Fantasy baseball sleepers: Players to target at first base for 2023 MLB season

First base for fantasy baseball is a form of a choose-your-own-adventure game. Interested in a slugger who racks up home runs and strikeouts in bunches? We’ve got you covered. More drawn to a contact hitter who will slap singles all over the outfield? Well, I’ve got good news for you there too.

So while you may have a bead on your starting first baseman, here are some sleeper options who could slot in as your backup.

Fantasy baseball sleepers: First Base

Luis Arraez, Miami Marlins

ADP: 195

While it’s weird to see a reigning batting champ ranked in a sleepers list, that just speaks to the depth at first base. After batting .316 last year for the Twins, Arraez was shipped south to the Marlins, where he’ll likely slot in all of Miami’s infield. While his pure contact numbers aren’t the best, he has the positional versatility and production that makes him a must-have in every league.

Joey Meneses, Washington Nationals

ADP: 202

Meneses presents an interesting case study in potential versus production. In 54 games last season, Menses swung his way into our hearts, batting .324 with 13 home runs and 34 RBIs for the Nationals despite only having an expected batting average of .267. Meneses should get plenty of opportunities on a rebuilding Nationals team, so it might be worthwhile to take a late-round flier on him to see if last year was a fluke.

CJ Cron, Colorado Rockies

ADP: 124

While Cron’s a bonafide slugger, he gets a boost for playing half his games in the turbo-charged confines of Coors Field. A first-time All-Star last season, Cron smashed 29 home runs and 102 RBIs despite batting nearly 30 points worse compared to 2021 and setting a new career-high in strikeouts (164).

Seth Brown, Oakland Athletics

ADP: 232

Another boom-or-bust prospect, Brown tallied 22 home runs while setting a new career-high in strikeouts with 146. Brown also has outfield eligibility and is almost guaranteed to get traded at some point during the season, meaning he could end up on a new team with plenty of RBI opportunities. But until then, Brown should be a volume producer on a rebuilding A’s team.