Riedell Report: Top College Eligible First Basemen for MLB Draft

Andrew Fischer (Tennessee Athletics photo)

By Andrew Riedell

As we inch closer towards the MLB Draft, it is time to go through our infield, starting at first base and working our way through the infield each day this week! A lot of these guys play multiple positions, but I project everyone on this list to be first basemen in the pros. So, you will not see some guys on here like Henry Ford. Let’s jump right into it!

1. Andrew Fischer (Tennessee) Age: 21 Class: Junior

We start the list off with the college journeyman who was at three colleges in three years, where he hit double-digit home runs at all three of his stops. This most recent year, Fischer smoked 25 home runs at the hitter-friendly Lindsey Nelson Stadium. I believe he has some of the best power out of all the college hitters in this draft. He has some nice pull power, but he can also smoke balls to the opposite field. Observing his batting practice at Alex Box Stadium this year, he displayed really good hitting to both sides of the field.

Fischer even worked in some nice at-bats against potential first overall draft pick Kade Anderson during that series vs. LSU. He got on base in all 65 games this season, showing some really good plate discipline. The fielding for Fischer is solid, too, and with a good arm, I could see him split time at first and third base during his pro career. His bat is just too good to take out, so teams will find a way to put him in the lineup.

2. Ethan Petry (South Carolina) Age: 21 Class: Junior

My first position change goes to Ethan Petry, who was South Carolina's best hitter since he stepped on campus. Petry played most of this year in right field, but I project him to play 1st base with his build of 6’4 and 235. Petry has proven he can slug it with wood too, as the 2024 Cape Cod MVP hit 11 HRs with a 1.240 OPS in his 31 games there last season. He has been consistently elite with his power, which I would grade a 65 now but project it to be a 60 by the time he reaches the pros.

His plate maturity in the SEC has also been very impressive, with a high OBP, and he has been known to adjust his swing to improve contact. He does come with some risk, though, still working on lowering his chase rate, and his versatility reduces his defensive value, but his bat alone draws enough value. His athleticism is also a minus, as he does have below-average running ability. 

3. Jared Jones (LSU) Age: 21 Class: Junior

The LSU slugger Jones comes in third on my list, and I had a hard time wanting to flip-flop this, but watching him every game, his back-half struggles turned me off a little. I believe Jones is going to be a solid first baseman, but the closing stretch we saw was something I have never really seen from him before over his three years.

The one thing that continues to turn me on about Jones, though, is that when he is on, he is one of the most disciplined hitters in college baseball. He struggled with that in what looked like a down year, but when the game was on the line, LSU wanted him up there to win the game or take it over. Jones' power is unbelievably good, and his gap-to-gap approach has been really fun to watch, too. Being able to learn from LSU Coaches Johnson and Wanaka (Director of Player Development-Offense) has been a huge key to his success and development. The one area in which I am cautious of buying stock is his hit tool ceiling. He has a high average bat, but he could have more swings-and-misses, especially if he is chasing more power. 

4. Tanner Thach (UNC-Wilmington) Age: 21 Class: Junior

Tanner Thach had an unusual year, probably beginning it as a Top Two prospect at the position, but a power regression raised some questions. Thach set the UNCW Freshman HR record with 15, then smashed 27 HRs with 75 RBIs as a sophomore before hitting only 12 HRs with 46 RBIs this season.

It is not like any numbers rose, since he actually struck out fewer times this year, but he just ended up hitting way more singles this year. It is going to be interesting to see if Thach's prior power transitions to pro ball, or if we see more 2025, with a lot more singles and gap-to-gap power. His speed is not as good as well, so he can’t leg out some questionable doubles. The ceiling for Thach could be tremendous, but even his floor, power alone, could land him as a middle of the lineup threat with 20-25 HRs a season and a batting average in the mid-200s. 

5. Jack Gurevitch (San Diego) Age: 21 Class: Junior 

Jack Guervitch comes in from the same California high school program as Hunter Greene from Notre Dame. In three years at USD, he hit .326 with 32 HRs and 121 RBIs, but he broke out this year for 17 HRs while seeing his strikeout numbers drop and his batting average and on-base percentage rise in the process.

Gurevitch has vastly improved in his approach every year at USD, and I think staying close to home and having the resources at USD made him a better hitter and player. This past season, Gurevitch emerged as a strong two-way bat, showing off the power and the contact numbers without having a corresponding slump plagued by striking out. He does have an excellent contact rate and disciplined plate presence. He might also be tried at third base or left field, but I project him very well at first base. I see Gurevitch as a middle-of-the-order bat with 20+ HR potential and a strong OBP in the future, but the transition from the WCC to the pros could be rough at first. 

6. Chris Arroyo (UVA-Transfer Portal) Age: 20 Class: Junior

Chris Arroyo is probably the best available player still in the transfer portal. Why is that, you might say? He is going to get drafted and most likely sign, from what I have been told. Arroyo started at UF before transferring to JUCO Pasco-Hernando before landing at Virginia with Brian O’Connor.

Arroyo has also been a very talented player, even back in high school at Stoneman Douglas. Arroyo projects as a 1st baseman/DH, but I think he is athletic enough to stick at the position. At UVA this past season, he hit .291 with 11 HRs and 42 RBIs, a year after hitting 19 HRs at the JUCO level, so transitioning from JUCO to D1 was not an issue. Arroyo has raw strength, so I think his power is going to be off the charts in pro ball. He is a strong hit for the average guy, too. He does need to work on his plate discipline, as he has been known to take some very borderline pitches where his strikeout numbers come into play. I also doubt he throws in pro ball. 

7. Jacob Walsh (Oregon) Age: 22 Class: Senior

After turning down the draft in 2023 and 2024, Jacob Walsh became the Oregon All-Time HR leader with 59 HRs, and he has mentioned that he was happy to stay at Oregon and is ready to be drafted now. Having a strikeout rate around 24% is a bit of a concern, but he is still a solid batting average and OBP player, especially hitting in the cleanup role for the Ducks this year.

Walsh does have that plus raw strength, but can display that to both the RF and LF gaps. He does have a bit of upside in controlling the zone as his walk numbers have been improving, and he has been getting better and working the count. I think a team is going to reach for Walsh early and develop his swing into a more mature swing to have him hitting gap to gap and hitting for power and for average. 

8. Anthony Martinez (UC Irvine) Age: 21 Class: Junior

Anthony Martinez had a monster freshman season at UC Irvine, hitting. 394 with 11 HRs and 60 RBIs, but the 6’3 1st baseman then saw his power numbers go down after that first year. Martinez was one of the hardest hitters to strike out in his three years playing college baseball, as he only struck out 80 times. He drove in 192 RBIs in his three years and was working really quality at the plate for Irvine.

Martinez isn’t a pure slugger, but he is a moderate gap-to-gap hitter who can rope multiple doubles. Martinez also shows exceptional plate awareness and situational awareness, and can hit against both LHP and RHP, but yet again, the competition level of the Big West and pro ball could be different. He does have some defensive limitations though, as he profiles as a strict 1st baseman or DH I can not see him playing another position. His speed and arm are average and not really as much of an asset as his bat is.  

9. Ryland Zaborowski (Georgia) Age: 23 Class: Grad Student

So I am including Zaborowski in this list as I believe he will get drafted, and I believe that his bat should be given an opportunity. Let’s get the big thing out of the way, though, as I have him ranked 9th because he is a 23-year-old getting drafted, and teams might see that as two things. The first thing is they have to rush him through the ranks because of his age, and the second reason is they can already place him in a Double AA or Triple AAA because his bat is already good and developed at age 23.

I believe Zaborowski was one of the best hitters in all of college baseball this season, no matter the age or year of playing, as he was a legitimate home run threat every time he stepped up to the plate at Foley Field. His raw power stands out, and his power to the pull side is a plus too, and he has an exceptional walk rate as he has shown advanced pitch recognition. 

10. Cooper McMurray (Auburn) Age: 23 Class: RS Senior 

Cooper McMurray rounds off this list as the lefty swinging first baseman put together his best season in his last year of eligibility for Auburn this year, hitting .326 with 14 HRs and 59 RBIS this year. He has always been a consistently solid contact hitter, but this year he lowered his strikeout rate and turned out a strong walk rate this season. He has always been known as a disciplined hitter and to work counts for the Tigers, and this year he proved that pretty well.

He has lost 25 pounds coming into this last season, trimming down to 235, so we could see him continue with an MLB strength program, but having a guy like McMurray in any MLB program is just a competitive guy and a great guy to have. His defense at 1B is also very elite, and you put that with a balanced offensive profile, I think you have one of the most slept on 1st base prospects in this draft.

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