My previous prospect rank list pointed out how much catcher talent remains in the minors even with some of the best having recently graduated to the majors.
That’s not so much the case at first base. Sure, Bryce Eldridge still qualifies as a prospect even with his exposure to the majors late last year, but 2024 draftees Nick Kurtz and Jac Caglianone are no longer in the running. And unfortunately, the 2025 draft didn’t provide us with any first basemen of quite the same standing. Not yet, anyway.
What I mean by “not yet” is that many prospects who aren’t playing first base right now will ultimately wind up there, including some of those aforementioned catchers. There’s a reason why first base is known to be a repository of big bats, and it’s because, at least at the major league level, it’s the path of least resistance defensively.
So really, there’s never a shortage of first base prospects, just prospects who happen to be playing first base. As the fallback plan for every other position, the bar to clear offensively is exceptionally high.
And I’m only certain that the top two names here clear it.
Note: These rankings are intended mainly for Dynasty use, emphasizing long-term value over a quick payoff, but to say proximity holds no weight wouldn’t be entirely accurate either. Not all of these players will contribute in 2026 — most, in fact, will not — but among prospects, they’re the names Fantasy Baseballers most need to know.
1. Bryce Eldridge, Giants
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .260 BA (384 AB), 25 HR, .843 OPS, 42 BB, 127 K
Major league stats: 3 for 28 (.107), 2 2B, 7 BB, 13 K
Eldridge hits the ball as hard as any minor leaguer and should be able to leverage his 6-foot-7 frame for considerable power in due time, but his first taste of the majors was a struggle. The Giants may have wanted it a little too badly, judging by his so-so Triple-A performance, and we’ll all need to have patience for him as he learns to cover such a large strike zone. Presumably, that learning will happen on the job this year.
Note: Eldridge is eligible only at DH to begin 2026 since that’s where he spent most of his time with the big club in 2025. Because I won’t be ranking DH prospects, though, I thought it only fitting for me to rank him at his natural position, where he’ll likely get ample playing time still.
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .309 BA (437 AB), 20 HR, 17 SB, .907 OPS, 46 BB, 77 K
Major league stats: .255 BA (55 AB), 5 HR, .839 OPS, 3 BB, 15 K
Having always stood out for his hitterish qualities, most notably his bat-to-ball skills and line-drive approach, Stewart combined them with some prodigious exit velocities that saw him storm through three levels, upping his home run rate at each. There’s a case to rank him ahead of Eldridge, seeing as he’s a more complete hitter, but manager Terry Francona was a little funny about his playing time. It’s also not clear which corner position Stewart will end up playing.
3. Ralphy Velazquez, Guardians
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .265 BA (483 AB), 22 HR, .839 OPS, 52 BB, 104 K
Most rank lists are lukewarm on Velazquez, but the scouting reports have little negative to say about him, at least on the hitting side of things. His power comes easily, through the sort of exit velocity readings that are scarce in the Guardians system and without the sort of contact issues that plague many young sluggers. He got to move up to Double-A just a couple months after turning 20 and did some of his best work there, slashing .330/.405/.589 in 28 games.
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .268 BA (365 AB), 14 HR, .820 OPS, 52 BB, 112 K
Condon’s second minor league season was much better than his first but still a far cry from what the Rockies thought they were getting when they drafted him third overall in 2024. Though he reached base at a nifty .376 clip, the power fell short of expectations again, and he also moved down the defensive spectrum for a second straight season. Still, his pedigree will earn him the sort of chances (perhaps as early as this spring) that the rest of this list has to fight for.
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .279 BA (333 AB), 4 HR, 21 2B, .776 OPS, 59 BB, 104 K
After he hit 20 homers in 2024, Collier’s 2025 took a disastrous turn, and it would be easier to give him the benefit of the doubt if third base still looked to be his long-term home. Of course, he’s only 21, bats left-handed, and has plus on-base skills, all of which give him a viable path as a first baseman. The real reason he deserves benefit of the doubt is the torn ligament in his thumb that cost him nearly the first two months and likely contributed to his poor production.
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A
Minor league stats: .201 BA (139 AB), 9 HR, .812 OPS, 34 BB, 52 K
It would be easy to dismiss Isaac as a lost cause after back-to-back seasons with a runaway strikeout rate, the second of which caused his overall production to crater, but he has a valid excuse in both cases. His 2024 struggles came from an ill-fated attempt to tap into more power, throwing off his timing, and his 2025 struggles came from him battling elbow and wrist issues, not to mention life-saving brain surgery in the offseason. The 22-year-old deserves another chance, particularly given his 70-grade power and chance of hitting for average as well if he can get his swing in order.
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .237 BA (481 AB), 29 HR, .826 OPS, 85 BB, 148 K
Clifford made an effort to be less passive in 2025, bringing his strikeout rate to a more reasonable level, but batting average will always be a struggle for him. The hope is that the power is enough to overcome it, and between his 94th percentile exit velocity readings and 75th percentile pull-air rate, there could be even more in store. Outfield is a possibility if he remains blocked at first base.
8. Jonathon Long, Cubs
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A
Minor league stats: .305 BA (514 AB), 20 HR, .883 OPS, 79 BB, 116 K
Long performed well at Triple-A, but right-handed-hitting first basemen who aren’t prime draft picks need to move mountains to get the attention of the big club. The 23-year-old is blocked by Michael Busch at first base and likely one of Moises Ballesteros or Owen Caissie at DH, which means he’ll need a stroke of luck to have a chance of mattering in Fantasy. He’s capable of delivering on it, though, showing good pitch selection and power that plays to all fields.
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .257 BA (478 AB), 25 HR, .835 OPS, 65 BB, 123 K
Though Ortiz was never a prospect of the highest standing, he seems to have fallen completely off the map since his transition to first base a couple years ago. But now that we have access to his Statcast data with his move up to Triple-A — where he slashed .283/.388/.565 in 41 games, by the way — it’s hard to find too many faults in the hitting profile. His quick hands send the ball screaming off the bat at some of the best exit velocities in all the minors, and apart from a slightly elevated chase rate, there are no plate discipline issues to speak of.
10. Tre’ Morgan, Rays
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A
Minor league stats: .274 BA (328 AB), 8 HR, 8 SB, .810 OPS, 64 BB, 77 K
Morgan still earns fairly high marks from traditional prospect evaluators because his defense is said to be otherworldly, but his power is so limited that he’s walking a tightrope offensively. His plate discipline is good, but his strikeout rate took a notable step back with his move up to Triple-A. Even if he remains a plus in batting average, he’ll need to eke out 15-plus homers annually to be of much use in Fantasy.
Age (on opening day): 28
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .281 BA (427 AB), 21 HR, .864 OPS, 56 BB, 90 K
Major league stats: .200 BA (65 AB), 5 HR, .732 OPS, 6 BB, 28 K
Crim is impossible to rank because a single decision by new front office head Paul DePodesta could take him from being the most immediately useful first base prospect (short of Bryce Eldridge, anyway) to not mattering at all. He was a productive hitter throughout his time in the Rangers system and made a strong impression in a trial run as the Rockies starter, but because he’s 28 and dependent on the kindness of strangers for his playing time, you shouldn’t sacrifice anything of real value for him.
