The 2023 Rotoworld Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Show premiered on the NBC Sports’ YouTube channel on Thursday evening. Hosted by Ahmed Fareed, the draft brought together some familiar faces from right here at NBC Sports as well as some bright minds from around the fantasy baseball industry.
My invitation must have been lost in the mail, but my loss is your gain, as I was given the task of grading each team’s roster.
The mock draft consisted of 20 rounds with a standard 5x5 roto format. Rosters consisted of C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, OF, OF, OF, UTIL, SP, SP, RP, RP, P, P, P, P, B, B, B.
The following draft grades, critiques, and takeaways were done completely blind to avoid any conflicts of interest or biases. Alrighty, let’s jump in!
Team 1 - Connor Rogers (NBC Sports)
1. (1) Trea Turner (PHI - SS)
2. (24) Sandy Alcantara (MIA - SP)
3. (25) Paul Goldschmidt (STL - 1B)
4. (48) Jordan Romano (TOR - RP)
5. (49) Cedric Mullins (BAL - OF)
6. (72) Yu Darvish (SD - SP)
7. (73) Bryan Reynolds (PIT - OF)
8. (96) Joe Musgrove (SD - SP)
9. (97) Félix Bautista (BAL - RP)
10. (120) Kyle Wright (ATL - SP)
11. (121) Seiya Suzuki (CHC - OF)
12. (144) Gleyber Torres (NYY - 2B)
13. (145) Anthony Santander (BAL - OF)
14. (168) Eugenio Suárez (SEA - 3B)
15. (169) Tyler Stephenson (CIN - C)
16. (192) José Leclerc (TEX - RP)
17. (193) Jon Gray (TEX - SP)
18. (216) Brandon Nimmo (NYM - OF)
19. (217) Jonathan India (CIN - 2B)
20. (240) Oscar Gonzalez (CLE - OF)
Team Overview: This is certainly a solid team from top to bottom. The combination of Trea Turner and Cedric Mullins should provide plenty of stolen bases even if Baltimore begins platooning Mullins more against left-handed pitching. Sandy Alcantara and Yu Darvish are a perfect 1-2 starter combo as Darvish can help buoy Sandy’s possible low wins total. Joe Musgrove and Seiya Suzuki fell in the draft as they are hurt and both appear to be headed to the injured list once the season begins. If they come back with no issues, they should both perform better than the round they were drafted in.
80-grade pick: I like Jonathan India as a possible bounceback candidate. He was never healthy last season and should provide steals with plenty of plate appearances as the leadoff hitter for the Reds.
20-grade pick: Kyle Wright had a cortisone shot in his shoulder had is slowly ramping up this spring. He led the league with 21 wins last year out of seemingly nowhere and pick 120 too steep for me. I would easily take Jeffery Springs, who went as the 126th player off the board. I’ll also throw in Mr. Irrelevant Oscar Gonzalez. Out of batters with a minimum of 300 plate appearances last year, Gonzalez was the fourth-most aggressive hitter in baseball and swung the bat 59% of the time. His 48% O-Swing% was the third-highest and just a mere .4% away from Javier Baez. Things could go bottom-up in a hurry for the 25-year-old.
Overall Grade: B+
Team 2 - Matthew Pouliot (NBC Sports)
1. (2) Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL - OF)
2. (23) Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD - SS)
3. (26) Jacob deGrom (TEX - SP)
4. (47) Josh Hader (SD - RP)
5. (50) Matt Olson (ATL - 1B)
6. (71) Eloy Jiménez (CWS - OF)
7. (74) Oneil Cruz (PIT - SS)
8. (95) Logan Gilbert (SEA - SP)
9. (98) Camilo Doval (SF - RP)
10. (119) Joe Ryan (MIN - SP)
11. (122) Andrés Muñoz (SEA - RP)
12. (143) Jordan Montgomery (STL - SP)
13. (146) Ryan McMahon (COL - 2B,3B)
14. (167) Alejandro Kirk (TOR - C)
15. (170) Alex Verdugo (BOS - OF)
16. (191) Zach Eflin (TB - SP,RP)
17. (194) Adalberto Mondesi (BOS - SS)
18. (215) Anthony Rendon (LAA - 3B)
19. (218) Miguel Vargas (LAD - 1B)
20. (239) Jason Adam (TB - RP)
Team Overview: This team has major “go big or go home” vibes going on. You can already pencil in a month of lost production from Fernando Tatis Jr. and we haven’t seen him play, outside of a couple spring training games, since his multiple surgeries last year. Jacob deGrom is the best starter in the game right now, but you might have better luck projecting how many innings he throws by picking a number out of a hat. That being said, if he posts 100 innings or more, this will be a great pick. Adalberto Mondesi and Anthony Rendon could be great late-round selections, but we have no idea when Mondesi will play and if Rendon can stay on the field. Doubling up on top-10ish closers in Josh Hader and Camilo Doval could give you enough saves where you won’t have to jump on the weekly closer carousel in FAAB.
