We’re in the thick of fantasy baseball draft season! To help get you prepared, the Rotoworld crew was joined by some knowledgeable friends from around the industry for the 2024 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Show. Hosted by Ahmed Fareed and Eric Samulski, you can find the show on the NBC Sports YouTube channel.
The draft was 20 rounds of a standard 12-team, 5x5 roto format with the following roster settings: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF, OF, OF, UTIL, SP, SP, RP, RP, P, P, P, P, B, B, B.
I was provided with the rosters from all teams for review, but with one fun little twist: I didn’t know the identities of our drafters. Will one of our Rotoworld colleagues come out on top, or will it be one of our friends from across the industry? Either way, I’ll provide an overview of each team’s best and worst picks, as well as hand out draft grades. Here we go!
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Team 1 (Eric Samulski - Rotoworld)
1. (1) Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL - OF)
2. (24) Marcus Semien (TEX - 2B)
3. (25) Zack Wheeler (PHI - SP)
4. (48) Paul Goldschmidt (STL - 1B)
5. (49) Royce Lewis (MIN - 3B)
6. (72) Freddy Peralta (MIL - SP)
7. (73) Bryan Reynolds (PIT - OF)
8. (96) Joe Musgrove (SD - SP)
9. (97) Andrés Muñoz (SEA - RP)
10. (120) Seiya Suzuki (CHC - OF)
11. (121) Anthony Volpe (NYY - SS)
12. (144) Josh Naylor (CLE - 1B)
13. (145) Yu Darvish (SD - SP)
14. (168) Cedric Mullins (BAL - OF)
15. (169) Logan O’Hoppe (LAA - C)
16. (192) Nick Pivetta (BOS - SP,RP)
17. (193) Hunter Harvey (WSH - RP)
18. (216) Robert Stephenson (LAA - RP)
19. (217) A.J. Puk (MIA - RP)
20. (240) Jared Jones (PIT - SP)
Team Overview: You have to be happy to land the number one pick in this format, considering the advantage Ronald Acuña Jr. provides in his elite five-category production after going 41/73 while batting .337 last season. With that advantage, I would have liked to see this team get more top-end pitching in the following rounds. There are no questions with the hitting here. But while Zack Wheeler is a top-tier ace, the rest of the staff carries considerable risk with Freddy Peralta, Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, Nick Pivetta, and unproven A.J. Puk and Jared Jones. The team also went with Andrés Muñoz as it’s only closer while taking some gambles on Hunter Harvey and Robert Stephenson, opening the door for this team to fall behind in saves. Getting Acuña at the top of the draft should allow you to secure better pitching, either starting or relief.
Favorite Pick: I love the Seiya Suzuki pick at 120. He profiles as someone who can provide similar value to Bryan Reynolds, who this team took nearly 50 picks earlier. Suzuki got off to a great start in 2022 before slowing down in the second half. Last season, he was slowed to start the season with an oblique injury but was incredible down the stretch, hitting .313/.372/.566 with 13 homers and five steals in the second half. If he can put it all together this year, we’re looking at a potential top-50 hitter.
Worst Pick: There were likely better places to go inside the top 200 than taking a chance on Hunter Harvey. While he’s like the best relief pitcher on the Nationals, all signs this spring point to Kyle Finnegan starting the season as the team’s closer. And Harvey has considerable injury risk. We saw his run as the closer short-lived last season as he required a stint on the injured list.
