2. Paul Goldschmidt – Arizona Diamondbacks
Out of any player since 2010, Paul Goldschmidt might qualify as the best to not win an MVP award. With two second-place finishes and a third-place finish last season, Goldschmidt has to wonder how much more does he have to accomplish to win the award.
Having made five straight All-Star games, along with winning three Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers in that span, Goldschmidt is one of the top 10 players in all of baseball. Goldschmidt played a prominent role in getting the Arizona Diamondbacks back into the playoffs in 2017.
Last season, Goldschmidt hit .297/.404/.563 with 36 home runs, 120 RBI, 117 runs and a 5.8 bWAR. He led all first basemen in RBI and runs scored. And his totals in those two categories ranked him fourth in all of baseball.
At 30 years old, Goldschmidt will enter the final season of his contract in 2018. Although, the Diamondbacks do have a team option on him for 2019. But with the way Goldschmidt’s played throughout his career, the Diamondbacks need to make a smart decision and make sure he remains in Arizona for the rest of his career.
1. Joey Votto – Cincinnati Reds
The most underrated MLB player award goes to Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto. Playing for one of the worst teams over the past few seasons has hurt the attention that Votto deserves.
Votto finished as MVP runner-up to Giancarlo Stanton last season. In his 11-season career, Votto’s made five All-Star teams, won a Gold Glove and won the 2010 NL MVP award.
In 2017, Votto hit .320/.454/.578 with 36 home runs, 100 RBI, 106 runs and a 7.5 bWAR. He led all first basemen in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS.
The 34-year-old had one of the best seasons of his career in 2017. He led all of baseball in on-base percentage, walks, and intentional walks. Every season, Votto reaches base at one of the best rates in baseball. Votto’s led the league in on-base percentage in six of the past eight seasons.
With the Reds in the middle of a rebuild, Votto won’t likely get to play much meaningful baseball over the next few seasons — which seems criminal for a player of his such talent. Votto won’t hit free agency until 2024, so it seems baseball fans will only get to see him play in October if a trade occurs.
Next: Top 10 MLB catchers heading into 2018
Agree or disagree with these rankings? Let us know what your top 10 MLB first basemen are in the comment section below.