🖥 CYBER WEEK - TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE CYBER
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2017 First Basemen: Top MLB Prospects for Fantasy Baseball

Welcome back, RotoBallers. I've already looked at the top 10 prospects for each MLB team and the top 10 catchers for 2017, and now I'll be breaking down impact prospects by position. Today I'm bringing you my top 10 first basemen - MLB prospect rankings for the 2017 fantasy baseball season.

There are not too many uber-talented first base prospects in the minors today. The depth is not as strong this season as it has been in the past. At this point, the first base position in the majors is starting to become filled more and more at the big league level by third basemen and outfielders who lacked the range to field their respective positions. You don’t see a lot of pure first basemen rise up through the minors any more.

But with that said, there are still some talented first base prospects out there, several of whom look poised to have productive 2017 seasons for their big-league ball clubs. Though only a single first base rookie finished the 2016 season with a WAR above 1.0, there are a couple higher-impact bats who could debut in 2017 and receive more playing time for teams that currently lack quality first base options.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Top 10 First Base Prospects for 2017 Fantasy Baseball

1. Josh Bell (PIT, MLB)
Stats: 152 PA, .273/.368/.406, 3 HR, 0 SB, 13.8% BB rate, 12.5% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
The only thing stopping Bell at this point from debuting on Opening Day is the progress in his recovery from knee surgery. Other than that, he seems very likely to have a fantasy impact right out of the gate. He hit extremely well for Pittsburgh when he debuted, much better than the duo of David Freese and John Jaso. All this coming off his most productive stat line in the minors as he put together a .295/.382/.468 slash line with 14 homers, 3 stolen bases, an 11.8 percent walk rate and 15.3 percent strikeout rate. He began to find his power stroke in 2016 and should only continue to excel in that aspect. Expect him to hit right around .300 with 15-25 home runs in 2017 and emerge as a potential Rookie of the Year candidate.

2. Dan Vogelbach (SEA, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 581 PA, .287/.410/.495, 23 HR, 0 SB, 16.7% BB rate, 17.9% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
I’m going to throw this out there before I go any further: scouts rate Vogelbach as a great first baseman. They see him as an extremely unathletic, lumbering first base prospect who will never be a great defender. But they have all begun to come around on his bat. After continuing his monstrous tour of the minors, Vogelbach has started to be viewed as a starting DH or (at worst) first base option for big league teams. Scouts love his advanced approach to the plate and believe him to be a high on-base guy, even if the batting average does not come with him to the big leagues. He certainly has tons of power and should be a 20-homer threat in the big leagues. He will be the Mariners’ starting first baseman entering the 2017 campaign and should have quite a bit of fantasy value in mixed leagues.

3. Cody Bellinger (LAD, AAA)
Stats: (from AA) 465 PA, .263/.359/.484, 23 HR, 8 SB, 12.7% BB rate, 20.2% K rate
ETA: Early June
Bellinger exploded onto the scene in 2016 with a 30-homer season at High-A and only built up more hype after he crushed both Double- and Triple-A. He is blocked at first base by Adrian Gonzalez right now, but the Dodgers may elect to make a change or at least call Bellinger up to man one of the outfield positions. Bellinger is already a better defender and a better power hitter than Gonzalez and is probably Los Angeles’ best option at the position. Even if he does not push Gonzalez out of first base during this season, he should be expected to be called up and play some role for the team (even if just as a utility bat). He has the highest upside of any first base prospect out there and could be a dynamic fantasy option if given playing time.

