#1
of 20
Lou Gehrig
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Gehrig is still the offensive standard at first base. His career OPS+ sits in the stratosphere for a full-time, long-career player, and it wasn’t propped up by a brief peak. He combined elite contact with elite power, so pitchers couldn’t attack him with any one plan. Year after year he lived around a .400 OBP with huge slug, which is basically the blueprint for an unstoppable middle-of-the-order bat. He produced mountains of extra-base hits and run production while rarely having a “down” season in his prime. Even in a stacked Yankees lineup, he was not a passenger—he was an engine. His best seasons are all-time great seasons by any hitter, not just first basemen. The postseason résumé strengthens the case because his bat translated when the pressure rose. If you want the safest bet for maximum offensive impact from 1B, he remains the No. 1 pick.
Career Numbers
.340
AVG
2,721
Hits
493
HR
1,995
RBI
102
SB
1.080
OPS
Lou Gehrig at No. 1
On Top 20 First Basemen in History of MLB Baseball, Lou Gehrig sits at number 1 of 20. The career card for Lou Gehrig shows 2,721 hits, 493 home runs and 1,995 RBI, with a .340 average. Add a 1.080 OPS and 102 steals to that line. Lou Gehrig debuted in the 1920s, and the Explore links below open that decade's page and the list of players born in USA. Albert Pujols follows at 2. The ranking and the write-up above it are the list's editorial judgment; the career numbers come from the same tables as the player pages.