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Who is the best First Baseman in Baseball?

Historically, first base has been one of the most star studded positions in all of baseball, and with so much power coming from the position, it’s one that has a major impact on a game, day in, day out at the Major League Baseball level.

In 2026, the power may not quite be as historic as it once was, but with such a deep pool of players, a first baseman can truly make or break a team this season. With so much talent, it’s not easy to put together a list ranking the best of the best, but with so much power, talent, defensive prowess and flair, it’s a position full of superstars.

Here is a look at the Top 10 MLB First Baseman 2026 Rankings list:

Honorable Mention

Ildemaro Vargas

Team: Arizona Diamondbacks

Ildemaro Vargas does not play first base full-time, but in 2026, he’s gotten 62 at bats at the position, by far and away the most for the Arizona Diamondbacks thus far. In that time, Vargas has posted 6 home runs and 22 RBI, with his OPS of 1.041 sitting third in baseball among first baseman, but with limited opportunities, it was tough to put him over others.

At 34-years of age, Vargas is finally putting up career numbers after struggling for consistent playing time, but given the numbers he’s tallied thus far, it’s hard to deny him an honorable mention.

Freddie Freeman

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

For the better part of the last decade, Freddie Freeman has been one of, if not the best first baseman in the entire sport, but as he reaches 36-years of age, it’s no surprise to see him slow down. With 3 home runs and 19 RBI in 35 games played, he can still contribute in a star studded Dodgers lineup, but it’s clear he’s not the player that he once was.

With an OPS of .773, Freeman is on pace to have one of the worst offensive seasons of his career, and while the end of his career may still be a few years away, his time on the top-10 list has come to a close.

Top 10 MLB First Baseman 2026 Rankings

10. Nick Kurtz

Team: Athletics

Last season, Nick Kurtz burst onto the scene as a prolific power hitter, unanimously winning AL Rookie of the Year after slugging 36 home runs in 117 games while posting an OPS of 1.002. This season, the league has clearly adjusted, but not enough to slow the young Athletics star down completely, as he still has 5 home runs through 35 games played.

With an OPS this year of .823, Kurtz was always going to take a step back after a historic start, but as of right now, he’s still a very good player at the MLB level. Time will tell if he can bring back the power stroke that had many believing he could be a 40+ home run hitter, and if that player comes back, he’ll be rising up this list once again.

9. Wilson Contreras

Team: Boston Red Sox

Wilson Contreras has spent time between catcher, DH and first base in his career, but with the Boston Red Sox in 2026, he has served as their primary first baseman. With the team around him struggling, he’s been one of the only consistent players in Boston, with an OPS of .856 in this lineup being highly impressive.

On top of that, he’s hit 8 home runs and driven in 23 RBI for a lineup that ranks 26th in Major League Baseball in runs scored. While Contreras’ power numbers may not rival others on this list, his 0.3 DWAR ranks him first at the position in the sport, and given his history of consistent performances, he’s well worthy of a spot on this list.

8. Christian Walker

Team: Houston Astros

Christian Walker has long been one of the more overlooked hitters in baseball, and in 2026, he’s once again proving he can be a valuable player in the middle of a big league lineup. With an OPS of .950, Walker sits fourth among all first baseman in the majors, and with 9 home runs and 27 RBI to back that up, he’s been highly productive once again.

The defense does raise some question marks, as he is an average defender with a DWAR of exactly 0.0, but right now, he remains a very serviceable player at first. Unlike others on this list, Walker likely isn’t going to hit 40+ home runs a year and drive in 120+ runs, but for the role he’s asked to play in Houston, he’s the perfect fit.

7. Bryce Harper

Team: Philadelphia Phillies

For a long, long time, Bryce Harper has been one of the best players in baseball, and after signing with the Philadelphia Phillies, he was moved permanently to first base. To the surprise of no one, the former No. 1 overall pick adjusted to the move well, spending the past three and a half years permanently splitting time between DH and 1B.

This season, he’s played 34 games at first, and while the team overall is struggling, Harper looks better than ever, hitting .277 with 9 home runs and 23 RBI along with an impressive .933 OPS. Eventually, the bat will slow down as Harper is now 33, but right now, he’s showing no signs of that as he appears set for another incredibly productive season in Philadelphia.

