Sports Illustrated is ranking the top 10 players at each position. First up were the catchers , and today we're onto the first basemen. Not so long ago, first baseman were seen as the lumbering hunks who were there to hit bombs and do what they could on defense. But the sport has further prioritized athleticism and the position has evolved as well. Now, in addition to providing punch at the plate, first baseman are asked to be slick-fielding, smooth-picking weapons out on the diamond. The current crop of standouts at the position is as deep as it's ever been, with a solid mix of veterans and rising stars establishing themselves as elite. Here are the 10 best first baseman in Major League Baseball right now. 10. Ben Rice, Yankees Ben Rice is off to a torrid start for the Yankees. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Rice showed enormous potential in his first full season last year by blasting 26 home runs and posting an .836 OPS.…