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

Rest of Season First Base Rankings (May Update)

Updated rest of season first base fantasy baseball rankings for 5x5 roto mixed leagues in May. Our RotoBaller staff's 1B rankings feature the #1 most accurate industry expert, Nick Mariano.

The next stop in our Rest-of-Season rankings update is first base. Recently, RotoBaller writers and rankers Nick Mariano, Pierre Camus, Bill Dubiel and Scott Engel updated their 2019 fantasy baseball rankings, available on our dashboard. We always give our readers the very latest rankings, which are continually updated based on injuries, playing time, and performance trends.

If you recall from draft day, first base is largely devoid of high-end talent this year. Those who chose to forego a top-flight 1B pick like Cody Bellinger, Freddie Freeman, or Rhys Hoskins are likely kicking themselves. Many of the later options like Joey Votto, Jesus Aguilar, and Miguel Cabrera just haven't produced, while Matt Olson remains on the IL. Luckily, a few sleepers have emerged and you can see a dramatic shift in these rankings from just one month ago.

Since you're already here, why not stay a while and check out our analysis on updated rankings for second base, shortstop, outfield, and starting pitchers? Now, with no more delay, let's break down the 2019 first base rest-of-season rankings for May.

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

 

First Base Tiered Ranks - 5x5 Mixed Leagues (May)

In case you missed it, our very own "Big Pick Nick" Mariano was recently named the #1 overall most accurate industry expert ranker for the 2018 season. You can see his secret sauce below! Additionally, industry legend Scott Engel recently joined the RotoBaller team and provides his insights as well. Scott is an FSWA Hall Of Famer and award winner.

Rank Tier Player Position Nick Pierre Bill Scott
1 1 Cody Bellinger 1B/OF 3 9 19 6
2 1 Paul Goldschmidt 1B 16 20 21 19
3 2 Freddie Freeman 1B 29 18 20 18
4 2 Rhys Hoskins 1B/OF 22 28 40 24
5 2 Anthony Rizzo 1B 43 29 30 29
6 2 Jose Abreu 1B 52 58 68 47
7 3 Joey Gallo 3B/1B/OF 26 59 90 65
8 3 Matt Carpenter 1B/2B/3B 102 75 76 91
9 4 Daniel Murphy 1B/2B 72 107 60 114
10 4 J.T. Realmuto C/1B 119 83 94 58
11 4 Pete Alonso 1B 68 70 152 64
12 4 Luke Voit 1B 71 88 135 80
13 4 Edwin Encarnacion 1B 109 104 84 122
14 4 Robinson Cano 1B/2B 148 97 103 109
15 4 Joey Votto 1B 96 138 63 174
16 4 Josh Bell 1B 127 110 138 112
17 4 Travis Shaw 1B/2B/3B 159 140 113 147
18 5 Christian Walker 1B 137 136 158 145
19 5 Matt Olson 1B 100 175 157 167
20 5 Jesus Aguilar 1B 156 134 150 173
20 5 Carlos Santana 1B/3B 170 163 115 180
21 5 Max Muncy 1B/2B/3B 115 215 159 141
22 5 Trey Mancini 1B/OF 134 216 172 146
23 5 Ryan McMahon 1B/3B/2B 176 170 205 227
24 6 Ryan Braun 1B/OF 195 206 147 236
25 6 Miguel Cabrera 1B 212 248 129 213
26 6 Daniel Vogelbach 1B 152 249 209 229
27 6 Justin Smoak 1B 251 241 239 204
28 6 Niko Goodrum 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF 248 242 255 202
29 6 Jose Martinez OF/1B 269 196 201 285
31 6 Eric Hosmer 1B 229 284 219 226
32 6 Ian Desmond OF/1B 286 312 247 211
33 6 Jay Bruce OF/1B 153 265 362 281
34 7 Rowdy Tellez 1B 277 259 260 #N/A
35 7 Jurickson Profar SS/3B/1B/2B 275 301 225 264
36 7 C.J. Cron 1B 295 261 297 237
37 7 Jake Bauers 1B/OF 307 263 299 261
38 7 Mitch Moreland 1B 272 383 237 #N/A
39 7 Buster Posey C/1B 342 319 264 273
40 7 Ryan Zimmerman 1B 376 315 213 #N/A
41 7 Yuli Gurriel 1B/2B/3B 349 344 263 278
42 7 Eric Thames 1B/OF 233 270 437 295
43 7 Ryan O'Hearn 1B 312 266 383 #N/A
44 8 Ronald Guzman 1B 398 287 301 #N/A
45 8 Miguel Sano 1B/3B 278 391 366 289
46 8 Brandon Belt 1B/OF 352 353 318 #N/A
47 8 Ryon Healy 1B #N/A 309 444 299
48 8 Tyler White 1B 358 375 328 #N/A
49 8 Wilmer Flores 1B/3B/2B 341 355 376 #N/A
50 8 Tucker Barnhart C/1B 433 373 344 300
51 8 Ronny Rodriguez 1B/2B/3B/SS 374 #N/A #N/A #N/A
52 8 Nate Lowe 1B 265 490 #N/A #N/A
53 8 Marwin Gonzalez 1B/2B/SS/OF 408 463 279 #N/A
54 8 Justin Bour 1B 384 453 335 #N/A
55 8 Yonder Alonso 1B 499 330 467 290
56 8 Kendrys Morales 1B 402 481 309 #N/A
57 8 Neil Walker 1B/2B 359 414 421 #N/A
58 8 Chris Davis 1B 297 474 452 #N/A
59 8 Albert Pujols 1B 403 459 422 #N/A
60 8 Matt Adams 1B 407 454 #N/A #N/A
61 8 Colin Moran 3B/1B 477 397 476 #N/A
62 8 Steve Pearce 1B/2B/OF #N/A 439 471 #N/A
63 8 John Hicks C/1B #N/A 429 488 #N/A
64 8 Dominic Smith 1B #N/A #N/A 466 #N/A
65 9 Greg Bird 1B #N/A 470 477 #N/A
66 9 Adam Duvall 1B/OF #N/A #N/A 500 #N/A
67 9 Tyler Austin 1B #N/A #N/A 532 #N/A
68 9 Jedd Gyorko 1B/3B #N/A #N/A 534 #N/A

