2026 NL East Positional Rankings: First Base

First base is a mixed bag in the NL East, much like in the rest of the National League. There are a couple of established All-Stars, a few players who have never played the position, and some players trying to cement themselves as the everyday starter in their respective cities. Will the first-timers find a home? Will a young player establish himself as an everyday player? There are plenty of storylines to watch as we rank the top first basemen in the NL East.

No. 5 – Andrés Chaparro, WSH

Coming into the 2026 season, Andrés Chaparro has played only 251 innings at first base, while splitting time as a designated hitter. In his small sample size, now headed into his third MLB season, Chaparro has shown flashes of decent power. However, he did not show many positives at the plate in 2025, slashing .182/.247/.258, with one home run and five RBIs across 73 plate appearances.

The upside for the 26-year-old was evident in 2024, with 16 XBH across 132 plate appearances, resulting in a 92 wRC+. Another slight positive was his defense, tallying two OAA at first base despite a minus-one DRS. The 2025 season did not give a legitimate smoke size with his defense, but overall, Chaparro has never shown to be a liability at first base.

The Nationals do not have experience at first base going into the 2026 season. The signings of Matt Mervis and Warming Bernabel, with spring training invites, apply some pressure on Chaparro to perform at the Major League level. If the team is truly looking to compete for a playoff spot, a trade for a veteran may fit the bill. Overall, the Nationals enter February with more questions than answers at first base, landing Chapparo at No. 5.

No. 4 – Christopher Morel, MIA

The Marlins are heading into the 2026 season with an experiment at first base. Although not particularly good at any position (totaling -5 OAA in 2025), the team signed Christopher Morel to a one-year deal. Morel’s offensive production is the catalyst behind the signing, with the catch being that he has never played the position.

Despite being known as an offensive player, 2025 was not kind to Morel. The righty slashed .219/.289/.396 with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs across 305 plate appearances. However, Morel will look to return to his 2023 form. That season, he slashed .247/.313/.508 with 26 home runs and 70 RBIs across 429 plate appearances. His offensive upside makes this move by the Marlins a low-risk, high-reward move.

2026 will be a make-or-break year for Morel with the Marlins. He is entering his fifth season with his third different team, as well as his seventh position in the field. Even if things do not work out for Morel in the field, if his bat returns to form, he should find at-bats as a designated hitter. The Marlins have some depth at first behind Morel. Should things not work out, names like Liam Hicks and Graham Pauley will look to capitalize on an opportunity.

No. 3 – Jorge Polanco, NYM

The biggest question mark defensively on the Mets’ infield is at first base. After Pete Alonso left on a five-year, $155 million contract with the Orioles, the Mets will start someone new at the position for the first time since 2018. The man signed to replace Alonso is Jorge Polanco. Although he has only played first base once, while not even recording an out at the position, the 13-year veteran should be serviceable at the position, due to his track record at second base.

Polanco’s value lies in his bat, and 2025 was a prime example of that. The switch-hitter slashed .265/.326/.495 with 26 homers and 78 RBIs across 524 plate appearances. The veteran is one of the premier switch-hitters in MLB. As a lefty, Polanco hit for less average, slashing .254/.321/.481 across 366 at-bats, but 21 of his 26 home runs came from that side of the plate, making him a legitimate power threat. As a righty, he hit for more average, slashing .305/.345/.543 with five home runs across 105 at-bats.

The question with Polanco lies in his ability to play first base. His defense has never been great, exemplified by his -4 OAA in 2025 at multiple infield positions. The good news is that if things do not work out in the field, the Mets have a couple of other options in Mark Vientos and Brett Baty, both of whom have had reps at first.

Although there are questions regarding defense at first base, the signing of Polanco opens up many possibilities for the Mets in terms of positional flexibility. His overall clutch bat in 2025 (.337/.408/.577 slash line with RISP) projects to be in the lineup almost every day.

No. 2 – Bryce Harper, PHI

Over the past two seasons, Bryce Harper has solidified himself as the Phillies’ everyday first baseman. Despite playing right field for the majority of his career, a torn UCL in 2022 led Harper to make the switch in late 2023. Coming off a down offensive year, Harper will look to bounce back in 2026.

In 2025, Harper had what he would consider a down year. He slashed .261/.357/.487 with 27 homers and 75 RBIs across 580 plate appearances. The two-time MVP also underperformed with runners in scoring position, batting just .233 with a .762 OPS, well below his overall season numbers. In the field, Harper was about average among 14 qualified first basemen, tallying +1 OAA.

Harper looks to improve on a fairly average season in 2025 as he heads into his 15th MLB season. Barring unforeseen circumstances, he will play first base every day in Philadelphia. If Harper can turn back the clock in his age-33 season, the Phillies will likely be a formidable force in the NL East.

No. 1 – Matt Olson, ATL

Matt Olson is coming off a very strong 2025 campaign, where he played all 162 games for the fourth consecutive season. With a slash line of .272/.366/.484, 29 home runs, and 95 RBIs, Olson further proved to be one of the elite first basemen in MLB. Olson’s production was rewarded with an All-Star game appearance and finalist consideration for the NL Silver Slugger award at first base.

However, Olson’s best attribute is likely his defense. The lefty accumulated 9 OAA and 17 DRS (both the best for a first baseman in 2025), solidifying himself as the best defensive first baseman in the game today. If he can maintain those numbers in a lineup with a healthy Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves could see a resurgence in their chase for yet another NL East crown.

Ranking Olson over Bryce Harper may seem questionable, but based on last year’s individual numbers, there is a clear separation. In September, despite the Braves being effectively eliminated, Olson slashed .292/.373/.635 with eight home runs and 18 RBIs. He was also an equal hitter against both lefties and righties, batting .281 against lefties and .269 with more power against righties in 2025. At this stage, the expectation is for Olson to be a top-three first baseman in the National League. Expect him to continue that trend in 2026.

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