Fantasy Baseball: Top 10 First Baseman for 2019

We continue our fantasy baseball rankings preview with a look at our top 10 first baseman

As you get set for your 2019 fantasy baseball draft, we’ll have you covered here at Call to the Pen. We’ve already looked at some sleepers, some rookies and the top 10 catchers to own in fantasy baseball for the upcoming season. All of that can be found here. 

Now, we move to the corner infield spot of first base. First base is where you’re going to find power and run production. The position isn’t as loaded as you may think though. After the top guys, you may have to reach bit as teams are rotating players around their infield more than ever.

There are some prospects coming at the position that you could look to later on. There are also players who should gain eligibility during the season like Rhys Hoskins and Daniel Murphy. While that may be the plan for them right now, things happen, so for the purposes of these rankings, we will look at players who will be eligible at the position from day one.

In looking at the position, only two players drove in more than 100 runs last year. Four players hit 30 or more homers. Two players had more than 40 doubles, while three had over 100 walks. A lot of the stars of the game even 10 years ago were first baseman. This is no longer the case, though you certainly have some big name All-Star level players at this position.

So where do you go at first base? Who are the top 10 first baseman to target in fantasy baseball for 2019? Some names weren’t on the radar going into last year and that’s what makes baseball and fantasy baseball so much fun. So let’s begin our countdown with a veteran bat going back home.

10. Carlos Santana– Cleveland Indians

2018- 161 games .229/.352/.414 24 homers 86 RBI

2019 steamer-.251/.366/.453 20 homers 65 RBI

After spending one season in Philadelphia (in a signing that didn’t make a whole ton of sense from the beginning) Santana finds himself back where it all started in Cleveland after being traded by the Seattle Mariners. Going back to Cleveland should help Santana which is why he is at 10 on our list of first baseman for fantasy baseball in 2019.

The thing you like about having Santana as your first baseman is he’s quite durable. Since 2013, he’s appeared in over 150 games every year. Another thing? He’s putting the ball in play more while still taking his walks. If your fantasy baseball league takes walks or OBP into account, Santana could be a weapon for you.

Over the past three seasons, Santana ranks sixth in homers, eighth in RBI, ninth in RBI, and third in walk percentage.

Santana won’t be that sexy pick. You won’t get a comment in the draft room chat or from your buddies when you select him (unless you get him super late). If you miss out one of the bigger names at the position, Santana is a perfectly fine fallback option for you to have at first base.

9. Jesus Aguilar– Milwaukee Brewers

2018- 149 games .274/.352/.539 35 homers 108 RBI

2019 steamer- 132 games .242/.317/.454 27 homers 79 RBI

Sometimes it’s all about opportunity for a player. Injuries to Eric Thames early in the season opened up a lot of playing time for Jesus Aguilar at first base in 2018 and he took the ball and ran with it. Hopefully you took advantage of him on your fantasy baseball team last year, because he won’t be there as a waiver pickup this year.

Aguilar’s 35 homers were fifth in the National League last season as were his 108 RBI and his .352 slugging percentage. His 134 WRC+ was ninth in the league in 2018. He earned his first All-Star apperance in 2018 and participated in the Home Run Derby.

Not bad for a waiver claim.

So what does 2019 hold for Aguilar? I think it’s safe to assume that he will be the predominant first baseman for the Brewers this season, as the team looks to get back to the playoffs and past the NLCS. Of course, when you see somebody break out the way he did, you want to make sure he can do it again.  He should have every opportunity, and in that lineup, he should have plenty of opportunities. I think you should draft him on your fantasy baseball team with confidence.

8. Edwin Encarnacion– Seattle Mariners

2018- 137 games .246/.336/.474 32 homers 107 RBI

2019  steamer- 121 games .238/.337/.463 27 homers 77 RBI

The other big part of the three team trade that landed Carlos Santana back to the Cleveland Indians was the Seattle Mariners picking up Edwin Encarnacion from the Indians. The Mariners have a very crowded first base/DH group with Encarnacion, Jay Bruce, Ryon Healy and Dan Vogelbach, and it’s very possible that Encarnacion gets dealt elsewhere during the 2019 season, which could help his fantasy baseball production. Heck, you never know with Jerry DiPoto, he may have been dealt as you’re reading this.

Encarnacion has seven straight 30+ homer seasons and has driven in over 100 runs in six of those seven seasons. The lone year he didn’t, he drove in 98.

Over the past three seasons, Encarnacion leads all first baseman with 112 homers, and RBI with 341. His .504 slugging percentage ranks seventh and his 128 WRC+ ranks sixth.

Encarnacion will be entering his age 36 season and playing in a bigger park in Seattle, so that could impact his power output. However, the run production should still be there for your fantasy baseball squad this year.

7. Jose Abreu– Chicago White Sox

2018- 128 games .265/.325/.473 22 homers 78 RBI

2019 steamer- 143 games .280/.339/.495 28 homers 93 RBI

2018 was an off year for Jose Abreu. It ended with him in the hospital for an infected ingrown hair in his thigh and also missed time with a testicular torsion. You may look at his numbers and think they are decent, however, these were all career lows for him. Abreu had driven in over 100 runs each of his first four seasons and hit over 30 homers in three of the four.

Abreu is going to be the veteran anchor in the lineup again for the Chicago White Sox. Another wave of prospects should begin to come up in 2019 as they wait for guys like Yoan Moncada to take the next step in their development. They’ve added Yonder Alonso to help out at first, which should give Abreu a little more time at DH.

Over the past three seasons, Abreu is tied for seventh in homers, fourth in RBI, fifth in average, eighth in slugging and ninth in WRC+.