 

Rankings Analysis - Top Tiers

Tier One

It's Cody Bellinger's world - we're all just living in it and waiting for the natural regression of a player who hit in the .260s his first two years and is enjoying an even K-BB rate, despite striking out at a rate 10 points higher than his current 14.3% K%. This isn't to say Bellinger will be a second-half flop but if you have him on your team and need help elsewhere, it wouldn't hurt to try selling at peak value.

Tier Two

Like most Cubs, Anthony Rizzo was slow out the gate this year but is starting to heat up. He's logged four multi-hit games in the last seven and has slugged four homers since the calendar turned to May. As a reliable run-producer who's seen more than 600 plate appearances in six straight seasons, Rizzo is a solid top-five player at first base.

There were some concerns about Jose Abreu being in decline after a rough 2018 filled with slumps and injuries. I'd say he has allayed those concerns fairly well after one month. Abreu ranks in the 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, ranking fourth at 57.9%. He's also second in Barrel rate, ranks in the 95th percentile for xSLG and 91st for xwOBA. So he's doing OK.

Tier Three

I won't get too deep into Gallo's profile here because a) we know what he is by now, and b) you may not necessarily be using him at first base. I will note that the top fantasy baseball ranker in all the land last year, Nick Mariano, has him 27 overall, higher than Hoskins, Rizzo, and even Freeman. Maybe we should learn to love Gallo and live with the strikeouts.

Matt Carpenter is the only other 1B-qualifying player in this tier and if you're using him at this position rather than the middle infield, things have gone wrong somewhere along the way. He's supposed to be the type of player you don't need to use at the corners because he's better off giving you a power boost at second base, because that position is thinner in fantasy. At least it used to be.

 

Rankings Analysis - Middle Tiers

Tier Four

In this tier, it's a matter of which New York slugger you prefer. Both Pete Alonso and Luke Voit have lived up to their preseason sleeper status so far, although Bill Dubs is not buying it just yet based on his bearish ranking. They each have posted elite xSLG numbers and have locked down a starting job the rest of this season, barring injury. Between the two, I give the slight edge to Alonso because of lineup position. Both primarily reside in the second spot of the lineup but Voit could get pushed down once the Yankees actually get their main players like Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge back.

Is Joey Votto still on here? He's only two years removed from nearly being the MVP but since then it's just been downhill. Votto remains a top-100 player for Nick, while Bill may be having flashbacks to 2017 with a ranking of 63 overall but I'm done with him for good. The Reds as a team may improve their offense (they have nowhere to go but up) but that doesn't mean Votto will be a big part of that. As Kanye once said, "You can't tell me nothin'!"

