Lou Gehrig

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.