Here at the TDG Headquarters, we’ve been busy looking for “The Next Big Thing.”  With that in mind, we’ve put together a team of prospect prognosticators and developed a set of tiered rankings for each position. And once they’re all posted, we’ll wrap up with our Top 200 Overall Prospects, putting it all together.

Be sure to listen to the Join the Ranks podcast for more discussion about these prospects.

Today, we bring you the first base prospect tiers 1 and 2, which include prospects #1-14.

Tier 1

For years the prospect rankings of the first base position have been about as bleak and boring as they come. No more can anyone say that, as this year’s rankings may contain some of the highest-ranked prospects in recent memory. First base may in fact now be the premier position to find top-tier prospects and I am loving every minute of it. 

Of the six players in this top tier, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them. Not only are they elite hitters, they all should be in the upper minor leagues and have proximity on their side. If you like home runs on your dynasty teams, make sure to aim for one of these, or two, or three if you want to be bold. Bryce Eldridge may have the biggest upside of anyone in this top tier. In his first season of pro ball, he made it all the way up to Triple-A and did so by slugging the cover off the ball. He hit .289/.372/.513, adding 23 home runs, and 27 doubles. He took his walks at a good clip (11.4%), but it was even higher at High-A (16.3%). The kicker, he was only 19 years old last year and has a lot of projection left to get even better. 

Jac Caglianone has some of the biggest power of any prospect in baseball. He crushed college pitching last year, so much so that he received the largest “Barry Bonds” treatment I have seen since Bonds himself was splashing balls into McCovey Cove. I’m not buying into the swing-and-miss narrative being pushed by some. He had a 75% contact rate at High-A in his pro debut and only struck out at a 20.6% clip. 

Samuel Basallo has a plus bat, to go along with his big power. He slashed .278/.341/.449, with 19 home runs, 25 doubles, and 10 stolen bases. He has a very similar profile as Eldridge, but doesn’t walk as much and has played more in the upper minors. 

Nick Kurtz has been gaining some helium this offseason and provides a potential better bat than Caglianone, but without full seasons in the minor leagues from either, it’s hard for me to make a definitive conclusion there. He wasn’t tested nearly as much in college as Caglianone was and this could all be smoke and mirrors. 

Xavier Isaac is another potential stud and brings a little more speed than the others in this tier. He stole 15 bases in 2024, which followed the 12 bases he swiped in 2023. (Brian Labude)

This tier and this position are my absolute favorite in baseball right now for prospects. Do not be scared off by some of the cliches out there regarding the first base position. The entire group here is stacked, top to bottom. Maybe you won’t find 20 home run/20 stolen base prospects, but you don’t need them as much as you think in fantasy baseball. The power-hitting mashers with great hit tools are the new hot topic. In Tier 1, the prospects that should stand out above the rest are Samuel Basallo, Jac Caglianone, and Xavier Isaac. Basallo is a good hitter already and is bordering on making his debut at just 20 years old. He has plus power and will eventually turn that into an insane amount of in-game power as he gets older. He hit 19 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A. The strikeout rate jumped to 31.4% at the highest level, if he corrects this, a star will be breaking into the Orioles lineup this summer. Caglianone is one of my favorite prospects and for good reason, as his profile is misunderstood. He hit 68 home runs over 137 games during his sophomore and junior seasons at the University of Florida. He stands 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds. Both numbers may be on the low side as well. He is a massive human being with some of the best power in all of baseball. In college, he was able to hit anything and was being pitched to in a very Barry Bonds kind of way. Even if he chased out of the zone because he wasn’t getting a single strike to hit, he could still hit the ball insanely hard and do damage. It was needed for his team as well. In pro ball, he will need to settle in and adjust to making more correct swing decisions. His hit tool is so good he can still get to anything, but the result isn’t as amazing as it was versus college pitchers. Once he gets his swing decisions zeroed in, watch out, because he could be the best prospect in baseball. Isaac has shown similar flashes to Caglianone, but at a younger age. Insane power, but more swing and miss to his game. If he can stay healthy and make more contact, he could have a huge impact in the major leagues soon. He had 18 home runs across High-A and Double-A as a 20-year-old. (Daniel Labude)

It’s a small tier and I don’t want to leave only a single name ignored. If you missed our Join the Ranks 1B episode, I have plenty of nice things to say in support of Coby Mayo. In many circles, people have wrongly soured on him compared to this time last year. A packed organization, questions on defensive home, and a “not-awesome” MLB debut will do that to anyone. But Coby Mayo isn’t just anyone. While the swing is a bit unorthodox, he possesses double-plus raw power that he’s already unlocking in games (29 homers in ‘23, 25 in ‘24). The concerns I mentioned have validity but aren’t the whole story. That whole story includes a forced promotion to join a team fighting for a division title. It includes a pressing performance by Mayo which resulted in struggles at the plate. The story concludes with absolutely zero consistent playing time once the Dog Days of August hit. I believe the epilogue will end with his discerning batting eye and prodigious power will winning out. Maybe this will be with another MLB organization, but it shouldn’t be on another fantasy team. Hold on to your Mayo friends. (Chris Knock)

Tier 2

This second tier is loaded with potential first-tier players. Josue Briceno may be one of the biggest breakout players in 2025. He already started it off in the Arizona Fall League, in 25 games he hit 10 home runs, with a slash line of .433/.509/.867. He really reminds me of a Joe Mauer type at the plate, but with more power. Eric Bitonti has the potential to be just as good, if not better than Briceno. He ran through the Arizona Complex League like he was Ted Williams. He hit .320/.451/.580 and blasted eight home runs. The bat stumbled a little upon a late season promotion to Low-A. His slash line fell to .221/.318/.487, while his plate appearances per home run improved from 28.3 to 16.5. The power he possesses looks like the real thing. We can’t talk power with regards to prospects, without mentioning the 2024 minor league home run champ. Last year, Deyvison De Los Santos smacked 40 home runs and is a good target if he can increase his contact rate to somewhere above 70%. Right now he has too much swing and miss to be sustainable long-term in the major leagues. Tre’ Morgan and C.J. Kayfus offer more hit-first profiles with projectable power development. With their age, however, I’m not sure how much more they can tap into. (Brian Labude)

Thayron Liranzo is the prospect that shines in this tier. He had a 195 wRC+ at High-A in 26 games following a trade to the Detroit Tigers. His walk rate skyrocketed and his strikeout rate plummeted. He ultimately shot back up the rankings after a fall to begin the season. He continued the hot streak into the Arizona Fall League and is positioned to be a consensus top-50 prospect with a fast start in 2025. Good contact rates and light-tower power from both sides of the plate is a big draw for him. (Daniel Labude)