Grade: B+
Team 2 (George Bissell - Rotoworld)
1. (2) Spencer Strider (ATL - SP)
2. (23) Elly De La Cruz (CIN - 3B, SS)
3. (26) Corey Seager (TEX - SS)
4. (47) Adley Rutschman (BAL - C)
5. (50) Mike Trout (LAA - OF)
6. (71) Cole Ragans (KC - SP,RP)
7. (74) Evan Carter (TEX - OF)
8. (95) Devin Williams (MIL - RP)
9. (98) Evan Phillips (LAD - RP)
10. (119) Josh Jung (TEX - 3B)
11. (122) Ketel Marte (AZ - 2B)
12. (143) Bryce Miller (SEA - SP)
13. (146) Vinnie Pasquantino (KC - 1B)
14. (167) José Alvarado (PHI - RP)
15. (170) Kyle Harrison (SF - SP)
16. (191) Mason Miller (OAK - SP)
17. (194) Jackson Holliday (BAL - SS)
18. (215) Kodai Senga (NYM - SP)
19. (218) Erick Fedde (CWS - SP)
20. (239) Will Benson (CIN - OF)
Team Overview: This team is absolutely oozing with upside. But with the upside comes considerable downside. They wasted no time attacking pitching, selecting the number one arm on the board with Spencer Strider at second overall. Given the injuries to pitchers we’ve seen so far, I like the advantage Strider provides in the pitching categories. There’s likely no one coming close to him in strikeouts. But then we see the boom or bust picks. Can Elly De La Cruz and Evan Carter build on their 2023 samples and pay off their inflating draft cost? Will Corey Seager and Mike Trout stay healthy? This team is already stashing Devin Williams and Kodai Senga, so navigating any more potential injuries could be difficult.
Favorite Pick: We might be discounting Ketel Marte a little too much. There’s likely some injury bias at play from his previous two seasons. He totaled 650 plate appearances in 2023, producing across the board with 25 homers, 94 runs, 82 RBI, and eight steals with a .276/.358/.485 triple-slash. On a roster with so much volatility, he’s an excellent stabilizer.
Worst Pick: This pick might’ve been made before the recent news of Devin Williams missing the first three months of the season, but Williams was already sidelined with a back issue. As much risk this team took across the board, taking an already injured Williams here was inviting more trouble. While not a killer, wasting an eighth-round pick is not ideal.
Grade: C+
2024 Fantasy Baseball Strategy Mega Roundtable
Team 3 (D.J. Short - Rotoworld)
1. (3) Corbin Carroll (AZ - OF)
2. (22) Pete Alonso (NYM - 1B)
3. (27) Bo Bichette (TOR - SS)
4. (46) Bobby Miller (LAD - SP)
5. (51) Tyler Glasnow (LAD - SP)
6. (70) Emmanuel Clase (CLE - RP)
7. (75) Gleyber Torres (NYY - 2B)
8. (94) Jesús Luzardo (MIA - SP)
9. (99) Teoscar Hernández (LAD - OF)
10. (118) Clay Holmes (NYY - RP)
11. (123) Jackson Chourio (MIL - OF)
12. (142) Yandy Díaz (TB - 1B,3B)
13. (147) Shota Imanaga (CHC - SP)
14. (166) Sean Murphy (ATL - C)
15. (171) Brandon Nimmo (NYM - OF)
16. (190) Starling Marte (NYM - OF)
17. (195) Brayan Bello (BOS - SP)
18. (214) Charlie Morton (ATL - SP)
19. (219) Yuki Matsui (SD - P)
20. (238) Jonathan India (CIN - 2B)
Team Overview: Corbin Carroll and Pete Alonso make an incredible 1-2 punch in this format to start the draft. Carroll should be among the stolen base leaders while still providing solid power and a great batting average. Then you have Alonso providing an incredible boost in home runs. And in case Alonso’s batting average dips too low, this team grabbed Bo Bichette in the third, who can anchor the category. It’ll be difficult to find a better 1-3 hitting combo. This team attacked pitching in the next three rounds with Bobby Miller, Tyler Glasnow, and Emmanuel Clase. While Glasnow certainly has his risks, there’s some wiggle room in getting him in the fifth round. The trio of pitchers should provide plenty of wins, strikeouts, and saves with stellar ratios. Setting such a great base in the first ten rounds allowed this team to take some upside shots with Jackson Chourio and Shota Imanaga. Solid work all around.
