When it comes to fantasy baseball and baseball in general there is always a few things you can come to expect and that is the unexpected. It seems like the only two things you can count on these days is that the second base position is thin and first basemen can rake.
No matter what way you look at it the first base position is one of the most coveted positions in fantasy baseball. Spoiler alert, Paul Goldschmidt failed to join the top five. Below is the top five first basemen to this point in the season.
5. Justin Morneau, Colorado Rockies
The current highest batting average of any first basemen belongs to this man. His .357 average is leaps and bounds beyond the next best batting average which is .330. Morneau has put together a very, very impressive season to this point racking up six home runs and 22 RBIs.
Both of which rank him in the top five for first. His 35 hits is the second most as well. The fact that he plays for the Rockies helps his numbers out immensely. Along with the fact that this team has been sizzling offensively helps Morneau crack the top five. The fact that he was being drafted in the roughly the twentieth round makes his worth even better.
4. Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels
Remember when Pujols got hurt last year and everyone thought that his career was basically done? Yeah, apparently Pujols did not get the memo because he is looking absolutely locked in at the plate this year. His batting average is decent at a mark of .288 but its the home runs that are really turning heads. His nine home runs is not only second for first basemen’s but second overall! He has driven in 22 men and has walked ten times. If he can stay healthy this guy is going to have another big year.
3. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
The 135 million dollar man has continued to add to his Braves legacy early on in 2014. He has already hit a walk off for the Braves and supplied them with some huge games. His fantasy owners have been pleased with him as well. His .330 batting average is second to only Morneau.
He has also hit six home runs, drove in 17 men and walked 11 times. He has been crushing the ball this year and has a line drive rate of 31.6 percent which proves that he is hitting everything on the button. If Freeman didn’t prove enough to you last year than he has to be slowly changing your opinion this year.
2. Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers
Arguably the most surprising name to make this list is Gonzalez. Sure he has always been a good first baseman but has never really put it all together since his time in San Diego.
This year has him looking like the A Gon of old. His .313 batting average to go with eight home runs and 28 RBIs has to make his owners happy. He also has a great OPS this season checking in at a mark of 1.022. Like Pujols, if this guy can stay healthy he is going to put up some very impressive numbers.
1. Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox
Was there really any question of who would be the number one? If you had someone else as your number one first baseman than you are wrong. Abreu is not only leading first basemen’s in home runs (10) and RBIs (32), but he is leading the Majors in these numbers.
Coming into the season a lot of people had known who he was. The only question was whether or not he could perform at the Major league level. I think he has answered those questions. He broke Pujols rookie record of for most home runs in the month of April and also broke his record for most RBIs driven in, in the month of April. This guy isn’t going anywhere.