MLB analyst inclined to put Vladimir Guerrero Jr. above Freddie Freeman, Bryce Harper in Top 1B ranking

MLB analyst Sarah Langs is bullish on the prospects of Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. heading into the 2025 season. While MLB Network placed him fourth in the list of top 10 first basemen, Langs put him third on her list, behind Freddie Freeman and Bryce Harper.

Guerrero Jr., who will become a free agent after the 2025 season unless the Blue Jays extend his contract, slashed .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI. In January, the Blue Jays and the first baseman settled on a $28.5 million contract for 2025 to avoid arbitration.

During Tuesday's appearance on MLB Network Radio, Langs shared her opinion of Guerrero Jr. and said that she was inclined to put the Blue Jays first baseman No. 1.

Much of her trust comes due to Guerrero's second half of the season in 2024 where he was way better at his position.

"I mean, he was so good in the second half of the year," Langs said. "And look, he had a stretch. We had so many extra-base hits and winning games, man. Look at those games. I mean, this is incredible. No matter how you slice."

Langs also compared Guerrero Jr.'s slugging with his father, while drawing her conclusion.

"He's like his father in that way," she added. "When he showed up, I mean, he hit .330. He really played baseball. And so I'm ready for him to be that number one. Of course, you know, the defense is always a concern."

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looks forward to an important season in 2025

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could follow the suit of Juan Soto ($765 million) and Shohei Ohtani ($700 million) when it comes to contract signing when he becomes a free agent next offseason. Maybe not in the range of Soto and Ohtani, but he could sign anywhere close to $400-500 million.

However, for that, Guerrero has to show why he deserves that money. A poor season in 2025 could adversely impact his contract expectations. More so, an injury could be detrimental to his future contract. So, not only the first baseman has to be better at the plate and on defense but also health-wise.

If Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can sustain the level of production throughout the season, many teams will likely go to lengths to acquire him, especially the big market ones.