Who Should Start at First Base for the Diamondbacks?

The Arizona Diamondbacks have consistently had some of the best first basemen in the league. From Paul Goldschmidt to Christian Walker, they have always had someone patrolling first at an all-star or borderline all-star level for the past 10 years.

This season, however, is the first in which it is not a predetermined player who will be playing first. The team has to decide between Pavin Smith, Tyler Locklear, and Carlos Santana.

All three bring different aspects to the team and have different skill sets that work well in the lineup. But all of them also have their downsides that can hurt the team as well. The team will be in an interesting place to try to figure out the man who’s right for the job.

And so far in spring training, there have been some definite signs of how they might go based on things said to the media, and how the players have been used in spring training so far.

Pavin Smith

Pavin Smith has been a platoon player for the D-backs since his MLB debut in 2020.

His 2021 campaign was his only full season. He finished the year having played in 145 games, slashing .267/.328/.404 while also tallying 11 home runs and 49 RBI. It was a pretty good season for a young up-and-coming player at the time.

Yet, since the 2021 campaign, Smith has never really been able to get the same kind of playing time. He has not appeared in more than 90 games in a season since 2021.

With that being said, this could be the first season in which he actually has a chance to start at a single position for the majority of the year.

Smith has all the tools to be successful and has shown it in the past. Based on his spring training so far, it seems the D-backs believe that, too. And with Tyler Locklear out to start the season, Smith is a prime candidate to be the Opening Day starter at first base.

Tyler Locklear

Locklear underwent elbow and shoulder surgery in October. He has yet to play this spring, and according to manager Torey Lovullo, he might not see the field until mid-May or early June.

The righty batter is hoping to get his first significant taste of big league baseball in 2026. In 2024, he made his official debut for the Seattle Mariners, logging 16 games. He was traded to the D-backs in the Eugenio Suárez trade at the 2025 deadline.

After joining the Diamondbacks, Locklear struggled, posting a slash line of .175/.267/.262 in 31 games played. He also struck out 43 times in those 31 games, which is definitely something that needs to be improved on.

With all these things taken into account, Locklear does still have one big thing going for him, and that is time. Heading into his age-25 season, he definitely has plenty of time to get healthy and make the improvements he needs to make.

Being the youngest considered for the role does play a part in whether he could eventually become the full-time starter or not. However, Locklear’s injury status does put a significant damper on his bid for a starting role, at least for now.

Carlos Santana

Now, Santana is definitely the safest option to have as the starting first baseman this season.

Santana has been playing Major League Baseball since 2010. A one-time All-Star, he won a Silver Slugger in 2019 and a Gold Glove in 2024.

Last season, he spent the year with the Cubs and the Guardians, logging a total of 124 games and finishing with a slash line of .219/.308/.325 between the two teams. While these numbers weren’t the greatest, they were serviceable for an aging veteran.

Santana brings the most value with his fielding; according to Baseball Savant, he graded in the 94th percentile in OAA (Outs Above Average) last season. Even as he’s gotten older, that is the one thing that hasn’t declined, and it could bring great value to the team.

Now the next chapter of his career has brought him to the desert to try to secure a lineup spot with the D-backs. In his age 40 season, if his hitting doesn’t continue to regress, we could see him put up a great fight to be the first baseman full-time.

Who To Go With?

Now the debate is whether to go with the unproven talent in Locklear, the vet Santana, or the utility man Smith.

I believe that if he were healthy, it would be Locklear for sure. But with him being out for the first two-ish months of the season, that will change Arizona’s approach tremendously. It’s between Smith and Santana for Opening Day. And I think that Smith is the direction they should go – and will go.

Smith has come through for this organization on numerous occasions, and he is valued in this clubhouse. I think, with the numbers he has put up in the past, he can be someone who helps stabilize the position until Locklear returns.

If Smith plays really well, then the D-backs can give him the reins for the majority of the season. If he struggles a bit, no harm done once Locklear returns. They flip them and return Smith to his utility role.

Santana has his strengths, but the biggest deterrent is his age. History has shown that many players, once they turn 40, don’t continue to be productive.

Many may point to the fact that he was still pretty productive late into his thirties as a reason he should start. Last season, though, he was unable to finish the year strong, and with his numbers beginning to regress, it leads me to believe he will be a platoon first baseman for the rest of his career.

This D-backs team is looking to progress further this year after an 80-82 record last year. They have brought back a ton of their key pieces, but what would really help this year is if they could recapture the elite first-base play they once had. Maybe one of these three guys is the answer.