The injuries that Abreu sustained in 2018 shouldn’t impact him for 2019. If he is your first baseman in fantasy baseball this year, I think you can safely book him for a 30 homer 100 RBI season. Though if they add Alonso’s brother in law to the lineup, maybe Abreu can do even more damage.

6. Cody Bellinger– Los Angeles Dodgers

2018- 162 games .260/.343/.470 25 homers 76 RBI

2019 steamer- 149 games .267/.332/.525 32 homers 95 RBI

His numbers were slightly down from his rookie campaign, but clearly Cody Bellinger is a stud, not only for fantasy baseball purposes, but in reality for the Los Angeles Dodgers. You can tell he’s an exceptional athlete, and being eligible at first and in the outfield gives you that lineup flexibility.

With A.J. Pollock now in the fold for the Los Angeles Dodgers, that could lead to fewer time for him in the outfield in 2019, which could keep him healthier and more productive. He hit for less power in the second half, but saw his batting average rise 40 points. He only hit .226 vs lefties, and with the way the Dodgers platoon players, you have to wonder if he sees less time against lefties this year.

Since coming up to the majors, Bellinger ranks third among first baseman in homers and slugging percentage, fourth in RBI, 10th in OBP, and sixth in OBP.

I think the truth of Bellinger lies somewhere in between his rookie year and his sophomore one, which is basically his steamer projection. If he hits that, draft with confidence on your fantasy baseball team and enjoy the production.

5. Matt Carpenter– St. Louis Cardinals

2018- 156 games .257/.324/.523 36 homers 81 RBI

2019 steamer- 143 games .251/.380/.471 25 homers 71 RBI

Speaking of first baseman who are eligible at multiple positions for fantasy baseball, Matt Carpenter will be moving across the diamond to third base with the arrival of Paul Goldschmidt in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. (More on him later)

Carpenter started the 2018 season and ended the season hitting under .200 in each month, but like a most stuf oreo, the damage was done in the middle. July saw him hit .333 with 11 homers and 21 RBI.

Over the past three seasons, Carpenter ranks seventh in homers, second in runs and walk percentage, ninth in RBI and slugging percentage, and fifth in OBP and WRC+.

If you draft Carpenter as your fantasy baseball first baseman, you’ll have some high highs and some low lows. You also may be able to slot him into other positions, which is quite valuable in daily leagues. If he’s not eligible at third base, he will be rather quickly.  Carpenter is constantly undervalued in fantasy baseball. You may be able to get him later than you think.

4. Joey Votto– Cincinnati Reds

2018- 145 games .284/.417/.419 12 homers 67 RBI

2019 steamer- 147 games .279/.406/.464 22 homers 81 RBI

The 35 year old Votto has been a fantasy baseball staple for years now. His power production may have dipped a bit last year, but he still had an excellent on-base percentage, even though all of his counting stats dipped last year. The Cincinnati Reds have to hope this isn’t the decline off a cliff for Votto, who’s under contract through the 2023 season with an option.

The Reds have some impressive offensive talent around Votto, so he doesn’t have to do it all himself. The additions of Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig to go with Eugenio Suarez, and if healthy, top prospect Nick Senzel, should give Votto more than enough offensive support.

Over the past three years, Votto is 10th among first baseman in homers, fourth in runs and slugging, sixth in RBI, first with a .311 average and OBP at .436.

I think you’ll see Votto closer to his steamer projection than what he did in 2018. That’ll be good news for you if you have him in fantasy baseball. Expect him to rebound in 2019.

2. Paul Goldschmidt- St. Louis Cardinals

2018: 158 games .290/.389/.533 33 homers 83 RBI

2019 steamer: 150 games .277/.385/.289 27 homers 90 RBI

He’s usually the number one guy to consider for fantasy baseball at first base, but I think those days may be over for the 31 year old. Even going into a new city and new lineup in St. Louis and being surrounded by pretty good talent there, and going into his free agent year, he’s still elite, just not the head honcho anymore.

What hurt Goldschmidt’s 2018 was a weak May and September, as the Diamondbacks collapsed and missed the playoffs. A .790 OPS and just five RBI in the month of September isn’t going to cut hit and hurt his overall production. In May, he had an OPS of .531. Yikes

Only Edwin Encarnacion has more homers than Goldschmidt over the past three seasons. He leads all first baseman in runs scored, is third in RBI and batting average and is second in OBP and slugging. He even has 57 steals during that time (though just seven last season).

Look, Goldschmidt is still going to get drafted rather high in fantasy baseball drafts and should be an offensive anchor in your lineup. However, I would expect his production to be closer to 2018, rather than 2017 or ’16.

1. Freddie Freeman– Atlanta Braves

2018 stats-162 games .309/.388/.505 23 homers 98 RBI

2019 steamer- 150 games .287/.380/.507 27 homers 94

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

Freddie Freeman is probably the best first baseman in the game today and is certainly the best first baseman for fantasy baseball in 2019. While his slugging may have dropped a little, he still slugged over .500 and had an OPS of close to .900. He also drove in over 90 runs for the second time in the past three seasons. With another year of experience under the belt of much of the Braves young core, plus the addition of Josh Donaldson, Freeman could once again have another excellent season.

His .549 slugging percentage over the past three years leads all first baseman.  He’s third in OBP, and is second in batting average. He’s fourth in homers, third in runs, and seventh in RBI during that same time frame.

Freeman is more than likely going to be the first first baseman off the board. The question is whether you want to spend the pick on him, compared to others and other positions you need to fill.

So there you have it. The top 10 first baseman to have on your fantasy baseball team in 2019. Anyone too high? Too low? Leave a comment and let us know. Good luck this fantasy baseball season.