You’re in the thick of the draft and can’t decide between two players. The logical choice is to target the one whose position is nearest to dropping off. But where are the drop-offs? That’s what these tiers denote. Players whose impact is essentially the same are bundled together, revealing at a glance how many alike choices remain. With these tiers in hand, you’ll have all you need to determine in real time which position is most appropriate to draft next.
- Tiers 2.0: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP
Below are the first base tiers for 2026, which depict a position that’s robust early in drafts, with many of its mainstays now residing a tier below The Elite. It’s plentiful late, too, but can still thin out quicker than expected in leagues that require an extra corner infielder because third base has so little to offer.
The Elite: Nick Kurtz, Vladimir Guerrero Jr
The Near-Elite: Pete Alonso, Matt Olson, Bryce Harper, Rafael Devers, Freddie Freeman, Josh Naylor
The Next-Best Things: Ben Rice, Vinnie Pasquantino, Yandy Diaz†, Tyler Soderstrom, Michael Busch
The Fallback Options: Salvador Perez, Spencer Torkelson, Jonathan Aranda
The Last Resorts: Sal Stewart, Munetaka Murakami, Willson Contreras, Alec Burleson, Spencer Steer, Luis Arraez, Kyle Manzardo, Christian Walker, (Bryce Eldridge)
The Leftovers: Andrew Vaughn, Lenyn Sosa, Jake Burger, Miguel Vargas, Nolan Schanuel, Ryan O’Hearn, Coby Mayo, Paul Goldschmidt, Josh Smith, Triston Casas, Romy Gonzalez, Josh Bell
†: one tier lower in categories/Rotisserie leagues
( ): DH-only, but with some hope of becoming eligible here
