Spring training is underway and we're just over a month from Opening Day. It's time to start preparing for your fantasy baseball draft, which will likely take place within the next few weeks. Today we'll take a look at the top first basemen and give you an idea where they are being selected in mock drafts.
The MLB Network conducted their annual ranking of the league's top 10 first basemen. "The Shredder," or the Network's panel of Sabermetric experts (Bill James, Vince Gennaro and Mike Petriello), used their statistical expertise to arrive at their results. Let's take a look at what they determined as well as the players' stats from 2014.
1. Miguel Cabrera, DET - .313/.371/.524 with 101 runs scored, 25 home runs and 109 RBIs
2. *Paul Goldschmidt, ARZ - .300/.396/.542 with 75 runs scored, 19 home runs and 69 RBIs
3. Jose Abreu, CWS - .317/.383/.581 with 80 runs scored, 36 home runs and 107 RBIs
4. *Joey Votto, CIN - .255/.390/.409 with 32 runs scored, six home runs and 23 RBIs
5. Freddie Freeman, ATL - .288/.386/.461 with 93 runs scored, 18 home runs and 78 RBIs
6. Edwin Encarnacion, TOR - .268/.354/.547 with 75 runs scored, 34 home runs and 98 RBIs
7. Anthony Rizzo, CHC - .286/.386/.527 with 89 runs scored, 32 home runs and 78 RBIs
8. Mike Napoli, BOS - .248/.370/.419 with 49 runs scored, 17 home runs and 55 RBIs
9. Adrian Gonzalez, LAD - .276/.335/.482 with 83 runs scored, 27 home runs and 116 RBIs
10. Carlos Santana, CLE - .231/.365/.427 with 68 runs scored, 27 home runs and 85 RBIs
*notes an injury-shortened season of at least 50 games
Here are the top 10 first basemen selected and the position of their average selection in Yahoo! and ESPN fantasy baseball leagues (including others eligible to be used in the first base slot):
Yahoo!
1. Miguel Cabrera (4.3 overall)
2. Paul Goldschmidt (5.8)
3. Jose Abreu (7.9)
4. Jose Bautista (11.2)
5. Anthony Rizzo (12.1)
6. Edwin Encarnacion (14.9)
7. Freddie Freeman (28.6)
8. Buster Posey (28.9)
9. Adrian Gonzalez (38.6)
10. Albert Pujols (42.1)
15. Joey Votto (65)
17. Carlos Santana (74.6)
32. Mike Napoli (226.1)
ESPN
1. Paul Goldschmidt (5.6)
2. Miguel Cabrera (8)
3. Jose Abreu (8.7)
4. Edwin Encarnacion (10.8)
5. Anthony Rizzo (16)
6. Freddie Freeman (26.1)
7. Adrian Gonzalez (49)
8. Albert Pujols (49.2)
9. Prince Fielder (59.6)
10. Chris Davis (80.9)
11. Joey Votto (83.6)
21. Mike Napoli (217.9)
*NA. Carlos Santana (82.5)
*Santana is considered a third baseman by ESPN
There are your first baseman and where your fellow fantasy opponents are drafting them. Stay tuned for the rest of HNGN's position rankings as spring training continues.
