Much like at the catcher position, the 2019 first base rankings just prove to highlight how awful the position is for this season. There are not many sure things before you get into question marks and issues. You will still have people scrambling to find a good option at the end of the draft even if you play in relatively shallow leagues.
Gone are the days where a first baseman commanded a top half of the first round pick. In 2019, it would be somewhat of a shock if one was even selected in the first round. Freddie Freeman has supplanted Paul Goldschmidt as the #1 option at the position for many. However, there is now momentum building on the side of Goldschmidt, including my U-turn in the middle of our first base preview podcast.
Behind that there is a further group of six first basemen who generally seem to be consensus “safe” picks. You will need to pay a fraction more than you might initially think they are worth. However, for the safety and security that many people believe those guys bring, it will be worth it. Once you get past that top eight it is all about picking the one you feel comfortable with. You can either gamble on the upside of a Joey Gallo type or go for the veteran presence of an Eric Hosmer or the old stud Miguel Cabrera.
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There will be some players earning the first base position relatively early. Perhaps the biggest name is Rhys Hoskins, who is virtually being considered a first baseman by many sites. An option would be to draft Hoskins and then find a cheap first baseman to cover you for the first couple of week.
For more on the position check out the podcast below. We go into depth on the position, and discuss some of the pros and cons of the guys outside the top eight.
2019 First Base Rankings
| Player | Team | Other Postions | Kyle's Ranks | Ben's Ranks | Combined Ranks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Freddie Freeman | ATL | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Anthony Rizzo | CHC | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Joey Votto | CIN | 5 | 4 | 4.5 | |
| Cody Bellinger | LAD | OF | 4 | 7 | 5.5 |
| Jose Abreu | CWS | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
| Jesus Aguilar | MIL | 8 | 5 | 6.5 | |
| Matt Carpenter | STL | 3B | 7 | 8 | 7.5 |
| Edwin Encarnacion | SEA | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
| Matt Olson | OAK | 10 | 13 | 11.5 | |
| Joey Gallo | TEX | OF | 11 | 14 | 12.5 |
| Max Muncy | LAD | 3B | 13 | 16 | 14.5 |
| Carlos Santana | CLE | 14 | 15 | 14.5 | |
| Miguel Cabrera | DET | 21 | 10 | 15.5 | |
| Ian Desmond | COL | OF | 12 | 22 | 17 |
| Justin Smoak | TOR | 17 | 17 | 17 | |
| Eric Hosmer | SD | 23 | 11 | 17 | |
| Josh Bell | PIT | 16 | 19 | 17.5 | |
| Trey Mancini | BAL | OF | 24 | 12 | 18 |
| C.J. Cron | MIN | 18 | 23 | 20.5 | |
| Jurickson Profar | OAK | SS/3B | 20 | 21 | 20.5 |
| Luke Voit | NYY | 25 | 18 | 21.5 | |
| Jose Martinez | STL | OF | 15 | 29 | 22 |
| Yuli Gurriel | HOU | 3B | 19 | 27 | 23 |
| Yonder Alonso | CWS | 26 | 20 | 23 | |
| Jake Bauers | CLE | OF | 22 | 28 | 25 |
| Peter Alonso | NYM | 27 | 25 | 26 | |
| Tyler White | HOU | 29 | 24 | 26.5 | |
| Wilmer Flores | ARI | 2B/3B | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Marwin Gonzalez | MIN | SS/2B/OF | 28 | 33 | 30.5 |