Favorite Pick: Getting Gleyber Torres in the seventh round just added to the already high floor the first three picks set. He’s essentially a lock for mid-20s homers, about a dozen steals, and a solid batting average. And Torres could give us a little extra as he enters a contract year in an improved Yankees lineup.
Worst Pick: Yandy Díaz isn’t a bad pick by any means, but he’s definitely more of a high-floor safety pick. He’s someone I’d want to roster if I’ve taken some early gambles and needed to pad my batting average. But this team already had such a solid base and even went with more boring safety later in Brandon Nimmo. I would have liked some more upside there in the 12th round.
Grade: A
Team 4 (Jen Piacenti - Sports Illustrated)
1. (4) Julio Rodríguez (SEA - OF)
2. (21) Luis Robert (CWS - OF)
3. (28) Jose Altuve (HOU - 2B)
4. (45) Pablo López (MIN - SP)
5. (52) Logan Webb (SF - SP)
6. (69) Jazz Chisholm (MIA - OF)
7. (76) Zach Eflin (TB - SP)
8. (93) Alex Bregman (HOU - 3B)
9. (100) Christian Encarnacion-Strand (CIN - 1B)
10. (117) Dansby Swanson (CHC - SS)
11. (124) Craig Kimbrel (BAL - RP)
12. (141) Jake Burger (MIA - 3B)
13. (148) Justin Verlander (HOU - SP)
14. (165) Cal Raleigh (SEA - C)
15. (172) Ezequiel Tovar (COL - SS)
16. (189) José Leclerc (TEX - RP)
17. (196) Henry Davis (PIT - OF)
18. (213) Jorge Polanco (SEA - 2B,3B)
19. (220) Edward Cabrera (MIA - SP)
20. (237) Luis Severino (NYM - SP)
Team Overview: Getting Julio Rodríguez at the top gives this team an incredible bat with a 40/40 upside to build on, but Luis Robert, Jose Altuve, and Jazz Chisholm are certainly a risky bunch from a health standpoint. If you’re going to take three straight hitters to start the draft, it doesn’t get much safer than Pablo Lopez, Logan Webb, and Zach Eflin to begin your pitching staff. The three starters should give this team an excellent base of volume and ratios, putting less pressure on Craig Kimbrel and José Leclerc to provide anything but saves. Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jake Burger are a couple of mid-round bats with incredible power upside. If there’s a weakness on this team, it could come down to where the batting average falls.
Favorite Pick: Getting Pablo López as an ace in the fourth round is incredible. He’s put his injury concerns behind him with back-to-back 180-inning seasons and took another step forward in 2023. López added a sweeper that helped him raise his swinging strike rate to 14.5 percent, leading to a career-high 29.2 percent strikeout rate and 234 punchouts.
Worst Pick: I’m not sure I understand the Henry Davis pick after already taking Cal Raleigh at catcher. With only one starting catcher in this league and only three bench spots, there’s really no need to take a second catcher. That pick might’ve been better off with another upside starting pitcher.
Grade: B
Team 5 (Andy Behrens - Yahoo)
1. (5) Bobby Witt (KC - SS)
2. (20) Rafael Devers (BOS - 3B)
3. (29) Ozzie Albies (ATL - 2B)
4. (44) Cody Bellinger (CHC - 1B, OF)
5. (53) Josh Lowe (TB - OF)
6. (68) Kyle Schwarber (PHI - OF)
7. (77) J.T. Realmuto (PHI - C)
8. (92) Blake Snell (SD - SP)
9. (101) George Springer (TOR - OF)
10. (116) Ryan Helsley (STL - RP)
11. (125) Sonny Gray (STL - SP)
12. (140) Hunter Greene (CIN - SP)
13. (149) TJ Friedl (CIN - OF)
14. (164) Robert Suarez (SD - RP)
15. (173) Thairo Estrada (SF - 2B,SS)
16. (188) Triston McKenzie (CLE - SP)
17. (197) Will Smith (KC - RP)
18. (212) Eduardo Rodriguez (AZ - SP)
19. (221) Gavin Stone (LAD - SP)
20. (236) Parker Meadows (DET - OF)
Team Overview: One starting pitcher in the first ten rounds and it’s the unsigned Blake Snell. It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off. This team followed Snell at pitching with Sonny Gray, who already has his health concerns entering the season, the volatile Hunter Greene, and another health risk in Triston McKenzie. It’s unlikely that Snell will be ready for Opening Day at this point, so this team is going to have to do some serious hunting on the waiver wire for starting pitching. On the hitting side, Bobby Witt Jr. at five in this format is an incredible way to start. He’s got 30/50 potential and could rival Acuña Jr. for the most valuable hitter. The fifth round might seem a bit early for Josh Lowe, but it’s hard to knock this team’s offense with such an aggressive approach.
