .321
2016 (PROJ.) 30 110 118 19 .312

Goldschmidt's 2015 stat line left nothing to be desired, and it's now the standard expectation for him. The Diamondbacks lineup is the best it's been during his career in Arizona, offering him even more upside. He'll be one of the first four players off the board in the majority of mixed formats.

2. Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 32 89 78 5 .286
2015 31 94 101 17 .278
2016 (PROJ.) 27 105 112 13 .280

Rizzo has two consecutive 30-home run seasons, and he stole a career high 17 bases in 2015. Twelve of those steals came before the All-Star break, showing the potential for 20-plus SBs if he continues to run for a full season. He'll have more runs and RBIs in a steadily-improving Cubs lineup.

3. Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 25 101 109 1 .313
2015 18 64 76 1 .338
2016 (PROJ.) 29 93 104 1 .326

The injection of OF Justin Upton into the Tigers' lineup will provide a boost to Cabrera's overall stats. Upton is expected to hit second - right in front of Cabrera; his days as a 40-home run hitter are finished, but he should approach 30 in 2016, and could top the century mark in both runs and RBIs.

4. Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 34 75 98 2 .268
2015 39 94 111 3 .277
2016 (PROJ.) 37 88 116 3 .281

More of the same can be expected of Encarnacion in 2016. He's played no fewer than 128 games in each of the past five seasons. His runs and RBIs will depend slightly on where SS Troy Tulowitzki ends up in the lineup.

5. Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 36 80 107 3 .317
2015 30 88 101 0 .290
2016 (PROJ.) 37 96 99 1 .299

An improved White Sox lineup should provide a significant boost to Abreu's totals. He's a near-lock for 30 home runs at this point, with the other stats following in suit.

6. Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 26 65 72 2 .196
2015 47 100 117 2 .262
2016 (PROJ.) 42 93 103 2 .258

Davis has compiled a couple of Jekyll and Hyde seasons of late, and the Orioles invested big in the hope that the 2015 version of Davis is the real thing moving forward. Baltimore's lineup is solid, and Davis should have at least a few more good seasons left to return value on his seven-year deal.

7. Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 22 72 89 0 .311
2015 19 74 95 2 .318
2016 (PROJ.) 20 70 85 2 .315

Posey is slightly less of a fantasy asset if used strictly as a first baseman. Under no circumstance should this be the case, though, and his dual eligibility at C and 1B should simply be regarded as a bonus.

8. Prince Fielder, Texas Rangers

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 3 19 16 0 .247
2015 23 78 98 0 .305
2016 (PROJ.) 26 72 99 1 .294

Fielder rebounded in 2015 from a season lost to injury in 2014. His diminished ISO could still trend upward to his career average, giving him a chance to return to the 30-HR threshold.

9. Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 6 32 23 1 .255
2015 29 95 80 11 .314
2016 (PROJ.) 24 78 78 17 .300

Votto will suffer from a diminished supporting cast in Cincinnati. He's a must-have in leagues counting OBP, but he'll likely be walked too often to duplicate last season's numbers.

10. Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 27 83 116 1 .276
2015 28 76 90 0 .275
2016 (PROJ.) 28 77 92 1 .281

Another ho-hum near-30-home-run year can be expected from Gonzalez in 2016. The anticipated Yasiel Puig breakout could provide a boost, as will the presence of SS Corey Seager at the top of the lineup for a full season.

11. Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 28 89 105 5 .272
2015 40 85 95 5 .244
2016 (PROJ.) 31 77 87 2 .279

Pujols' health and power returned in 2015, though the former is already in jeopardy. He is aiming to be ready for Opening Day - for whatever that's worth - but fantasy owners should be wary of last season's miraculous power surge. Still, hitting immediately behind OF Mike Trout is never a bad thing for anyone.

12. Lucas Duda, New York Mets

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 30 74 92 3 .253
2015 27 67 73 0 .244
2016 (PROJ.) 26 78 73 1 .249

Duda's typically poor lefty/righty splits corrected themselves somewhat in 2015. He oddly hit for a much higher average against lefties, but 20 of his 27 homers came against righties. The average should even out a little more in 2016, and owners can bank on sustained power from the biggest threat in the Mets' order.

▲13. Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 12 30 27 3 .243
2015 18 73 68 9 .280
2016 (PROJ.) 19 62 81 8 .272

Belt had the highest home run/stolen base combination of his career in 2015 while hitting for the second-highest average. More of the same can be expected within a consistent - yet somewhat unimpressive - Giants lineup in 2016. Belt will contribute across the board, assuming a second consecutive full season.

14. Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians

Potentially hitting at the top of the Indians' order could be a great thing for Santana. Though not a conventional leadoff hitter, he has long demonstrated the ability to get on base with consistency. He makes for a great corner infielder or utility bat.

