2024 Fantasy Baseball First Base Spotlight: ADP Primer and Analysis
As you continue your research in preparation for your fantasy baseball draft, it is always important to understand the depth at each position. Drafting is more than just crossing names off your player rankings and taking the “best player available.” You need to construct a fluid draft strategy that takes into account which positions need to be attacked first and which ones you can wait on until the mid-to-later rounds. By tracking the ADP of each position, you will have a better understanding of the position’s depth and learn where the pocket is for drafting from a particular tier.
The first base position is traditionally deep. It’s gotten a little top-heavy in recent seasons, but overall, you can still find strong power in the mid-to-later rounds. The question you have to ask yourself on Draft Day is whether or not you feel like a premium power-bat like Matt Olson or Pete Alonso is what you need most, or if you can/should take a different approach and be happy with one of the numerous players who will hit home runs in the 20-25 range. Below is a list of first baseman, organized by ADP tiers, which should help guide your draft plan.
ADP Pockets for the First Base Position
Tier 1 (Rounds 1-4):
- Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers (ADP: 8.47)
- Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves (15.41)
- Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (16.85)
- Pete Alonso, New York Mets (25.42)
- Vladimir Guerrero, Toronto Blue Jays (29.94)
You can’t go wrong with anyone in this group. If it’s power you covet, they are all going to help. Even Guerrero, who I expect to have a bounce-back season. Just keep in mind that if you plan to take one of these players with one of your first few picks, you should have a plan for stolen bases as they go fast in the early rounds as well.
Tier 2 (Rounds 4-6):
- Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs (52.94)
- Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals (76.80)
If you miss out on the top-tier, both are respectable replacements, though I would probably favor Bellinger as Goldy’s career is on the downturn. He’s fine, but I’m not running out to draft him. If it were my team, I would probably wait for the next tier of first basemen.
Tier 3 (Rounds 7-10):
- Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox (90.50)
- Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks (92.89)
- Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds (100.18)
- Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers (111.33)
There has been an increased amount of buzz for Casas who has moved up the ADP charts by a full round over the past few weeks. My only issue with him is going to be the surrounding lineup and what his RBI and runs scored will look like by season’s end. Walker is a solid option as I’ve been referring to him lately as a “poor man’s Goldschmidt” since he’s one of very few at this position who can offer double-digit steals. Steer is solid and will play the outfield in Cincinnati but I think I would actually prefer Torkelson whose power is on the rise as we saw late last season.
Tier 4 (Rounds 11-14):
- Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals (123.65)
- Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay Rays (129.64)
- Josh Naylor, Cleveland Guardians (130.30)
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cincinnati Reds (149.76)
- Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies (158.70)
- Vinnie Pasquantino, Kansas City Royals (167.79)
If you are waiting this long for your primary first baseman, be careful. I’d be looking at Bohm, Naylor and Pasquantino. Perez is much better suited as a catcher, Encarnacion-Strand has lot of holes in his game (good power but likely only a DH only because his defense is bad) and Diaz is helpful with batting average but I’m not buying a plateau from last year’s power.
Tier 5 (Rounds 15-19):
- Isaac Paredes, Tampa Bay Rays (186.33)
- Rhys Hoskins, Milwaukee Brewers (187.41)
- Jeimer Candelario, Cincinnati Reds (208.21)
- Nathaniel Lowe, Texas Rangers (212.68)
- Brandon Drury, Los Angeles Angels (220.74)
Paredes and Hoskins are the two who interest me in this tier, but keep in mind that both are power bats with little to no help anywhere else, especially the batting average. Paredes offers multi-position eligibility which is definitely helpful, but keep in mind that if there are struggles in the first half, the Rays have Junior Caminero waiting in the wings. They won’t bring Caminero up until after the Super-Two deadline, so the leash isn’t too short.
Tier 6 (Rounds 20-25):
- Andrew Vaughn, Chicago White Sox (242.30)
- Ryan Mountcastle, Baltimore Orioles (245.68)
- Justin Turner, Toronto Blue Jays (251.42)
- Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees (258.36)
- Jose Abreu, Houston Astros (299.71)
You’re just kissing the 20-homer threshold here and not doing much else. This is simply about filling your roster with depth, though maybe you can get away with Vaughn or Mountcastle as a corner infielder or utility bat.
Tier 7 (Rounds 21 and beyond):
- Josh Bell, Miami Marlins (335.83)
- Luke Raley Jr., Seattle Mariners (380.42)
- Alex Kirilloff, Minnesota Twins (399.82)
- DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees (411.44)
- Ty France, Seattle Mariners (437.98)
- Jake Cronenworth, San Diego Padres (461.53)
- Wilmer Flores, San Francisco Giants (499.45)
Most of this tier and even guys further down the draft board are primarily depth-plays. Maybe your corner infielder if you’ve waited an obscene amount of time. But I will say that LeMahieu intrigues me as the leadoff-hitter for the Yankees. He’s healthy and is having himself a decent spring as the Yankees starting third baseman. If you are looking for runs scored and some batting average help, he is definitely someone I would pick up. Setting the table for Juan Soto and Aaron Judge has its perks. If he gets hurt or doesn’t pan out, he’s also an easy drop.
*Round assignments set for 12-team leagues
**NFBC ADP date range set for 2/26/24 – 3/6/24
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