Favorite Pick: Thairo Estrada could be someone who provides excellent value at that point in the draft. His offensive profile is not much different than TJ Friedl, who this team took two rounds earlier as their utility bat. Estrada has 20/30 upside and nearly matched Friedl’s production on a per-plate appearance basis. I’d like this team a bit more if Friedl’s pick was used on a pitcher and Estrada slotted in at utility.
Worst Pick: It’s difficult for me to envision going into a season with Blake Snell as my ace. If I was going to be waiting on starting pitching, I’d like to take someone a bit safer when it comes to volume.
Grade: C-
Team 6 (Connor Rogers - NBC Sports)
1. (6) Mookie Betts (LAD - 2B,SS,OF)
2. (19) Corbin Burnes (BAL - SP)
3. (30) Adolis García (TEX - OF)
4. (43) Zac Gallen (AZ - SP)
5. (54) Edwin Díaz (NYM - RP)
6. (67) Matt McLain (CIN - 2B,SS)
7. (78) Nolan Arenado (STL - 3B)
8. (91) Nick Castellanos (PHI - OF)
9. (102) Justin Steele (CHC - SP)
10. (115) Bryson Stott (PHI - 2B)
11. (126) Chris Bassitt (TOR - SP)
12. (139) Francisco Alvarez (NYM - C)
13. (150) Jorge Soler (SF - OF)
14. (163) Jordan Montgomery (STL - SP)
15. (174) Marcell Ozuna (ATL - OF)
16. (187) José Berríos (TOR - SP)
17. (198) Anthony Santander (BAL - 1B,OF)
18. (211) Carlos Estévez (LAA - RP)
19. (222) James Outman (LAD - OF)
20. (235) Rhys Hoskins (MIL - 1B)
Team Overview: This is a well-balanced squad here. Two hitters, two starting pitchers, and an elite closer to start the draft. I’m a little surprised the injury to Gerrit Cole didn’t push Burnes up a bit more. Pairing him with Mookie Betts to start is a great way to lock in a top hitter and top pitcher. I have the same thought about Edwin Díaz. With the loss of Devin Williams, Díaz further separates himself from the rest of the pack as one of the top closers who will contribute with ratio help and strikeouts. I’m a fan of ending the draft with a pair of upside picks in James Outman and Rhys Hoskins after establishing such a balanced roster.
Favorite Pick: It has to be Outman at 222. That’s a great price to get some exposure to the potent Dodgers lineup. Outman should be in the lineup every day due to his defense in center field. And even hitting near the bottom of the lineup, he still scored 86 runs last season while hitting 23 homers with 16 steals and a .248 batting average.
Worst Pick: Some glaring red flags with Nick Castellanos make him a risky pick inside the top 100. He’s always had a free-swinging aggressive approach at the plate. And that’s the type of profile that tends to age poorly. With a career-high 18.7 percent swinging strike rate last season, he struck out at a 27.6 percent clip while walking just 5.4 percent of the time. He also pulled the ball more than ever at 47.9 percent. And while we like to see that when it comes to power, it makes me question if he can repeat a .337 BABIP. Paired with his swing-and-miss concerns, there’s a chance his batting average comes crashing down, and he’s no different than the power hitters taken much later.