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 27 68 85 5 .231
2015 19 72 85 11 .231
2016 (PROJ.) 22 76 90 10 .240

15. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 22 56 62 1 .216
2015 31 57 79 2 .255
2016 (PROJ.) 26 64 84 2 .267

Similarly to Pujols, Teixeira's power returned in a big way in 2015, as he hit 30+ home runs for the first time since 2011. Health remains a concern, as he played just over two-thirds of the season. He's a risky choice, but he's well worth a late-round pick as an option to fill out a utility spot.

16. Wil Myers, San Diego Padres

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 6 37 35 6 .222
2015 8 40 29 5 .253
2016 (PROJ.) 19 86 75 20 .279

Entering his fourth MLB season, Myers - and fantasy owners - hope it'll be the first in which he stays healthy. He's shown flashes at the plate and on the bases in his limited playing time. He needs to be the key to the Padres' offense, and a 20/20 season is a possibility if he can stay off the DL.

17. Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 9 54 58 4 .270
2015 18 98 93 7 .297
2016 (PROJ.) 16 96 92 5 .288

Hosmer enjoyed a breakout season in 2015. He has proven to be a consistent high-average hitter, and he showed power not seen since his 2011 rookie season. With a high average, the runs and RBIs will pile up throughout the season, but owners should be on the lookout for a power decline.

18. Justin Bour, Miami Marlins

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 1 10 11 0 .284
2015 23 42 73 0 .262
2016 (PROJ.) 28 59 80 1 .267

Bour will need to prove capable of hitting left-handed pitching in order to return significant fantasy dividends in 2016. He hits well enough against righties alone that he can be considered as a corner infielder or a backup 1B with upside.

19. Byung-ho Park, Minnesota Twins

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 -- -- -- -- --
2015 -- -- -- -- --
2016 (PROJ.) 26 63 78 9 .263

Little is known about how Park will adapt to the major leagues - but the Twins like him a lot, and he'll have a favorable spot in a promising batting order. He does have enough power for 20-plus home runs, even with Target Field as his home park.

20. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 18 93 78 3 .288
2015 18 62 66 3 .276
2016 (PROJ.) 22 60 69 5 .278

A healthier season from Freeman should bring about better fantasy numbers, but the overall quality of the Braves' batting order limits any upside. If he plays a full season, he'll hit 20 home runs for the first time since 2013, but his runs and RBI opportunities are likely to be limited.

21. Brian McCann, New York Yankees

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 23 57 75 0 .232
2015 26 68 94 0 .232
2016 (PROJ.) 24 60 78 0 .247

McCann should be used in the catcher spot, though he does have enough power to serve as an adequate backup first baseman or a primary option as a corner infielder.

22. Justin Turner, Los Angeles Dodgers

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 7 46 43 6 .340
2015 16 55 60 5 .294
2016 (PROJ.) 18 62 71 8 .293

Turner won himself a permanent job with his strong play last season, and he projects to see significant time at third base in 2016, though he has the ability to play several positions. As long he hits, the Dodgers will work him into the lineup, but he'll need to prove his worth as a power threat.

23. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 5 26 38 0 .280
2015 16 43 73 1 .249
2016 (PROJ.) 19 73 76 0 .268

Zimmerman should be viewed as a corner infielder or a backup first baseman. His second-half power surge last season was likely a mirage at this stage of his career. If he can muster a respectable average, he will rack up runs and RBIs, but his best days are in the past.

24. Matt Adams, St. Louis Cardinals

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 15 55 68 3 .288
2015 5 14 24 1 .240
2016 (PROJ.) 18 52 71 1 .276

Adams is likely to be used purely as a platoon option in 2016, but he'll face enough righties to return adequate fantasy value. Facing fewer lefties would likely allow for a rebound in his batting average.

▲25. Pedro Alvarez, Baltimore Orioles

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 18 46 56 8 .231
2015 27 60 77 2 .243
2016 (PROJ.) 26 52 77 3 .255

Alvarez gets a bad rap in fantasy, due mostly to his high strikeout rate and real-life approach at the plate. He will hit between 20 and 30 home runs, and in a good Orioles' offense, the runs and RBIs will follow suit. He's an absolute steal in the latter rounds of standard drafts, while he receives a pretty big boost in OBP leagues.

▼26. Stephen Vogt, Oakland Athletics

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 9 26 35 1 .279
2015 18 58 71 0 .261
2016 (PROJ.) 16 55 73 1 .259

Vogt has catcher, outfield and first base eligibility, with his proper home being behind the plate. He doesn't have enough power to justify being anything more than a backup at either of the latter two positions.

27. Mitch Moreland, Texas Rangers

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 2 18 23 0 .246
2015 23 51 85 1 .278
2016 (PROJ.) 18 63 77 0 .269

Moreland is in a similar position to Adams, but fares slightly better against left-handers. He should see more playing time than Adams, but his average may suffer as a result. He has less pure power than his counterpart, making him a safer option with less upside.

28. Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 32 87 103 3 .335
2015 11 39 64 0 .245
2016 (PROJ.) 18 67 74 0 .281

Martinez's elite power is no more, with his other stats suffering as a result. He will provide a stable batting average, and there will always be RBIs to go around while in the top half of the Tigers' order.

29. Chris Colabello, Toronto Blue Jays

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 6 17 39 0 .229
2015 15 55 54 2 .321
2016 (PROJ.) 20 61 73 3 .277

Colabello's 2015 season was every bit as productive as his early-2014 campaign, without the seemingly inevitable regression. There are plenty of warning signs around him entering 2016, but production will be easy to come by if he's able to maintain a regular spot in the powerful Blue Jays lineup.

30. Stephen Piscotty, St. Louis Cardinals

SEASON HR R RBI SB AVG
2014 -- -- -- -- --
2015 7 29 39 2 .305
2016 (PROJ.) 14 72 71 14 .273

A full season of playing time should see adequate numbers across the board for Piscotty in 2016. He lacks significant power or speed, but he's a quality bench option with dual-position eligibility.

The Digest

theScore's 2016 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit

by theScore Staff
Bob Stanton / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Fantasy baseball season is upon us - and theScore has you covered with the most comprehensive fantasy content offering available. Check back often, as we'll be updating our content offering daily until the season starts.

Positional Rankings

Where does each fantasy-relevant player rank? Look no further than theScore's position-by-position rankings, which include nearly 350 player projections for the upcoming season:

Team-by-Team Fantasy Projections

We provide fantasy projections from three well-respected sources - ZiPS, Steamer and Zeile Consensus - for key players on all 30 major-league teams:

AL East: Toronto | N.Y. Yankees | Baltimore | Tampa Bay | Boston

AL Central: Kansas City | Minnesota | Cleveland | Chicago WSox | Detroit

AL West: Texas | Houston | L.A. Angels | Seattle | Oakland

NL East: N.Y. Mets | Washington | Miami | Atlanta | Philadelphia

NL Central: St. Louis | Pittsburgh | Chicago Cubs | Milwaukee | Cincinnati

NL West: L.A. Dodgers | San Francisco | Arizona | San Diego | Colorado

Mock Drafts

Fretting over which player to pick? Our fantasy baseball experts offer a variety of mock drafts for your perusal (all drafts use 5x5 scoring format):

Fantasy Spotlight

Every major-league team has at least one player whose fantasy outlook is a major point of discussion. Here are some of 2016's most intriguing cases:

AL East: Chris Colabello (TOR) | Starlin Castro (NYY) | Alex Rodriguez (NYY) | Chris Davis (BAL) | Steven Souza (TB) | Brock Holt (BOS)

AL Central: Alex Gordon (KC) | Byung-ho Park (MIN) | Francisco Lindor (CLE) | Brett Lawrie (CHW) | Justin Upton (DET)

AL West: Mitch Moreland (TEX) | George Springer (HOU) | Yunel Escobar (LAA) | Adam Lind (SEA) | Danny Valencia (OAK)

NL East: Neil Walker (NYM) | Daniel Murphy (WAS) | Giancarlo Stanton (MIA) | Freddie Freeman (ATL) | Maikel Franco (PHI)

NL Central: Randal Grichuk (STL) | Gregory Polanco (PIT) | Kyle Schwarber (CHC) | Chris Carter (MIL) | Devin Mesoraco (CIN)

NL West: Corey Seager (LAD) | Denard Span (SF) | A.J. Pollock (ARI) | Alexei Ramirez (SD) | Carlos Gonzalez (COL)

Fantasy Faceoff

Faced with choosing between two terrific draft options? theScore helps fantasy players answer some of the most difficult 1-on-1 decisions they may face at draft time:

Winning Strategies

Hoping to end that lengthy fantasy championship drought? Looking to extend your title reign? Here are theScore's guides on how to find success in a variety of league types:

Must-Read Fantasy Baseball Lists

Every good draft kit has its share of handy lists - and this one is no exception. Check out theScore's collection of informative and entertaining list material:

  • Preseason Rookie Report
    (Andrew Potter takes a comprehensive look at the top rookies in each league for daily and season-long fantasy purposes.)

Fantasy Baseball Tips and Tricks

Don't even try to walk into your fantasy baseball draft without going through theScore's exhaustive list of fantasy strategy posts:

  • How to Smartly Spend Your FAAB
    (James Bisson examines how to use a season-long free-agent budget, targeting players in leagues which use the FAAB format.)
  • Building a Winner Through Trades
    (James Bisson looks at how fantasy owners can use savvy trading as an alternative - or complement - to scouring the waiver wire.)

Daily Fantasy Strategy

No draft kit would be complete without a handy guide for those looking to give daily fantasy baseball a try:

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