Fantasy baseball 2020 tiered first basemen rankings

This tier features some veterans that could be starters in deeper leagues but will likely be backups in 10 or 12-team leagues. They can help but I wouldn’t rely only on them.

Joc Pederson, LAD

The almost-Angel Pederson played 20 games at first base for the Dodgers but he will primarily play outfield. He’s shown some power throughout his career but he, like many other batters, hit a career-high in home runs last season. Pederson finished with 36 homers, 74 RBIs and a .249 average.

As long as he stays with the Dodgers, he will be worth drafting. If he gets traded, depending on the team, I would stay away from Pederson. His value could go up if he reaches 600 at-bats. But, with the Dodgers having a lot of utility players, that may not happen.

Daniel Murphy, COL

The Rockies have been looking for a long-term first baseman for a while. They may have found a serviceable one in Murphy. He played in 132 games and hit 13 home runs, 78 RBIs and .279. Looking at his 2019 splits, Murphy had a better average at home but hit more home runs away from Coors Field.

The Rockies are in a state of flux. The rumor of a Nolan Arenado trade still looms. If that happens, that will have a big negative impact on everyone in the lineup. Until then, though, Murphy has the upside of a 20 HR/.315 season. For someone with an ADP of 265, that’s great value.

Joey Votto, CIN

Votto had a down year across the board last season. He played in 142 games, fewest since 2014. His .261 average and .357 on-base percentage were the lowest of his career. We’ve also seen his power drop from 36 homers in 2017 to 15 in 2019.

But, looking ahead to 2020, the Reds added two big bats in Mike Moustakas and Nicholas Castellanos. With Votto hitting in front of them, he should have plenty of good pitches to hit leading to a rebound. He’s not a top-12 first baseman but could get up to top 15.

Michael Chavis, BOS

Chavis came out swinging when he got the call-up to the majors. In his first 137 at-bats, he hit .263 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs. However, in his final 210 at-bats, he hit .248 with eight homers and 31 RBIs.

The loss of Mookie Betts hurts the remaining Red Sox hitters. He can still hit 23 home runs with a .247 average. With his eligibility at first base, second and third base (depending on your league settings), Chavis is a good bench option to draft in case of an injury.

Danny Santana, TEX

Santana has been hanging out the league for a couple of years, spending three and a half seasons with the Twins. He spent a year and a half with Atlanta before landing with Texas. Joining the Rangers was what Santana needed because he had his breakout season. He finished with 28 home runs, 81 RBIs, 21 steals and a .283 average.

The Rangers lost Nomar Mazara and Delino DeShields and added Todd Frazier but the core offense is still the same. He has eligibility at first base and outfield. You could add second base if your league is different.

Santana is a solid pick for power, contact and speed and you could find him in the 14th round.

Ji-Man Choi, TB

Choi spent the majority of 2019 as the Rays first baseman but will also see some games as the DH. He had a solid season over 127 games, hitting .261 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs.

The Rays lineup looks a little different after the few trades they made this offseason. Choi is slotted as the cleanup man, hitting between Yandy Diaz and Hunter Renfroe. Hitting in the AL East will benefit Choi. I project him to hit 20 home runs, 64 RBIs and .258.