4. Ronald Guzman (TEX, AAA)
Stats: (from AA) 415 PA, .288/.348/.477, 15 HR, 2 SB, 8.0% BB rate, 19.8% K rate
ETA: Early May
Guzman is the beneficiary of a lack of quality options at first base. Texas lost Mitch Moreland to the Boston Red Sox in free agency and Prince Fielder to retirement. Now, their top options at first are Mike Napoli (likely to spend more time at DH than any other position), Ryan Rua (can’t hit right-handed pitching) and Joey Gallo (still can’t make consistent contact). Guzman, meanwhile, has begun to emerge in the minors as a potential star first baseman thanks to a very refined approach at the plate and some budding power in his bat. If Guzman can crush Triple-A like he did Double-A in 2016, he should be able to warrant a promotion to the big leagues in May and take over as the full-time or strong-side-platoon first baseman.

5. Casey Gillaspie (1B, AAA)
Stats: 203 PA, .307/.389/.520, 7 HR, 0 SB, 10.8% BB rate, 18.7% K rate
ETA: Early May
Gillaspie may not have a single season with more than 20 home runs under his belt, but that’s mostly because he has yet to play in more than 135 games in a full season. Last season, the switch-hitting first baseman combined for 18 dingers and was on pace for 20+ if he played in 150 games. The Rays are in a sort of a rebuilding stage and would be more likely to give Gillaspie some playing time in the majors rather than continue to start Logan Morrison if Gillaspie earns the promotion.

6. Rowdy Tellez (TOR, AA)
Stats: 514 PA, .297/.387/.530, 23 HR, 4 SB, 12.3% BB rate, 17.9% K rate
ETA: Early June
The Blue Jays lost All-Star first baseman Edwin Encarnacion to free agency and as of today are slated to deploy a platoon of Steve Pearce and Justin Smoak in 2017. Now sure, those guys may hit for some pop, but neither are outstanding options for a potential playoff contender. Tellez, on the other hand, is coming off his best season in the minors at Double-A where he demonstrated excellent plate discipline and finally got his power swing going. And with John Gibbons already saying that Tellez is the closest prospect to the majors, he has to be considered a potentially enticing fantasy option in 2017 mixed leagues. If Smoak, Pearce or both struggle at any point throughout the season, Tellez could come up and become a steady source of production at first base for Toronto.

7. Dominic Smith (NYM, AA)
Stats: 542 PA, .302/.367/.457, 14 HR, 2 SB, 9.2% BB rate, 13.7% K rate
ETA: Early July
Smith has a challenging path to the majors. He is blocked by first baseman Lucas Duda at the big leagues who, health-permitting, should be ready to go and start full-time for New York. Smith is probably a better all-around hitter with his advanced discipline and raw power, but the Mets are going to be locked in a tight playoff chase with Washington and will likely not want to rely on a rookie at first base unless Duda really struggles and Smith completely demolishes Triple-A pitching. Smith will likely get a promotion in 2017, but he will have to fight to get regular starting playing time.

8. Rhys Hoskins (PHI, AA)
Stats: 589 PA, .281/.377/.566, 38 HR, 8 SB, 12.1% BB rate, 21.2% K rate
ETA: Early August
There is no denying that Hoskins had an incredible 2016 campaign. Even if you take into account the fact he did most of his mashing at hitter-friendly Reading, Hoskins still looked the part of a future starting first baseman. The only problem is that he is basically competing with a carbon-copy of himself at the big-league level for playing time. Tommy Joseph, like Hoskins, is a young power bat with a tendency to hit lefties better than righties. Hoskins could theoretically push Jospeh out or one of the two could be traded away, but as it stands right now, Hoskins has an uphill battle for playing time.

9. Trey Mancini (BAL, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 536 PA, .280/.349/.427, 13 HR, 2 SB, 9.0% BB rate, 22.9% K rate
ETA: Early August
Mancini was all set to receive starting playing time in 2017 until the Orioles resigned Mark Trumbo. Now it’s back to Triple-A with the 24-year-old first baseman. He has shown throughout his MiLB career that he has plenty of pop and could hit for a respectable average, but he is limited to first base or DH with his athleticism, or lack thereof. He could be a trade candidate if the Orioles try to upgrade a position as he is one of their better prospects, but that is likely his only legit path to consistent playing time in 2017.

