The Los Angeles Dodgers were represented on The Shredder ranking the MLB Top-10 First Basemen Right Now heading into the 2024 season with Freddie Freeman back to being considered the No. 1 player at the position.
MLB Network analysts Mike Petriello, Sarah Langs and Vince Gennaro also ranked Freeman as the best first baseman in baseball right now.
Freeman has now been ranked by The Shredder for 11 consecutive seasons, which includes a three-year run at No. 1 on the list from 2020-2022 and placing in the top two since 2018.
Since 2016, Freeman or Paul Goldschmidt have been ranked the best first baseman in baseball every year, except in 2018, when Joey Votto ascended to the top spot. Goldschmidt placed ahead of Freeman on the 2023 Shredder rankings.
The Shredder is a statistical model that places emphasis on WAR, wRC+ and Statcast metrics to compile annual rankings. The model focuses on a three-year sample with performance in the previous season weighted more heavily in the calculations.
Freeman had a historically great 2023 season with the Dodgers that saw him break the franchise doubles record and Los Angeles records for extra-base hits and runs scored, among other accolades.
Freeman earned a third consecutive All-Star Game selection and finished third in National League MVP voting. He was often overshadowed by former Atlanta Braves teammate Ronald Acuña Jr. and fellow Dodgers All-Star Mookie Betts, but Freeman’s impact was not lost on manager Dave Roberts.
“I think if you look at Freddie’s career, a lot of it has gone unnoticed,” Roberts said during the season. “Even in Atlanta, I think they appreciate what he does and his production, but I think the baseball world, sometimes you take for granted the consistency of what he does.
“There’s no self-promotion to his game. He just loves to compete and win. When you’re talking about Most Valuable Players, for me, he is right there at the top of the conversation.”
Over the last two seasons (minimum 800 plate appearances), Freeman ranks second among all players in batting average (.328) and on-base percentage (.408). During that same stretch he’s third in wRC+ (160).
MLB Top-10 First Basemen Right Now for 2024
| George Springer (Blue Jays) | The Shredder | Mike Petriello | Vince Gennaro | Sarah Langs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) | Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) | Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) | Freddie Freeman (Dodgers) |
| 2 | Bryce Harper (Phillies) | Matt Olson (Braves) | Matt Olson (Braves) | Matt Olson (Braves) |
| 3 | Matt Olson (Braves) | Bryce Harper (Phillies) | Bryce Harper (Phillies) | Christian Walker (Diamondbacks) |
| 4 | Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals) | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) | Yandy Díaz (Rays) | Yandy Díaz (Rays) |
| 5 | Yandy Díaz (Rays) | Christian Walker (Diamondbacks) | Christian Walker (Diamondbacks) | Bryce Harper (Phillies) |
| 6 | Pete Alonso (Mets) | Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals) | Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals) | Pete Alonso (Mets) |
| 7 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) | Pete Alonso (Mets) | Pete Alonso (Mets) | Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals) |
| 8 | Brandon Belt (free agent) | Yandy Díaz (Rays) | Triston Casas (Red Sox) | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) |
| 9 | Christian Walker (Diamondbacks) | Triston Casas (Red Sox) | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) | Josh Naylor (Guardians) |
| 10 | Triston Casas (Red Sox) | Nathaniel Lowe (Rangers) | Vinnie Pasquantino (Royals) | Triston Casas (Red Sox) |
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
