MLB Projections: Top 10 First Basemen in 2020
By Manny Gómez
Today, we at ‘Call to the Pen’ are going to examine the top 10 first basemen in baseball using the “Steamer” MLB projections system.
First base happens to be one of those positions that has a slew of players, making this list one of the most difficult to compile. Thankfully, using the “Steamer” MLB projections system, half the battle is already done.
There are some key ommissions, however, that really pains me to see include Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds and Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox. My only guess is that “Steamer” is taking Votto’s decline last season and Abreu’s age – he’ll be 33 at the start of the 2020 season.
An argument can be made that either of the aforementioned players could have at the very least placed ahead of the #10 player on this list…
#10 – Brandon Belt, San Francisco Giants
Brandon Belt is a traditional first baseman in every sense. Though he doesn’t hit like a modern-day corner infielder, he remains a plus offensively. For his career, Belt is hitting .261 with a .801 OPS. He won’t lead the league in homers, but he’s a shoo-in for somewhere between 10-20 home runs each season.
Defensively, Belt is one of the top first basemen in all of baseball. His 4 DRS ranks fifth among first baseman with a minimum of 1000 innings at the position.