Whether you’re leading a franchise to a World Series championship or building a Dynasty team, knowing which players are the best at their position in MLB The Show is important.
When assembling a baseball team, the importance of having a high-quality first baseman often gets overlooked. They’re thought to be blundering defenders or lazy baserunners, but the top first basemen in MLB The Show 23 are essential defenders and provide huge impacts on offense.
10 Christian Walker - 83
Despite making his major league debut in 2014 with the Baltimore Orioles, it took five years and a change in the scenery until Christian Walker was a full-time ballplayer. The first baseman settled into the starter first baseman slot for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who had been trying to fill in the void of Paul Goldschmidt.
Since 2019, Walker has been an offensive factor for Arizona and has continued to improve his game. Walker specializes in hammering right-handed pitching (83 power) and minimizing injury and staying healthy (98). He’s also one of the better fielding first baseman (90), with a quick glove.
9 Jose Abreu - 83
After spending his entire nine-year career with the Chicago White Sox that saw three All-Star appearances and an MVP award, Jose Abreu agreed to join the Houston Astros shortly after the team won a World Series championship. The Astros hope to bolster the offensive output from the first base position in Abreu.
Abreu is in the twilight of his career at 36 years old, but he continues to be a productive hitter. He finds contact well against all pitchers (84 right, 82 left), excelling at hitting breaking balls and pitches outside the strike zone. With low fielding ratings, Abreu’s bat is his only value to the team.
8 Rhys Hoskins - 84
Rhys Hoskins has quietly risen in the ranks of first basemen out in the City of Brotherly Love. The Philadelphia Phillies player produces well at the plate, but still has some areas to improve upon in the fielding department.
Hoskins punishes left-handers in power (88) and contact (78) while being disciplined (80) at the plate. He’s a below-average fielder (60) but if he continues producing at the plate then Hoskins will continue to have value.
7 C.J. Cron - 85
The Colorado Rockies are still trying to find ways to be competitive in a post-Nolan Arenado world, and they might’ve found it in C.J. Cron. The team brought Cron aboard in 2021, and he’s stabilized the position for the Rockies.
Cron is a competent hitter against all pitchers but favors right-handers (75 contact, 78 power). He excels at hitting breaking pitches and doesn’t shy away from the pressure of being down in a game. As the highest-rated player in Colorado, the team will only go as far as Cron takes them.
6 Nathaniel Lowe - 85
The Texas Rangers' Nathaniel Lowe is coming off a career season where he set career-highs in batting average (.302), hits (179), home runs (27), and RBI (76).
Lowe specializes in making contact against lefties (92) and performs well under pressure (90). The 27-year-old performs well when no runners are on base, but after setting a career-high in RBI, he’s more than capable of bringing in runs. He was a massive contributor on the offensive side of the plate and projects to be an essential part of the Rangers’ success.
5 Matt Olson - 87
For the majority of his career, Matt Olson was the face of the Oakland A’s. He was the team’s best player for several years until he was traded to the Atlanta Braves last season. Olson was coming off the first All-Star selection of his career.
Olson is a big offensive threat who swings for power against both right-handers (82) and left-handers (92). Even when he’s down in the count with two strikes or the team is losing, he remains poised and relaxed. An overlooked quality of Olson is his availability (99): in the last two seasons, Olson only missed six games.
4 Freddie Freeman - 88
Coming off a World Series championship in 2021, Freddie Freeman took his talents to Hollywood and joined the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his first season with the Dodgers, Freeman compiled 199 hits, 21 home runs, 100 RBI, and a .325 batting average and finished fourth in the National League MVP voting.
Freeman’s been named an All-Star in four of the last five seasons and for good reason. He has perfect ratings in contact against right-handers (99) and performing in clutch situations (99), and very high marks in vision (81), discipline (89), and durability (97). On defense, he’s a below-average fielder (63) but is an accurate thrower (87) when he needs to be.
3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - 88
The youngest player on the Toronto Blue Jays is also the highest-rated player on the team. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. erupted in 2021 and led the majors in home runs (48) and total runs scored (123). He was named an All-Star in back-to-back seasons and could once again lead the Blue Jays to the playoffs.
Although Guerrero Jr. mashed at least 32 home runs in the last two seasons, his power ratings are surprisingly low (78 right, 72 left). Defensively, the 24-year-old is an average fielder (71) with a decent arm (71). For the type of seasons Guerrero Jr. has produced in 2021 and 2022, he’s ratings do not reflect the kind of player he really is.
2 Pete Alonso - 90
Pete Alonso began his career winning Rookie of the Year and leading the major leagues in home runs (53). The New York Mets first baseman was poised to lead the charge of the next wave of baseball superstars. After two down seasons, Alonso earned his second All-Star selection in 2022 by leading the league in RBI (131).
Alonso is a terrifying power hitter against both right-handers (90) and left-handers (97). The 28-year-old is an all-around offensive threat, capable of demolishing fastballs, breaking balls, or balls thrown out of the strike zone. While Alonso’s defense isn’t as potent as his offense, he’s still one of the best first basemen in the league.
1 Paul Goldschmidt - 96
The reigning National League MVP is rightfully the best first baseman in MLB The Show 23. Paul Goldschmidt had his best season with the St. Louis Cardinals since he was acquired in 2018, hitting 35 home runs, driving in 115 RBI, and a .317 batting average.
Arguably, there is no better hitter in the major leagues against left-handed pitching than Goldschmidt. He has perfect ratings in contact (99) and power (99), excelling at fastballs and breaking balls. Adding Goldschimdt’s high accuracy mark (82) and serviceable fielding rating (67) to his otherworldly offensive stature, there’s no question the Cardinals player is the best first baseman in the game.