MLB Free Agency Power Rankings: 5 best players available at first base

Need a first baseman this winter? Your team might be in luck. Many players are available at the position in free agency, and quite a few will likely find a new home for 2025 and beyond.

MLB free agency rumors are already ramping up, and it won't be long before the top dominos start falling off the board. Here are the power rankings for the top five first basemen this winter.

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5. Josh Bell

Josh Bell has been a consistent first baseman throughout his career. He has bounced around a lot lately but has brought value offensively wherever he goes. Although he has yet to top his breakout campaign in 2019 when he slashed .277/.367/.569 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs, he is still putting up respectable numbers, like his .249/.319/.405 in 2024 with 19 homers and 71 driven in, or the 22 homers and 74 RBIs from a year prior.

It's unlikely that Bell will receive any lengthy deal, and he can most likely be had on the cheaper side of available first basemen. The switch-hitting Bell will be an attractive option for teams looking to save a few bucks, and it'll be interesting to see who signs him this winter. From a production standpoint, He is still 32 years old, so there should be plenty left in his bat.

4. Ty France

By all accounts, Ty France had a down season in 2024. He slashed just .234/.305/.365, which is well below his career average, but that's where there's room for optimism. His career mark is .263/.337/.407, even after the down year, and in today's game, that is an above-average batting average. The problem with France, besides the lack of slug, is his inability to be an average defender.

In 2024, France recorded a minus-12 Outs Above Average mark, among the bottom 1 percent in MLB. This is ultimately where teams may stop dead in their tracks, but among top first basemen, his ability to hit for average is better than most. There's nowhere to go but up defensively, and his OOA of minus-1 in 2023 and minus-4 in 2022 are still bad but not nearly as awful as in 2024. Likely, he won't repeat as terrible of a display, and with any improvement defensively, he's still a viable ballplayer.

3. Paul Goldschmidt

After a down season in 2024, seven-time All-Star Paul Goldschmidt may be available on a team-friendly deal. This season, Goldschmidt slashed .245/.302/.414. A four-time Gold Glove winner, Goldschmidt experienced his worst year offensively in 2024, but the thing is, his worst season is still better than a lot of players, as his 100 wRC+ was precisely league average this year.

If Goldschmidt has any resurgence in 2025, you're likely getting a steal as far as a contract goes. He proved he can still hit 20 long balls, but his power numbers have decreased over the past two seasons. His veteran leadership will bring a lot to the table, and as stated, any spike in power and batting average can still be an upgrade for any first-base-needy team.

2. Christian Walker

Christian Walker is set to receive a lucrative deal in free agency after slashing .250/.332/.481 over the past three seasons, with 95 homers and 281 RBIs. He has also won the Gold Glove the past three seasons in a row, so offensive aside, you're still getting a high floor, at the very least, in terms of defense. Walker is one of the better slugging hitters in the league when coupled with an elite defensive skillset, so there's reason to believe he will be at the top of a team's wishlist if they need help at 1B.

Top 5 first baseman - 1. Pete Alonso

The Polar Bear Pete Alonso has been the best power-hitting first baseman in the league since his 2019 rookie campaign when he smashed 53 home runs. He has hit at least 34 homers every year except for the 2020 shorted season and crossed the 115 RBI plateau three times in six seasons.

After hiring Scott Boras as his agent, Pete Alonso was always going to test the water in free agency. I believe the Mets are still the favorite to bring him back, especially after Cody Bellinger opted in with the Cubs, who no longer have anywhere to put him in the field with Michael Busch at first base and Seiya Suzuki at DH. If the Mets pass for some reason, it will be interesting to see where he ends up next year. There is still plenty of pop in his bat.