10. Matt Olson (OAK, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 540 PA, .235/.335/.422, 17 HR, 1 SB, 13.1% BB rate, 24.4% K rate
ETA: Early August
If Olson could lower his strikeout rate and hit for a better average, he’d likely be starting in the majors at first base this season. Yonder Alonso is not necessarily a must-start first baseman for Oakland, but no one is really forcing him out. Olson has always hit for a ton of power and he takes plenty of walks, but he also consistently strikes out 20 percent of the time or more and usually posts a batting average below .250. All Olson needs to do is fix the issues in his game right now and he could be a legitimate source of power for fantasy owners, but that’s easier said than done.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Maxx Crosby

Trending Toward Playing Against Broncos
Chris Olave

Set to Play Vs. Bucs
LaMelo Ball

Won't Suit Up Against Denver
Immanuel Quickley

Questionable for Sunday Afternoon
Deshaun Watson

Expected to Stay With Browns Next Year
Klay Thompson

Downgraded Versus Houston
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Out Again on Saturday Evening
Tyler Herro

Will Miss Another Game on Saturday
Jimmy Butler III

Out Again on Saturday Night
Draymond Green

Ruled Out Versus Cleveland
Jose A. Ferrer

Mariners Acquire Jose A. Ferrer from the Nationals
Mason Marchment

Expected to Return Saturday
Danila Yurov

Returns From Two-Game Absence Saturday
Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Available Saturday
Harry Ford

Traded to the Nationals
Shane Pinto

to Miss Two Weeks
David Pastrnak

Misses Fifth Consecutive Game Saturday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Remains Out Saturday
Nikita Kucherov

Out on Saturday
Jayden Reed

Activated Off Injured Reserve, Will Play in Week 14
Omarion Hampton

Activated From IR, Faces Uncertain Workload Monday Night
Cody Bellinger

Drawing Interest From the Phillies
MacKenzie Gore

Will the Nationals Trade MacKenzie Gore?
Justin Herbert

Officially Listed as Questionable for Monday Night Football
Justin Herbert

Chargers "Expecting" Justin Herbert to Play in Week 14
Yves Missi

Trending Toward Game-Time Decision
Khris Middleton

Questionable With Knee Soreness Against Hawks
Noah Clowney

On Track To Suit Up Against Pelicans
De'Anthony Melton

Questionable With Knee Management
Draymond Green

Questionable With Mid-Foot Sprain
Jimmy Butler III

Day-To-Day As Warriors Prepare For Cleveland
Mikko Rantanen

Picks Up Three Points Against Sharks
Kyle Connor

Scores in Fourth Consecutive Game
Beckett Sennecke

Notches Two Points in Friday's Win
Ryan Leonard

Suffers Upper-Body Injury Friday
Carter Hart

Day-to-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Brayden Point

Questionable for Saturday
Victor Hedman

Expected to Return Saturday
Byron Buxton

Twins Not Planning to Trade Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton
Patrick Williams

Dalen Terry Available Versus Pacers
Coby White

Returns With Minutes Restriction Friday
Ayo Dosunmu

Out Friday Against Pacers
Zach Collins

Available for Season Debut Friday
Robert Williams III

Donovan Clingan Out, Robert Williams III in for Portland Friday
Evan Mobley

Ready to Play Friday
Kristaps Porzingis

Coming Off the Bench Friday
Spencer Jones

Available Against Hawks
Ozzy Wiesblatt

to Miss 8-10 Weeks With Upper-Body Injury
Pierre-Olivier Joseph

Out With Illness Friday
Evander Kane

Doubtful for Friday
Conor Garland

Back From Two-Game Absence Friday
Thomas Harley

Could Be an Option Next Week
Mikael Granlund

Returning From 10-Game Absence Friday
John Carlson

Misses Second Consecutive Game Friday
Rome Odunze

has Fractured Foot, Labeled Week-to-Week
Sauce Gardner

Ruled Out for Sunday
Petr Yan

Looks To Reclaim Bantamweight Belt
Merab Dvalishvili

Set For His Fourth Title Defense
Joshua Van

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Aaron Jones Sr.

Cleared to Play in Week 14
Chris Olave

Listed as Questionable for Week 14
Alexandre Pantoja

Set For Fifth Title Defense At UFC 323
Tatsuro Taira

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alvin Kamara

Ruled Out for Sunday
Brandon Moreno

Searches For His Third Win In A Row
Rome Odunze

Ruled Out for Week 14
Payton Talbott

A Favorite At UFC 323
Henry Cejudo

Set For His Retirement Fight
Drake London

Ruled Out vs Seattle
Jan Blachowicz

Set To Open Up UFC 323 Main Card
Lamar Jackson

Will Play on Sunday
Bogdan Guskov

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
CFB

Emmett Johnson Leaving Nebraska for 2026 NFL Draft
Dalton Kincaid

to be Questionable for Week 14
Tee Higgins

Clears Concussion Protocol, is a Full-Go for Sunday
CFB

Jam Miller Unlikely to Play in SEC Title Game
CFB

Penn State Expected to Hire Matt Campbell from Iowa State
Mike Evans

Not Quite Ready to Return This Week
Jayden Daniels

Will Start Against Vikings
Lamar Jackson

Returns to Practice, on Track to Play on Sunday
Kyler Murray

Won't Return This Year, Cardinals Non-Committal on his Future
CFB

Arkansas Targeting Ron Roberts for Defensive Coordinator Job
Jhostynxon Garcia

Pirates Acquire Jhostynxon Garcia From Red Sox
Cody Bellinger

Yankees Pushing Hard to Re-Sign Cody Bellinger
CFB

Penn State Eyeing Iowa State Coach Matt Campbell For Coaching Vacancy
Alex Bregman

Cubs Have Renewed Interest in Alex Bregman
CFB

Billy Napier Finalizing Deal to Become James Madison's New Head Coach
CFB

Buster Faulkner Set to Become Florida's New Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Joe Sloan Expected to be Kentucky's New Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Lane Kiffin Working to Keep Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker at LSU
CFB

Brian Daboll a Candidate for Penn State Head-Coaching Job?
Kyle Tucker

Visits With Blue Jays
Emilio Pagán

Reds Bring Back Closer Emilio Pagan on Two-Year Deal
Cedric Mullins

Rays Agree on One-Year Deal
Freddy Peralta

Brewers Considering Trading Freddy Peralta
Kyle Schwarber

Reds Serious About Adding Kyle Schwarber in Free Agency?
CFB

Brent Key Signing Five-Year Deal to Remain at Georgia Tech
CFB

Brian Hartline Expected to Land USF Head-Coaching Job
CFB

Collin Klein Expected to be Top Target for Kansas State if Head-Coach Job Opens
CFB

Chris Klieman Considering Stepping Down at Kansas State
CFB

D.J. Durkin Staying at Auburn Under Alex Golesh
CFB

Charlie Weis Jr. Permitted to Coach Ole Miss Offense in College Football Playoff
CFB

Five-Star Quarterback Jared Curtis Flips Commitment From Georgia to Vanderbilt
CFB

Florida Hiring Brad White as Defensive Coordinator
Kyle Schwarber

Giants Have Checked in on Kyle Schwarber
Willson Contreras

Willing to Waive his Full No-Trade Clause?
Edwin Díaz

Mets Still Interested in Re-Signing Edwin Diaz
Devin Williams

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Mets
Cole Ragans

Red Sox Targeting Cole Ragans in a Trade?
CFB

Kentucky Hires Oregon Offensive Coordinator Will Stein As Head Coach
CFB

Kalani Sitake the Top Target for Penn State Coaching Job
CFB

Josh Heupel Says He's Not a Candidate for Penn State Head Coach Job

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP