#13
of 20
Mark McGwire
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McGwire is one of the highest-peak power hitters to ever play first base. His career slugging and OPS+ aren’t just good; they’re historically loud for a player with his era and injury interruptions. He didn’t need 650 plate appearances to crush 45–50 homers, which speaks to the rate of damage. The walk totals matter too, because pitchers were terrified to challenge him, and that kept his OBP high. His best seasons are game-breaking: a handful of plate appearances could equal a team’s entire scoring output. Injuries and missed time limit his counting stats, but the offensive impact per at-bat is elite. He also produced elite isolated power that few players in history can match. In terms of pure “how fast can you generate runs with one bat,” he’s near the top. If you value peak dominance heavily, McGwire earns a spot solidly in this tier.
Career Numbers
.263
AVG
1,626
Hits
583
HR
1,414
RBI
12
SB
.982
OPS
Mark McGwire at No. 13
On Top 20 First Basemen in History of MLB Baseball, Mark McGwire sits at number 13 of 20. Mark McGwire's career numbers on the card: a .263 average, 583 home runs and 1,626 hits. Add a .982 OPS and 12 steals to that line. Mark McGwire debuted in the 1980s, and the Explore links below open that decade's page and the list of players born in USA. Rod Carew is ranked just above at 12 while Joey Votto follows at 14. 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.