Potential First Base Options For New York Yankees Ahead of 2025

The Yankees need a first baseman after declining Anthony Rizzo's 2025 option. Here's a look at the top names available in free agency.

Sep 17, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first base Christian Walker (53) runs off a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

With Juan Soto, Gleyber Torres, and three of their most relied upon bullpen arms entering free agency, the New York Yankees need for a first baseman has taken a back seat.

But that does not make it any less important.

Last Saturday, the Yankees declined Anthony Rizzo’s $17 million club option for the 2025 season, paying a $6 million buyout to send him into free agency. The 35-year-old first baseman posted a .637 OPS over 92 games and failed to hit a home run after returning from a fractured forearm that kept him sidelined from mid-June through the end of August.

While a reunion is not out of the question, the Yankees have essentially signaled that they do not believe Rizzo’s value justifies the additional $11 million they would have paid to retain him. The team’s internal options to replace him include utility player Oswaldo Cabrera and rookie Ben Rice, who posted a .171/.264/.349 slash line with seven home runs in 50 games—numbers that could prompt the Yankees to look for a more established option elsewhere. 

Here is a breakdown of who is currently available in free agency:

First Tier (5.0 WAR or higher in 2024)

Christian Walker (34-years-old, 6.8 WAR) — received qualifying offer
Pete Alonso (30-years-old, 5.0 WAR) — received qualifying offer

These two sluggers are expected to be the most sought-after and highest-paid first basemen this offseason.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman confirmed Tuesday that he has already discussed Alonso with his agent, Scott Boras. The longtime New York Mets’ slugger and four-time All-Star had a somewhat down year by his standards but still played all 162 games in 2024, hitting .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs. He impressed in the postseason, posting a .273/.431/.568 slash line with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 13 games.

Walker, meanwhile, has yet to be linked to the Yankees in any credible reports, but he is a name that fans have kept an eye on for good reason. The three-time Gold Glove winner also boasts significant power at the plate, with an OPS above .800 for three straight years. In 2024, he slashed .251/.335/.468 with 26 home runs and 84 RBIs in 130 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Second Tier (WAR between 2.0 and 4.9 in 2024)

Carlos Santana (39, 4.5 WAR)
Paul Goldschmidt (37, 4.4 WAR)
Justin Turner (40, 2.2 WAR)
Donovan Solano (37, 2.0 WAR)

While none of these players would be long-term solutions due to their age, they could provide a quality, cost-effective short-term fix for the Yankees.

Santana, who just earned his first Gold Glove after 15 seasons in the majors, has long been a reliable on-base machine. In 2024, the former catcher posted a .238/.328/.420 slash line with 23 home runs in 150 games with the Minnesota Twins.

Goldschmidt, a four-time Gold Glove winner and seven-time All-Star, may eventually find his way to Cooperstown. While his 2024 season was not his best, finishing with a career-low .716 OPS, he bounced back in the second half, posting a .799 OPS. His splits were pronounced, with an .839 OPS against lefties and a .675 mark versus righties. He is just three seasons removed from an MVP campaign with the St. Louis Cardinals.

After joining the Seattle Mariners at the trade deadline, Turner provided a consistent offensive spark for a team that had struggled to generate runs, posting a solid .766 OPS over 48 games. Solano, who played nine games with the Yankees in 2016, has hit above .280 in every season since 2019.

Third Tier (WAR below 2.0 in 2024)

Wilmer Flores (33, 1.6 WAR)
Joey Gallo (31, 0.6 WAR)
Ty France (30, 0.3 WAR)
Josh Bell (32, 0.2 WAR)
Yuli Gurriel (41, -0.5 WAR)
Ji Man Choi (34, -0.5 WAR)
Rowdy Tellez (30, -1.2 WAR)

These names likely will not generate much excitement among Yankees fans, but each has had moments of success in the big leagues. France was an All-Star with the Mariners in 2022, and Bell has been a consistent switch-hitting power threat throughout his career, finishing 2024 with a .249 average, 19 home runs, and 71 RBIs. Both Gallo and Choi are former Yankees, though Gallo is much less likely to make a return, given his challenging tenure in the Bronx.