Every MLB Team's Greatest First Baseman of All Time - One Pick From All 30 Teams

June 29, 2026

Read about the greatest first baseman in MLB history from all 30 teams. RotoBaller names the greatest first baseman from each of the 30 MLB teams including Albert Pujols, Jimmie Foxx, and more.

The first base position has been occupied by some of the greatest players in MLB history. Some of the best players at the position are widely regarded as among the greatest ever to step on the diamond.

In this piece, we will look to name every team's greatest first baseman of all time.

Read ahead as we highlight the greatest first baseman of all time for all 30 MLB teams. Let's dive in!

Arizona Diamondbacks

Paul Goldschmidt (2011-2018)

Second all-time in Diamondbacks history with 209 home runs, Goldschmidt was a 6-time All-Star while in Arizona. One of the most decorated position players in D-Backs history, he won four Silver Slugger awards and three Gold Gloves during his tenure in the desert.

Athletics

Jimmie Foxx (1925-1935 w/ Philadelphia A's)

Before the Athletics were a team without a city, they were based in Philadelphia. That's where the great Jimmie Foxx patrolled 1B for the A's. One of the most feared right-handed batters in history, Foxx was two-time AL MVP while with the Athletics. He hit 58 HRs while slugging .749 in the 1932 season, both of which remain single-season franchise records.

Atlanta Braves

Freddie Freeman (2010-2021)

The face of the franchise in the post-Chipper Jones era, Freeman hit 271 dingers and drove in 941 runs during his tenure with the Braves. The 2020 NL MVP and five-time All-Star led Atlanta to a World Series title in 2021.

Baltimore Orioles

Eddie Murray (1977-1988; 1996)

Arguably the most respected player in Orioles history not named Cal Ripken or Brooks Robinson, Murray was an elite switch-hitter and offensive machine who launched 343 HRs with the club. The 1977 AL Rookie of the Year would team with Ripken to bring a World Series title to Baltimore in 1983.

Boston Red Sox

Jimmie Foxx (1936-1942)

Foxx makes his second appearance on the list here, which speaks volumes about the caliber of player he was. During his seven-year tenure in Boston, Foxx hit .320 with 222 homers and 788 RBIs. He won the American League MVP award in 1938.

Chicago Cubs

Anthony Rizzo (2012-2021)

If we wanted to get technical, we could have Ernie Banks here, as he played 1B in the latter portion of his career. However, "Mr. Cub" is primarily considered a shortstop, so we'll give the honor to Anthony Rizzo, a player who was the heart and soul of the 2016 Cubs squad that snapped a 108-year World Series title drought. Rizzo hit .320 with 10 RBIs during that postseason run, and was a three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner during his tenure in the Windy City.

Chicago White Sox

Frank Thomas (1990-2005)

"The Big Hurt" is not only the greatest first baseman in White Sox history, but arguably the greatest hitter to ever suit up on the South Side. Thomas won back-to-back AL MVP awards in 1995-96 and had six seasons of 40+ homers or 100+ RBIs with the White Sox.

Cincinnati Reds

Joey Votto (2007-2023)

This was certainly one of the toughest decisions on our list, as what Tony Perez did with the legendary "Big Red Machine" dynasty can't be ignored. However, Votto does have an NL MVP award on his resume, and it's impossible to overlook his stellar career slash line (.294/.409/.511) and noticeably higher WAR (64.5 vs. 53.9 for Perez).

Cleveland Guardians

Jim Thome (1991-2002; 2011)

His combination of raw power and patience made Thome one of baseball's most-feared sluggers during his prime. He was a driving force on some of the best team's in Cleveland history during the mid-to-late 1990s. Thome is the franchise's all-time leader in HRs and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Colorado Rockies

Todd Helton (1997-2013)

A member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2024, Helton is not only the greatest first baseman in Rockies history, but the franchise's greatest overall player. He tops the Colorado record books in hits, HRs, RBIs, doubles, walks, and WAR.

Detroit Tigers

Miguel Cabrera (2008-2023)

One of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time, Cabrera's 2012 Triple Crown achievement stands out among his long list of accomplishments, as he was the first player since 1967 to do it and currently stands as the last player to accomplish the feat.

While Miggy would be a slam dunk selection for most organizations, we have to mention Tigers great Hank Greenberg here as well, who despite missing four years due to military service during WWII, still stacks up favorably to Cabrera in some statistical measurements.

We want Miguel Cabrera back 💔#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/wSut16YmUM

— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) August 21, 2024

Houston Astros

Jeff Bagwell (1991-2005)

The 1994 NL MVP, Bagwell, was one of the most complete first basemen of his era. In addition to being the greatest hitter in Astros history and hitting 449 career home runs, he stole over 200 career bases and won a Gold Glove in 1994.

Kansas City Royals

Mike Sweeney (1995-2007)

Sweeney had the unfortunate luck of playing for the Royals during a downtrodden time in the franchise's history, a fact that likely hurts how he's viewed in a historical context. Despite KC's record during his tenure, Sweeney still stands out as the best first baseman in Royals history due to his consistent offensive production and high-level character. A five-time All-Star, Sweeney hit 197 career homers with Kansas City.

Los Angeles Angels

Rod Carew (1979-1985)

Carew's prime years came in Minnesota, but his contributions as an Angel shouldn't be forgotten. He was named an All-Star for six consecutive seasons (1979-84) while playing for the Angels, hitting .314/.393/.392 during his time in California.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Gil Hodges (1943-1961)

One of the premier first basemen of his era, Hodges' all-around excellence contributed to seven pennant-winning Dodgers clubs, and two World Series championship teams. He missed two-and-half seasons early in his career due to military service during WWII - for which he received a Bronze Star - but still logged 370 career home runs. He averaged 30 HRs and 101 RBIs from 1949 to 1959. In addition to his plate prowess, Hodges was one of the preeminent defensive first basemen of his generation, as well as a respected clubhouse leader.

Miami Marlins

Jeff Conine (1993-1997; 2003-2005)

A foundational franchise player who was a member of the club since its first-ever season, Conine was a member of two Marlins world championship squads. Known as "Mr. Marlin", he was a versatile first baseman and two-time All-Star in an era when the expansion-era Marlins didn't have many.

Milwaukee Brewers

Cecil Cooper (1977-1987)

While Prince Fielder brought flashy power and fanfare, and George Scott had strong years, Cooper's blend of longevity, elite hitting, defense, and leadership makes him the Brewers' best first baseman. A central figure on an '82 Brewers club that reached the only World Series in franchise history, Cooper had six seasons with 100+ RBIs, while topping 200 hits in three seasons.

Minnesota Twins

Harmon Killebrew (1961-1974)

The first member of the Minnesota Twins to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Killebrew was one of the most feared power hitters of his generation. He played multiple positions early in his career, but first base became his primary and most impactful home. The 1969 AL MVP, he led the league in homers six times. Killebrew's 559 career HRs is nearly double that of the next-closest Twin - Kent Hrbek with 293.

New York Mets

Keith Hernandez (1983-1989)

One of the most beloved player in Mets history, Hernandez stands as one of the best defensive first baseman in baseball history. He won 11 consecutive Gold Glove awards - six with the Mets. The heart and soul of New York's 1986 World Series-winning squad, Hernandez was the first captain in franchise history.

New York Yankees

Lou Gehrig (1923-1939)

Most of this generation's baseball fans remember Gehrig for his remarkable streak of playing in 2,130 consecutive games - a mark that stood for 56 years before being broken by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1995. With all the lore surrounding the "Iron Horse", how great of an actual ballplayer he was sometimes gets lost.

Gehrig won the 1934 Triple Crown, was a two-time AL MVP, and six-time World Series champion. He retired with 493 HRs and remains among the game's all-time greats in WAR, OPS, and RBI.

Philadelphia Phillies

Ryan Howard (2004-2016)

Howard holds a dominate position in the Phillies record book, as he's the franchise's all-time leader among first basemen in HRs, RBIs, hits, doubles, and runs. Howard followed up his 2005 NL Rookie of the Year award by being named the NL MVP in 2006 - a season in which he hit a Phillies-record 58 home runs.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Willie Stargell (1962-1982)

"Pops" played primarily in the outfield before moving to 1B full time in 1975, but his legendary 1979 season that included a World Series title (his second), as well as being named the NL & World Series MVP, came at first base. Arguably the most beloved Pirate in history, Stargell's numbers - including 475 career homers - leave little doubt as to his greatness.