Grade: A-
Team 7 (Matthew Pouliot - Rotoworld)
1. (7) Shohei Ohtani (Batter) (LAD - Util)
2. (18) Yordan Alvarez (HOU - OF)
3. (31) Vladimir Guerrero (TOR - 1B)
4. (42) Nolan Jones (COL - 1B, OF)
5. (55) Logan Gilbert (SEA - SP)
6. (66) Oneil Cruz (PIT - SS)
7. (79) Gerrit Cole (NYY - SP)
8. (90) Camilo Doval (SF - RP)
9. (103) Joe Ryan (MIN - SP)
10. (114) Bailey Ober (MIN - SP)
11. (127) David Bednar (PIT - RP)
12. (138) Christopher Morel (CHC - 2B, OF)
13. (151) Maikel Garcia (KC - 3B,SS)
14. (162) Kenley Jansen (BOS - RP)
15. (175) Gavin Williams (CLE - SP)
16. (186) Eloy Jiménez (CWS - OF)
17. (199) Tyler O’Neill (BOS - OF)
18. (210) Gabriel Moreno (AZ - C)
19. (223) Byron Buxton (MIN - Util)
20. (234) Kyle Bradish (BAL - SP)
Team Overview: The first three hitters taken here rival Team 3’s as my favorite start. Shohei Ohtani, Yordan Alvarez, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. give you such a high power ceiling with what should be an outstanding batting average base that opens the door to take risks later in the draft. And this team did just that with Nolan Jones and Oneil Cruz, a pair of upside bats with 30/20 potential. With the first three hitters taken, you’re not so concerned with where the batting average falls with Jones and Cruz. And Maikel Garcia could be someone who makes up some speed later that you don’t need power from. I don’t love the pitching approach with the injury risks, but Logan Gilbert has ace upside, while Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober can help in WHIP and strikeouts. This team will need to hit on a waiver-wire pitcher or two, but it can win this league if things break right on the pitching side.
Favorite Pick: Nothing like a year away due to injury to make us forget how good a player can be. Oneil Cruz is reminding us this spring. He started to improve his strikeout rate late in 2022, and that seemed to be carrying over into 2023 before he suffered a season-ending leg injury. With health, we could see him shoot into the top three rounds next season.
Worst Pick: It was certainly a gamble taking Gerrit Cole in the seventh round. The upside if he wasn’t to miss much time was great. But it turns out he’s set to miss at least one or two months as things stand. And there’s always the risk that it’s extended. Gavin Williams and Kyle Bradish are also set to start the season on the injured list. So this team is already down three roster spots to injured players to start the season.
Grade: B
Team 8 (Scott Pianowski - Yahoo)
1. (8) Freddie Freeman (LAD - 1B)
2. (17) Austin Riley (ATL - 3B)
3. (32) Michael Harris (ATL - OF)
4. (41) CJ Abrams (WSH - SS)
5. (56) Framber Valdez (HOU - SP)
6. (65) Christian Yelich (MIL - OF)
7. (80) Lane Thomas (WSH - OF)
8. (89) Tanner Bibee (CLE - SP)
9. (104) Paul Sewald (AZ - RP)
10. (113) Pete Fairbanks (TB - RP)
11. (128) Zack Gelof (OAK - 2B)
12. (137) Shane Bieber (CLE - SP)
13. (152) Walker Buehler (LAD - SP)
14. (161) Willson Contreras (STL - C)
15. (176) Ke’Bryan Hayes (PIT - 3B)
16. (185) Ryan Pepiot (TB - SP,RP)
17. (200) Kerry Carpenter (DET - OF)
18. (209) Cristian Javier (HOU - SP)
19. (224) Chas McCormick (HOU - OF)
20. (233) Jason Adam (TB - RP)
Team Overview: After starting with four straight hitters, including CJ Abrams in the fourth round to bolster speed, I’m not sure that Christian Yelich and Lane Thomas were necessary in the sixth and seventh rounds. Framber Valdez is solid from a volume standpoint, but Tanner Bibee is unproven, Shane Bieber is no guarantee to bounce back, and Walker Buehler is set to start the season on the injured list. Paul Sewald and Pete Fairbanks are a solid closing duo. And Fairbanks can help the pitching staff with ratios and strikeouts as long as he’s on the mound. This team might also be asking a lot from Freddie Freeman and Austin Riley to carry them in the power department. Though, just about every hitter is going to contribute some power and speed.