6. Jonathan Aranda

Team: Tampa Bay Rays

2025 was the first season of Jonathan Aranda’s career that he had over 10 homr runs and 50 RBI, as the 27-year old put up 14 and 59 to become a crucial part of the Tampa Bay Rays lineup. This season, he’s taken his game to another level, with 7 home runs and 29 RBI through his first 36 games of the year suggesting that he may be about to put up some career high numbers again.

With an OPS of .853, Aranda is settling in at the MLB level as a very good player, and while a -0.4 DWAR doesn’t suggest he’s great defensively, he’s doing enough to stay in the lineup every night. Only time will tell if he can keep this pace going, but if he can, the Rays should be a genuine threat with one of the sports top players at the 1B position.

5. Sal Stewart

Team: Cincinnati Reds

Rookies can often be up and down with their power in their first season, but that’s been no problem thus far for Cincinnati Reds star Sal Stewart, who has been among baseball’s best players all season long. At just 22-years of age, Stewart began 2026 with just 55 plate appearances to his name, and through 135 this season, he looks like the real deal, with 9 home runs and 29 RBI putting him among the elite names in the sport.

There’s still plenty of time for pitchers to adjust to Stewart as teams see him more, but right now, the combination of pure power and contact skills that have led to him hitting for an .832 OPS can’t be denied. We will see if this goes on throughout the year, but for now, Stewart has skyrocketed up this list, and will only continue up if he can maintain this pace.

4. Munetaka Murakami

Team: Chicago White Sox

Coming to North America on the back of sustained dominance in the NPB in Japan, Munetaka Murakami was dealt plenty of criticism upon his arrival to the Chicago White Sox. Early in his first MLB season however, he’s done nothing but silence those doubters, with his 14 home runs thus far leading baseball alongside Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.

While the contact certainly needs help, as Murakami is hitting just .237, the OPS of .934 suggests he’s getting the job done, and now, he’s striking genuine fear in opposing pitchers. At this point, it’s fair to say that Murakami is one of the most exciting players in baseball, and if he continues on this pace, he may go down as one of the best signings in Chicago White Sox history.

3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Team: Toronto Blue Jays

Last season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put together yet another fantastic season for the Toronto Blue Jays, and in the MLB Playoffs, he was easily the leagues top hitter, hitting 8 home runs, driving in 15 runs and putting together an incredible OPS of 1.289. In 2026, he’s off to a bit of a slower start, having just 2 home runs through his first 135 plate appearances, but with the OPS sitting at .817, he’s he’s still a very productive player at the highest level.

The Blue Jays’ injuries haven’t helped either, as Vlad has lost the protection that once existed in his lineup, and until he gets that back, teams are content to let him on base, as he has already been walked 17 times. It’s a matter of time until Guerrero Jr. finds his power stroke, and that combined with the defense continues to rank him high amongst first baseman at the MLB level.

2. Ben Rice

Team: New York Yankees

Ben Rice is arguably baseball’s biggest breakout star thus far in 2026, as he has followed up a solid second big league season in 2025 with a ridiculous start this year. In 108 plate appearances thus far, Rice has slugged 12 home runs and driven in 27 runs, but it’s the eye popping average of .343 and the OPS of 1.214 that stand out the most.

Sure, Yankee Stadium is one of the more hitter friendly ballparks in the sport, but Rice has found success at home and on the road, and with both lefties and righties being hit out of the park, he’s become a legitimate threat behind Aaron Judge in the Yankees lineup. Only time will tell if he can keep this pace up, but with the play on both sides of the ball, it’s hard to deny that Rice has solidified himself as a top 1B in the sport this year.

1. Matt Olson

Team: Atlanta Braves

For a long, long time, Matt Olson has been one of baseball’s most productive hitters, but in 2026, he may be on pace to top his career highs across the board. Through his first 38 games, Olson has mashed 13 big flies with 33 RBI to go alongside it, while posting a ridiculous 1.059 OPS, second in the big leagues only to Ben Rice.

On top of that, Olson’s DWAR of 0.2 is second in the major leagues among first baseman, and with the Braves having a fantastic 26-12 record, Olson has been a major part of that. Unlike others on this list, this isn’t a break out year for Olson, as he’s posted 50+ home runs and 130+ RBI before in his career, and if this keeps up, he could post those numbers again in 2026.