San Diego Padres

Adrian Gonzalez (2006-2010)

This is an interesting case, as Gonzalez only spent five seasons with the Padres, but still ranks as the no-brainer choice as the best first baseman in franchise history due to both his monstrous output and San Diego's lack of pedigree at the position. Across his last four years in San Diego, Gonzalez averaged just over 34 HRs and 104 RBIs per season while earning three All-Star nods.

San Francisco Giants

Willie McCovey (1959-1973; 1977-1980)

Long before there was McCovey Cove, Willie was posted up at first base for the Giants. One of the most prolific power hitters in history, McCovey was name the 1959 NL Rookie of the Year and 1969 NL MVP. He bombed 469 of his 521 career homers while with the Giants while primarily playing first base after starting his career in the outfield.

Seattle Mariners

Alvin Davis (1984-1991)

The original "Mr. Mariner", Davis was the upstart franchise's first true star and remains an icon in Seattle. Davis was the AL Rookie of the Year and an All Star in 1984. He went on to finish his Mariners tenure with a .281/.381/.453 line in 4,892 plate appearances. Following his playing days, Davis was the inaugural member of the team's Hall of Fame.

St. Louis Cardinals

Albert Pujols (2001-2011; 2022)

A generation of Cardinals fans likely never dreamed that Stan Musial would ever be challenged when discussing the franchise's greatest first baseman. But, we're gonna give the edge to Pujols - a player who isn't just the best first baseman in Cardinals history, he's one of the greatest hitters in the history of the game.

A three-time NL MVP and two-time World Series champion with the Cards, Pujols started his career with 10 consecutive seasons with a .300 batting average, 30 HRs, and 100 RBIs. He returned to St. Louis for the final season of his career in 2022, and ultimately swatted 469 of his 703 career homers in a Cardinals uniform.

7/12/2003: The Cardinals beat the Padres off the strength of Albert Pujols’ first career walk-off home run.#STLCards (via MLB) @vivaelbirdos @FSRedbirdRants pic.twitter.com/CyjP8OmlVx

— MLB Daily Dingers (@MLBDailyDingers) November 27, 2024

Tampa Bay Rays

Carlos Pena (2007-2010; 2012)

While Pena only spent five total seasons in Tampa, the best production of his career undoubtedly came with the Rays. He hit 144 HRs in his first four-year stint with the club, and Pena's 163 homers with the Rays are the most in franchise history by a first baseman by a wide margin. He trails only Evan Longoria for the most HRs in Rays history regardless of position.

Texas Rangers

Rafael Palmeiro (1989-1993; 1999-2003)

His legacy and ties to PEDs are what they are, but it's tough to argue that Palmeiro isn't the greatest Rangers first baseman of all time when simply looking at his on-field accomplishments. Palmeiro's 321 HRs and 1,038 RBIs as a Ranger are both more than double that of his nearest competitor in franchise history at the position - Mark Teixeira with 153 HRs & 499 RBIs respectively.

Toronto Blue Jays

Carlos Delgado (1993-2004)

Delgado probably doesn't get the amount of love he deserves from baseball historians, but we're going to give him his flowers here, as he's undeniably the greatest first baseman in Blue Jays history. His peak in Toronto was outstanding and lengthy, as he recorded eight straight seasons with 30+ HRs and 90+ RBIs from 1997-2004. He is the Blue Jays' all-time leader in homers with 336.

Washington Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman (2005-2019; 2021)

The first-ever draft pick in Nationals history, Zimmerman more than lived up to the billing. He became the heart and soul of the Nats organization, spending his entire career with Washington, a journey that culminated with a World Series title in 2019 after suffering through many losing seasons over his career. Zimmerman dominates the franchise's record books, leading the Nationals in all-time HRs, RBIs, hits, and games played among many other accomplishments.

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