Favorite Pick: This team played it great at the catching position, letting a value pick fall to them in the 14th round in Willson Contreras. Contreras has been incredibly consistent, hitting at least 20 homers in each of the last four full seasons. And with a slight dip in ground ball rate, he posted a career-high 12.2 percent barrel rate. Even at 31 years old, there’s still upside here.
Worst Pick: This team had enough questions around the healthy pitchers they took, that it really didn’t need an injury stash with Walker Buehler. I would have liked to see a bit more safety on the pitching side to go with the balanced hitting approach.
Grade: C+
Team 9 (Howard Bender - Fantasy Alaram)
1. (9) Kyle Tucker (HOU - OF)
2. (16) Aaron Judge (NYY - OF)
3. (33) Francisco Lindor (NYM - SS)
4. (40) Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD - SP)
5. (57) Grayson Rodriguez (BAL - SP)
6. (64) Eury Pérez (MIA - SP)
7. (81) Will Smith (LAD - C)
8. (88) Christian Walker (AZ - 1B)
9. (105) Alexis Díaz (CIN - RP)
10. (112) Esteury Ruiz (OAK - OF)
11. (129) Merrill Kelly (AZ - SP)
12. (136) Hunter Brown (HOU - SP)
13. (153) Alec Bohm (PHI - 1B,3B)
14. (160) Tanner Scott (MIA - RP)
15. (177) Edouard Julien (MIN - 2B)
16. (184) Cristopher Sánchez (PHI - SP)
17. (201) Alex Lange (DET - RP)
18. (208) Andrew Abbott (CIN - SP)
19. (225) Jung Hoo Lee (SF - OF)
20. (232) James Wood (WSH - OF)
Team Overview: Another team with a trio of hitters at the top that I love. You can’t get much safer than Kyle Tucker in the first round. Getting him at nine to pair with another elite bat is outstanding. Aaron Judge has his injury concerns, but there’s no doubting his production when he’s at the dish. And Francisco Lindor is a solid producer across the board. The next three picks established the team’s pitching staff with three starters generating a ton of buzz this spring. Yoshinobu Yamamoto looks to have the makings of a fantasy ace on one of the best teams in baseball. However, there are still questions regarding how he handles his first year in the majors. Grayson Rodriguez showed what he can do with improvements in the second half last season. And Eury Perez displayed some of the best skills at such a young age in his small sample. Solid start here.
Favorite Pick: Cristopher Sánchez is one of my favorite sleeper picks at starting pitcher this season. He was outstanding in his 99 1/3 innings last year, posting a 3.44 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts. Sánchez displayed excellent control and owns one of the best changeups in baseball that helped him generate a 57 percent ground ball rate. He apparently added some weight this offseason and has come into camp throwing harder, something that will only help him miss bats and limit damage. There could be a big breakout coming.
Worst Pick: I’m not a fan of taking players who help in only one category. That’s the case with Esteury Ruiz. The tenth round just seems far too early to take a player who likely won’t help in power, batting average, or counting stats. While he stole 67 bases last season, he hit only five homers with a combined 94 runs and RBI.
Grade: B-
Team 10 (Sara Sanchez - Bleed Cubbie Blue/Baseball HQ)
1. (10) Juan Soto (NYY - OF)
2. (15) Bryce Harper (PHI - 1B)
3. (34) Manny Machado (SD - 3B)
4. (39) George Kirby (SEA - SP)
5. (58) Nico Hoerner (CHC - 2B,SS)
6. (63) Jhoan Duran (MIN - RP)
7. (82) William Contreras (MIL - C)
8. (87) Xander Bogaerts (SD - SS)
9. (106) Michael King (SD - SP, RP)
10. (111) Spencer Steer (CIN - 1B,2B,3B, OF)
11. (130) Adbert Alzolay (CHC - RP)
12. (135) Riley Greene (DET - OF)
13. (154) Bryan Woo (SEA - SP)
14. (159) Nathan Eovaldi (TEX - SP)
15. (178) Masataka Yoshida (BOS - OF)
16. (183) Justin Turner (TOR - 1B,2B,3B)
17. (202) Kutter Crawford (BOS - SP, RP)
18. (207) Jeimer Candelario (CIN - 1B,3B)
19. (226) David Robertson (TEX - RP)
20. (231) Matt Strahm (PHI - SP,RP)
Team Overview: I love these hitting combinations to start the draft. Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, and Manny Machado are as solid as they come. Soto, playing for a new contract, could be in for a huge season in New York. And Bryce Harper could be a first-round caliber bat with his injury behind him. I’m generally not a fan of taking one player to supplement a single category, but Nico Hoerner makes sense here for some speed after the first three hitters. George Kirby has gained plenty of hype as a potential fantasy ace. It’s a bit of a surprise to see him last until the fourth round. He’s one of the safer pitchers out there when it comes to projecting ratios. An improvement in his strikeout rate can propel him to the top of pitcher rankings. Getting one of the top strikeout closers can help. But I would have liked to see another starting pitcher early on to pair with Kirby. Overall, it’s a strong team.
Favorite Pick: While I would have liked to see another starter taken before him, Michael King has the upside to be that solid number two beside Kirby on this roster. He excelled as a starter with the Yankees last season, posting a 2.23 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and an outstanding 25.8 percent K-BB rate out of the rotation.
Worst Pick: It’s hard to find a pick I really dislike here, but if there’s one player I’m a bit lower on relative to their draft cost, it’s Spencer Steer. Steer had an impressive season, hitting 23 homers with 15 steals and 86 RBI with a .271 batting average. But much of that value came from him accumulating stats over 665 plate appearances. Despite Noelvi Marte’s 80-game suspension, it’ll be hard for Steer to repeat that volume.
Grade: B+
Team 11 (Patrick Daugherty - Rotoworld)
1. (11) Fernando Tatis (SD - OF)
2. (14) José Ramírez (CLE - 3B)
3. (35) Randy Arozarena (TB - OF)
4. (38) Gunnar Henderson (BAL - 3B,SS)
5. (59) Max Fried (ATL - SP)
6. (62) Aaron Nola (PHI - SP)
7. (83) Raisel Iglesias (ATL - RP)
8. (86) Triston Casas (BOS - 1B)
9. (107) Dylan Cease (CWS - SP)
10. (110) Jordan Walker (STL - OF)
11. (131) Salvador Perez (KC - C,1B)
12. (134) Luis Arraez (MIA - 1B,2B)
13. (155) Nolan Gorman (STL - 2B,3B)
14. (158) Mitch Keller (PIT - SP)
15. (179) Brandon Pfaadt (AZ - SP)
16. (182) Ian Happ (CHC - OF)
17. (203) Kyle Finnegan (WSH - RP)
18. (206) Taj Bradley (TB - SP)
19. (227) Nick Lodolo (CIN - SP)
20. (230) Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS - SS,OF)
Team Overview: Fernando Tatis Jr. at 11th overall is a gift. He underperformed in his return last season but still displayed some excellent underlying metrics that suggest he maintains top-tier talent at the plate. Pair that with another five-category producer at third base with Jose Ramirez, and you’ve got an excellent start. Max Fried has a 2.66 ERA over 484 2/3 innings dating back to 2020. He’s as good as they come when he’s on the mound. However, his stint on the injured list last season with a forearm strain raises a red flag. Aaron Nola and Dylan Cease have produced like aces in the past, and you have to like Cease’s new home in San Diego. At the very least, they’ll provide 200 strikeouts and plenty of innings behind Fried. Triston Casas and Nolan Gorman give this team a pair of exciting, high-upside power bats, while Ceddane Rafaela could supplement some speed at the end of the draft.