I am totally buying the Josh Bell renaissance. A sophomore slump soured us all on the former top prospect in the Steel City, reflected in his 249 preseason ADP. Despite an increased strikeout rate, he's posting elite Statcast numbers in the 95th percentile or higher of exit velocity, hard-hit rate, xSLG and xwOBA. He could end up being the best value pick at this position by season's end.

Tier Five

Matt Olson is back in the A's lineup and went 2-for-4 with a double on the 9th. We heard the cautionary tales of how his wrist injury might affect his swing for a while even when he's cleared to play. Doesn't seem that way. Olson is someone I'll be moving back up the rankings soon.

It was pretty exciting when Jesus Aguilar went yard thrice in two days and we immediately assumed he was back. He hasn't homered since May began but at least his average has inched back up to .181! Believe it or not, his plate discipline is better than last year and there aren't any big red flags to worry about so keep exploring a buy-low scenario if possible.

Tier Six

In the same vein as Votto, I'm all but throwing in the towel on a pair of former MVPs. Miggy and Braun aren't recapturing their former glory and should be viewed as CI options in 12+ team leagues. Braun can still drive in runs in that Brewers lineup and Cabrera is hitting for average but that's about it. One look at the overall profile shows that these two rank 24th and 41st respectively in terms of overall value in 5x5 leagues among players who qualify at first base.

Can you ride with Daniel Vogelbach the rest of the season? Nick definitely thinks so, ranking him inside his top 150 while nobody else has him as a top-200 player. Since his amazing week, he's only homered once since April 20th (coincidence?) which is a span of 16 games. He's struggling hard against lefties with a .118 average, so don't be surprised if his ABs start to be limited, especially once Kyle Seager comes off the injured list in late May or early June.

 

Rankings Analysis - Lower Tiers

Tier Seven

Jay Bruce is doing his best Jay Bruce impression this year in Seattle. The power will play in roto but at the expense of batting average, which currently sits at .186. The fact that his BABIP is .164 isn't encouraging, it's downright scary.

I'm keeping the faith in Ronald Guzman as a less-frightening source of power among lower-tier first base options. He just came off the IL and should resume duties as an everyday starter. He is a lottery ticket at this point but one I'm willing to invest a roster spot in.

Same goes for Ryan O'Hearn, whose Statcast numbers suggest he's due for some better luck soon. He's got a tremendous 51.3% hard-hit rate, so if he can stop hitting the ball on the ground so much, the numbers could rise. Hear that, Rafael Devers?

Tier Eight and lower

Nate Lowe was a popular waiver add 10 days ago because of his mammoth raw power. 35 at-bats and zero homers later, he's already being dropped everywhere. As long as he doesn't embarrass himself at the plate, which he hasn't so far, the Rays will give him every chance to keep playing.

Yonder Alonso isn't exciting and never has been, but he's been at least a 20-HR guy the last two seasons that won't kill your average. This year, he's killing your average. For a young, non-contending team like the White Sox, Alonso might be cast aside if he doesn't turn things around quickly.

Kendrys Morales might also become a victim of the numbers game, as Oakland has plenty of young prospects ready to take his place.

I wish there were more young 1B prospects on the cusp of making an impact this year, but as of right now the best we can do is hope that Yordan Alvarez gets called up and sees enough time to qualify at the position. As you may know, I'm a big fan.

More Fantasy Baseball Rankings Analysis




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

Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Max Fried

Exits Start With Blister
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Hunter Dobbins

to Miss Rest of Season With Torn ACL
Nolan Arenado

Held Out of Lineup on Saturday
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Carlos Correa

Sitting on Saturday
Austin Riley

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Nolan Arenado

Exits Friday's Contest With Sprained Finger
Jake Burger

Expects to Play on Saturday
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Wyatt Langford

Records Four-Hit Night
Cal Raleigh

Homers Twice, Drives in Five
Cody Bellinger

Swats Three Homers in Victory
Jake Burger

Leaves With Quad Discomfort on Friday
Carlos Correa

Exits Game With Mild Ankle Sprain
Edward Cabrera

Dealing with Posterior Elbow Discomfort
Austin Riley

Leaves Game Early on Friday With Abdominal Tightness
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Rafael Devers

Dealing With Back Inflammation
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Returning on Friday
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF