2016 MLB Draft Top Prospects: First Base

For the next week or so, I will be looking at how draft prospects stack up by position. Today, let's look at first base prospects.

Here are the top ten first base draft prospects:

The Two Wills, Benson and Craig, are head and shoulders above the rest of this group.

Craig has one of the most polished bats in this draft class, while Benson has some of the biggest power from this year's prep class. Choosing between the two of them depends on your risk aversion level. It's the classic floor versus ceiling argument.

Craig is a decent bet to make the big leagues, and could be a Kevin Millar type of player. Benson could flame out in A-ball, as his swing does have some holes in it. But he's young, and he has the body build and raw tools that could make him a steal outside of the first round.

Fisher has been a beast with the bat this year, after missing all of last year due to shoulder surgery. The redshirt junior is already 22, but he's hit .437/.564/.716 this year, with a 50/29 BB/K ratio. He hit .300 in the Cape in 2014, albeit with little power, but it shows he can work with a wood bat. He may be one of the more underrated college bats this year, due to going to a college that isn't a powerhouse in Southeastern Louisiana. But he has a sweet swing from the left side, great plate discipline, and above-average bat-to-ball ability, with the potential for average plus power. I wouldn't be surprised to see a team grab him in the first three rounds.

Dalbec is an enigma. After crushing the ball his sophomore year, he went to the Cape and destroyed pitchers with a wood bat. He looked like a good bet to go in the first round. Then he went out this spring and put up a clunker of a season - to the point that some are looking at him as a bullpen arm more than a first baseman. I won't go that far, and a recent hot streak makes me still believe that he could bounce back with the bat. A team picking him in the top five rounds would believe the same (and the backup option on the mound won't hurt), but anywhere outside of that and I suspect he is unlikely to sign.

Alonso is the type of guy the Cardinals draft and turn into an All Star. Nothing wows you, he's just solid all-around with the bat, spraying line drives, showing some power potential, and a decent eye at the plate. This year, he's hit .352/.455/.581, with a 28/28 BB/K ratio.

Robbins is someone you can dream on. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be a better player than Benson. He looks like the classic first baseman and the plate and in the field, a similar type of player as John Olerud or Keith Hernandez. He's got a clean, pure swing that should generate line drives and a nice batting average, and should be an above average defender. I suspect he ends up in college unless a team pops him in the first three rounds. He could become this generation's Will Clark or Raffy Palmeiro for Mississippi State.

Carlson is another prep first base prospect who will likely end up at school. He has a nice swing from both sides of the plate, and some solid power projection. He reminds me of a young Mark Teixeira, and even kind of looks like him. He and Robbins will both likely be first round picks in three years.

Jones rounds out the trifecta of prep first sackers who will likely be on campus in the fall. He looks the part on the field, with a two-sport athleticism that makes him pretty decent around the bag. His swing does have some holes that he needs to work on, and he's the type of player who could benefit from college ball.

All Zimmerman does is smash the baseball. He did it for two years at Mesa CC, then transferred to Michigan State for his junior year. This year, he's hitting .374/.461/.594, with a 32/33 BB/K ratio. He was just named the team MVP for the season. He's a bit small for first base, but the bat should play. He may be tried out in the outfield in pro ball.

Preston Palmeiro has the bloodlines, that's for sure. Rafael's son has improved every year at NC State, hitting .326/.401/.519, with a 22/33 BB/K ratio this year. I'm not sure he has enough power to play first base in pro ball, and will likely be given a shot to stick at third base in the pros.