MLB Position Rankings: First Base

2014 looks to be a deep year for many positions, but 1B is not one of them. Traditionally a position filled with elite hitters, the quality of talent at first base drops off alarmingly quickly. That being said, there is some good value to be found in the talent pool. Here are the top 10 rankings for first base in 2014. Make sure to check back soon for second base rankings!

Sleeper Picks- Jose Abreu, Ryan Howard, Logan Morrison, Brandon Moss

10- Eric Hosmer

After Hosmer's 2011 rookie campaign, scouts and owners alike were salivating over Hosmer's talent and potential as a hitter. Fast forward 3 years and Hosmer has been unable to replicate the power he showed at the plate during his first season. 2014 will be a pivotal year for Hosmer but we predict that he will continue to put up the mediocre numbers that he did last year.

9- Adrian Gonzalez

Gonzalez is perhaps one of the safest picks in the top 10 for first baseman but he also has one of the lowest upsides. Gonzalez has most likely seen his best years pass, but that doesn't mean he can't still contribute at the plate. He won't hit 40 homers like he did in 2009 but hitting in the cleanup spot for the stacked Dodgers will ensure another solid season for Gonzo.

8- Buster Posey

Yes, Posey plays predominantly as a catcher, but he has 1B eligibility in ESPN fantasy so for the sake of this blog, we will include him in the 1b rankings. Posey had a solid 2013 season in which he hit .294 with 15 home runs and we think he will only improve upon those numbers in 2014.

7- Edwin Encarnacion

Encarnacion is a very interesting player to watch in 2014 and beyond. He seemingly broke out in 2012 out of nowhere and continued his success in 2013 with 36 homers. A closer look at his peripherals, however, suggest that Encarnacion's elite numbers have been the result of luck (and maybe some banned substances?) Be careful with Encarnacion in 2014. 

6- Chris Davis

Davis hit more home runs in 2013 than he had hit in his 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons combined. He's a good first baseman and power hitter, but he's not as good as his 2013 numbers looked. Look for Davis to be a major regression candidate this season.

5- Freddie Freeman

Freeman has a very good 2013 year for the Braves at first base. He finally showed the patience at the plate that scouts had been looking for which helped boost his average to a very impressive .319. What should benefit Freeman most in 2014, however, is the resurgence of the Braves lineup. The Upton brothers both have a lot of room to grow from last season and if they finally start producing like they can, Freeman will benefit greatly in the form of increased runs and RBIs.

4- Prince Fielder

Fielder is another player who has already seen his prime pass but will still contribute in 2014. Something around .280 with 25 homers and 95 RBIs seems realistic for the first baseman's first season with the Rangers.

3- Joey Votto

Votto is about a safe of a pick as you can get in the first round and should be top 5 pick in every league this season. While owners might get slightly frustrated by his lack of RBIs, Votto should continue to hit for power while scoring runs and maintaining a batting average over .300. What else can you ask from your first baseman?

2- Paul Goldschmidt

Goldschmidt had a great 2013 season and finished in the top 5 for ESPN's player rater. He's still only 26 years old and is one of the only first baseman who can contribute in the steals category as well as the power category. Goldschmidt should be a top 5 pick in every league in 2014.

1- Miguel Cabrera

After the departure of Prince Fielder, Cabrera should regain his 1B eligibility just a few weeks into the 2014 season. When he does, he will be far and away the best first baseman in the league. 

MLB Position Rankings: Catcher

Sure, Opening Day is over 2 months away, but Spring Training is just around the corner! As such, we will be ranking the top 10 players at each position for the 2014 season. For the first installment, we will be ranking Catchers. Check back soon for 1B rankings!

Sleepers- Devin Mesoraco, Yan Gomes, Josmil Pinto

10. Matt Wieters- Wieters is coming off a somewhat disappointing 2013 campaign in which he batted just .235 with a .287 OBP. While earlier in his career the sky was the limit for Wieters, his value will be seriously hindered by his inability to get on base. One reason for owners to have hope, however, is the fact that Wieters posted a career low .247 BABIP in 2013. His next lowest was a .274 and in 2014,
look for his BABIP and thus his batting average to experience a pleasant bump.

