The National League is stacked with talent at the first base position. The division is filled with classic big guys who hit home runs a long way and debatably has the best first basemen from team to team.
The New York Mets have one of those guys who has led the league in home runs since his debut in 2019. Pete Alonso is a premier slugger. On MLB Network, Alonso was ranked sixth in the Shredder’s top 10 first basemans coming into the 2024 season. Here at Metsmerized Online, we will rank every National League East division position. Here, we will look at first base and see where Alonso is placed among his division peers.
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5. Joey Meneses – Washington Nationals
It’s been an interesting ride for the 31-year-old Joey Meneses. He was in the Atlanta Braves farm system from 2011-2017.
He signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies in 2018 before traveling to Japan to spend a year with the Orix Buffaloes. He signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox in 2020, and in 2022, he signed a minor-league deal with the Washington Nationals. So, Meneses came into D.C. with little expected as he was approaching 30. 2022, as a 30-year-old rookie, was given a chance in the big leagues after the Nationals traded Juan Soto and Josh Bell. Meneses would take advantage.
In 2022, he batted .324 and hit 13 home runs in 56 games. He played in 154 games last year with 89 RBI and 168 hits. As Meneses continues a late-career surge, a young Nationals team that continues its rebuild, he is an interesting player to watch heading into the 2024 season for Washington.
Sep 30, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Marlins first baseman Josh Bell (9) drives in a run with a sacrifice fly against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the sixth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
4. Josh Bell – Miami Marlins
Bell is a switch-hitting power hitter. When he’s on a roll, it’s hard to stop him. Bell was traded to the Marlins from the Cleveland Guardians at the trade deadline last year.
He batted .270, hit 11 home runs, 54 hits, and a .818 OPS. While he may not be the player he was in 2019 when he slugged 37 home runs and drove in 117 runs, Bell is still a good threat in the middle of the order for the Marlins. He adds a power-hitting presence in a lineup with Jazz Chisholm Jr., Luis Arráez, and Bryan De La Cruz. Bell is a rock-solid hitter.
Pete Alonso. Photo by Roberto Carlo
3. Pete Alonso – New York Mets
Alonso is a guy who continues to get better and better every season. In his five years as a Met, he’s solidified himself as one of the best players in team history and one of the best first basemen in MLB.
As mentioned before, he has led the league in home runs since he entered the league. In 2023, while the batting average was a career low at .217, he continued being a power-hitting machine. Alonso hit 46 home runs with 118 RBI and 123 hits. Entering a contract year, Alonso now looks to have another big year to earn the money he feels he deserves.
Oct 11, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) hits a three-run home run during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves in game three of the NLDS for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
2. Bryce Harper – Philadelphia Phillies
One of the best players in the sport has changed positions. After spending his entire career in the outfield, Bryce Harper officially made a change to first base last year when he returned from Tommy John surgery.
He still hit 21 home runs for the Phillies in 2023, and for the first time since his second MVP campaign in 2021, Harper is coming back healthy after being removed from surgery for one year. A 100% Bryce Harper is a dangerous Bryce Harper, even as he nears the age of 32. Expect a big 2024 from the Phillies superstar.
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1. Matt Olson – Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves trading for Matt Olson from Oakland looks better and better over these last two seasons. Since acquiring him, Olson has hit 88 home runs and driven in 242 RBI.
2023 was a banner year for Olson and the entire Braves offense. Olson led the way by leading the league in both home runs (54) and RBIs (139). Olson has established himself not only as the best first baseman in this division and one of the best in the game (MLB Network ranked him third only behind Freddie Freeman and Harper) but also as one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball. In 2024, Olson will continue to lead a Braves lineup that features Ronald Acuña Jr. (the 2023 NL MVP), Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, and Sean Murphy, and is in discussion with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the best lineup in baseball.