Favorite Pick: At 182 overall, Ian Happ feels incredibly undervalued. Based on spring lineup trends and new manager Craig Counsell’s tendencies, we could see Happ regularly hitting leadoff against right-handed pitching. While he doesn’t excel at any one category, he’s a solid contributor across the board and would fit just about any roster.
Worst Pick: There don’t appear to be many players who are at risk of sinking this team’s batting average. So, I don’t see Luis Arraez as a great fit for this roster. The team didn’t need someone like him to save their batting average, and he doesn’t provide much value in any other category.
Grade: B
Team 12 (Dave Shovein - Rotoworld)
1. (12) Trea Turner (PHI - SS)
2. (13) Matt Olson (ATL - 1B)
3. (36) Luis Castillo (SEA - SP)
4. (37) Tarik Skubal (DET - SP)
5. (60) Josh Hader (HOU - RP)
6. (61) Kevin Gausman (TOR - SP)
7. (84) Jordan Romano (TOR - RP)
8. (85) Wyatt Langford (TEX - OF)
9. (108) Ha-Seong Kim (SD - 2B,3B, SS)
10. (109) Jarren Duran (BOS - OF)
11. (132) Chris Sale (ATL - SP)
12. (133) Yainer Diaz (HOU - C,1B)
13. (156) Andrés Giménez (CLE - 2B)
14. (157) Spencer Torkelson (DET - 1B)
15. (180) Carlos Rodón (NYY - SP)
16. (181) Max Muncy (LAD - 3B)
17. (204) Aaron Civale (TB - SP)
18. (205) Jarred Kelenic (ATL - OF)
19. (228) Luis Rengifo (LAA - 2B,3B,SS,OF)
20. (229) Ryan Mountcastle (BAL - 1B)
Team Overview: We’ve seen a lot of hitter-heavy starts to this draft. This one went the other way, taking five pitchers in the first seven rounds. Trea Turner and Matt Olson complement each other well at the top of the draft, setting a base of power and speed. Turner isn’t far removed from being a top-three pick. And he looked like himself in the second half after a slow start in Philadelphia. Luis Castillo, Tarik Skubal, Josh Hader, Kevin Gausman, and Jordan Romano give this team all it needs in pitching. A lot is riding on Wyatt Langford performing as this team’s third hitter, but he’s looked fantastic this spring. Ha-Seong Kim and Jarren Duran give this team some speed-first bats that won’t hurt the team anywhere else. And they did a good job adding some needed power with Yainer Diaz, Spencer Torkelson, and Max Muncy. Despite those additions, this team could be looking for a little power and some batting average help on the waiver wire.
Favorite Pick: I think Spencer Torkelson is in for a big year in Detroit. The slugger mashed 31 homers last season and drove in 94 runs. There’s going to be potential to score and drive in a lot more runs in an improving Tigers lineup. A 50.1 percent hard-hit and 14.1 percent barrel rate support Torkelson’s power production and give him a 40-homer upside. He also underperformed his expected batting average. If he can hit .250 with that power, he’s going to pay off tremendously.
Worst Pick: This team already had Kevin Gausman entering the year nursing an injury. Tarik Skubal has his volume concerns. And how many innings we’re going to get from Chris Sale is hard to project. So, I don’t like taking Carlos Rodón as yet another risky upside play.
Grade: B-