9. Wilson Ramos- After a injury-filled 2013 season, Ramos is a great bounce back candidate for 2014. Despite playing just 78 games last season, Ramos hit 16 home runs while driving in nearly 60 runs. If he can stay healthy for the whole season in 2014, Ramos will provide great value at a relatively inexpensive price.

8. Jonathon Lucroy- While Lucroy enjoyed a solid 2013 campaign, there is reason to believe that his 2014 one will be ever better. Last season his BABIP was it's lowest since his rookie season and was a full 20 points lower than his career average. Look for his peripherals to return to average in 2014 and look for Lucroy to be a solid option at catcher.

7. Wilin Rosario- Much of Rosario's value depends on his health. He has yet to play more than 121 games in a season and until he does, his stats won't see much of an improvement. Rosario hit .292/21/79 in 2013, which were buoyed by a career high .344 BABIP. Though he will still provide good value in 2014, be careful of how early you target Rosario.

6. Brian McCann- McCann is an interesting player for 2014 as he should benefit from the move to the AL East. A career .277 batter, McCann's average AIR is 105. AIR measures how favorable a park is to pitchers or batters, with a score over 100 showing that a player has played in mostly hitter friendly parks. McCann, however, is moving to Yankee Stadium which is a notoriously hitters friendly park as well, with 1.087 runs produced there for every 1 run produced in the average stadium. A weak BABIP in 2013 should also rebound in 2013 which makes McCann an enticing candidate for 2014.

5. Salvador Perez- While Perez might not have had the "breakout" season that some experts were
predicting for 2013, he still provided good value for owners while hitting for a mediocre Royals team. I have high hopes for the Royals in 2014 and Salvy should benefit greatly from that. Look for 2014 to be the year that he finally breaks out.

4. Carlos Santana- Though he is only 27 years old, there is little reason to believe that Santana has still has a lot of room to grow as a hitter. His eye at the plate has gotten progressively better and the power is there but hitting in a weak Cleveland lineup and hitting at the pitcher-friendly Progressive Field will prevent Santana from making any real strides in 2014. That being said, Santana could still hit .270/25/80, making him the 4th best catcher in fantasy.

3. Yadier Molina- 2014 will be Molina's 11th season in the league and he is showing no signs of slowing down, which is simply incredible when you look at the average career duration of catchers in the MLB. Molina finished 3rd in MVP voting in 2013, thanks to the best defensive play of any catcher in the league as well as a strong season at the plate. While his 2012 numbers (22 home runs) are starting to look like a bit of an anomaly, Molina should continue to hit for a high average while driving in lots of Cardinals runners.

2. Joe Mauer- Though concussion concerns are always a factor, Mauer might actually benefit from some of them in 2014 as the Twins have decided to put him at 1B full time. Luckily for fantasy owners, he should retain his catching eligibility which makes him even more valuable. Playing at first will certainly put less strain on Mauer's body than being behind the plate and his numbers at the plate could actually benefit as well. His home run numbers have been very unpredictable throughout his career but Mauer should still provide lots of value through his extremely high batting average and knack for scoring and driving in runs.

1. Buster Posey- Well, did you expect anyone else at the #1 spot on the list? Though he is just 26,
Posey has solidified his spot as the best catcher in the game. Even in a "down year" in 2013, he hit .294 while driving in 72 runs. Posey should experience a slight rebound in 2014 which makes him the clear choice for first catcher off the board on draft day. 

Opinion- Collisions at Home Plate

In case you haven't already read, the MLB banned collisions at home plate last week as increased concerns over concussions and brain damage have rocked the sports world. As science progresses, we are quickly realizing that concussions and what many athletes consider "getting your bell rung" can do serious damage in the long term. While the MLB hasn't had nearly as many incidents as the NFL or NHL on the issue, the one place that these incidents occur on a somewhat frequent basis is at home plate, specifically in collisions. Young stars like Buster Posey and Desmond Jennings have been seriously affected by incidents over the past few years and Posey's collision in particular was what led the MLB to reassess their policy. Protecting players has to be the most important goal of the MLB and the decision made last week was a great step in the quest to have a safer game for all involved.