Few positions are more central to the action than first base. First basemen are responsible for anchoring the infield on defense, as well as injecting power into the heart of the batting order. True difference-makers on both ends of the ball, only a select few stand out from the pack. Here are the top five first basemen of the 2025 MLB season.
5. Ryan O’Hearn, San Diego Padres
The Padres went to town at this year’s trade deadline — and landed one of the top all-around first basemen in the league.
San Diego sent a haul of six prospects to Baltimore for a package headlined by Ryan O’Hearn, fresh off his first All-Star nod. He carries an impressive .819 OPS, .355 wOBA, and 129 wRC+ with 14 home runs this season.
On the other side of the ball, O’Hearn supplies one of the top gloves at his position. He owns a 5 Fielding Run Value (FRV), and his 7 Outs Above Average (OAA) are tied for the most among all first basemen — supplementing a solid 2.4 fWAR.
4. Pete Alonso, New York Mets
Pete Alonso loves being a New York Met — and he’s playing like it.
Since returning to Queens on a two-year deal ahead of the 2025 season, the Polar Bear leads all first basemen with 28 home runs — including the monumental blast that moved him past Darryl Strawberry as the franchise’s all-time leader. His 100 RBIs rank third in the majors, and he paces National League first basemen in OPS (.871), wOBA (.370), and wRC+ (143).
A five-time All-Star, Alonso has posted a 3.1 fWAR this season, tied for the third most at his position. The slugger has made it clear he wants to spend the rest of his career in Orange and Blue — now it’s up to the front office to “come through.”
3. Nick Kurtz, Athletics
Welcome to the big leagues, Nick Kurtz. The fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft made his MLB debut for the Athletics on April 23 at just 22 years old — and he’s made an unbelievable first impression.
Not only is Kurtz a shoo-in for the American League Rookie of the Year Award — he’s currently a colossal (-15000) favorite, according to ESPN’s 2025 MLB Odds Tracker — but he’s also one of the top offensive weapons in the sport. Since the night of his debut, his 1.025 OPS and 176 wRC+ trail only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. Decent company.
Kurtz has accumulated a whopping 3.6 fWAR in just 84 games, racking up an MLB-leading 2.3 fWAR since the All-Star Break. He’s crushed 25 home runs on the year, pacing all rookies and ranking third among first basemen.
2. Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves
Matt Olson is a two-time Gold Glove winner for a reason. Now in his tenth season, the Braves’ first baseman is tied for the lead at his position with 7 OAA, and he leads all first basemen with a 7 FRV. He’s the only first baseman with double-digit Defensive Runs Saved — he has 15.
While he’s not the same power threat who led the majors with 54 home runs in 2023, Olson remains a force at the dish. He owns an .813 OPS, 128 wRC+, and has launched 19 homers. Combined with his defensive excellence, it’s a recipe for a 3.1 fWAR — tied for the third among first basemen.
1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was homerless with a .286 average when the Blue Jays signed him to a massive 14-year, $500 million contract extension on April 9. Considering the numbers he’s put up since, Toronto scored a bargain.
The righty slugger has since blasted 21 homers, now owning an .898 OPS, .386 wOBA, and 150 wRC+ on the year — all three marks leading first basemen with over 400 plate appearances. His Batting Run Value, 40, ranks in the top 98th percentile of the league.
Guerrero leads his position with a stellar 4.0 fWAR, including 1.9 added since the All-Star break. And at just 26 years old, the Jays locked up their franchise cornerstone with his prime years still to come.
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