80-grade pick: Joe Ryan has revamped his slider and added a split-finger changeup after spending some time at Driveline this past winter. Ryan’s fastball is one of the best, not based on velocity but more on its shape and how deceptive it is. If these new pitches come together we could see a breakout season from Ryan.
20-grade pick: Magic Mirror on the wall, who’s the riskiest one of all? Adalberto Mondesi, easily. He is recovering from a torn ACL and will not be ready to lace up his cleats for the Red Sox at the start of the season. Mondesi is a large room guy (huge ceiling and very low floor) and one that I am steering clear of this draft season.
Overall Grade: C-
Team 3 - Scott Pianowski (Yahoo)
1. (3) Aaron Judge (NYY - OF)
2. (22) Pete Alonso (NYM - 1B)
3. (27) Marcus Semien (TEX - 2B,SS)
4. (46) Shane Bieber (CLE - SP)
5. (51) Zack Wheeler (PHI - SP)
6. (70) Ryan Pressly (HOU - RP)
7. (75) Adolis García (TEX - OF)
8. (94) Clayton Kershaw (LAD - SP)
9. (99) Jeremy Peña (HOU - SS)
10. (118) Alexis Díaz (CIN - RP)
11. (123) Mitch Haniger (SF - OF)
12. (142) Lance Lynn (CWS - SP)
13. (147) Whit Merrifield (TOR - 2B,OF)
14. (166) Ty France (SEA - 1B,3B)
15. (171) Tony Gonsolin (LAD - SP)
16. (190) Alex Lange (DET - RP)
17. (195) Brandon Lowe (TB - 2B)
18. (214) Brandon Drury (LAA - 1B,2B,3B)
19. (219) Sean Murphy (ATL - C)
20. (238) José Urquidy (HOU - SP)
Team Overview:
The combination of Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso have a chance at giving you 80 homers and 190 RBI from the first two picks. The pitching rotation is headlined by veterans Shane Bieber, Zack Wheeler, and Clayton Kershaw. All three play for great teams, so wins should not be a problem. All three have had their fair share of injury/injury concerns that past couple of seasons, but hopefully they can remain on the pitching mound all year. Marcus Semien and Adolís Garcia are the guys who should provide steals and if Whit Merrifield can recapture his Kansas City magic north of the border in Canada, he would be a steal in the 13th round. Ryan Pressly and Alexis Díaz will keep the team competitive in the saves category, that is if Pressly’s knee doesn’t cause him pain and if Díaz can throw consistent strikes and manager David Bell doesn’t go “analytical” on us and use multiple pitchers in the closer role.
80-grade pick: Sean Murphy led all catchers last season with 612 plate appearances and while he shouldn’t play as much this season, he is on a much better team and in a better ballpark. Murphy should have no trouble hitting more than 20 homers while hitting a respectable .250 or .260.
20-grade pick: Whit Merrifield at pick 147 seems a bit early to me. The Blue Jays’ roster currently has him, Santiago Espinal, and Cavan Biggio platooning at second base. Merrifield used to see some time in the outfield during his Kansas City days, but there is little chance he will play there for the Jays. At this point in the draft, I would take a chance on someone with a more defined everyday role.
Overall Grade: A
Team 4 - Howard Bender (Fantasy Alarm)
1. (4) Julio Rodríguez (SEA - OF)
2. (21) Austin Riley (ATL - 3B)
3. (28) Francisco Lindor (NYM - SS)
4. (45) Luis Robert Jr. (CWS - OF)
5. (52) Carlos Rodón (NYY - SP)
6. (69) Luis Castillo (SEA - SP)
7. (76) José Abreu (HOU - 1B)
8. (93) Triston McKenzie (CLE - SP)
9. (100) Clay Holmes (NYY - RP)
10. (117) Willson Contreras (STL - C)
11. (124) David Bednar (PIT - RP)
12. (141) Nick Castellanos (PHI - OF)
13. (148) Jesús Luzardo (MIA - SP)
14. (165) Drew Rasmussen (TB - SP)
15. (172) Thairo Estrada (SF - 2B,SS,OF)
16. (189) Riley Greene (DET - OF)
17. (196) Michael Kopech (CWS - SP)
18. (213) Garrett Mitchell (MIL - OF)
19. (220) Ezequiel Tovar (COL - SS)
20. (237) Rowdy Tellez (MIL - 1B)
Team Overview:
Carlos Rodón and Luis Castillo could provide the team with 400 strikeouts but both have dealt with injuries the past few seasons that put that lofty mark in question. Keep in mind that this draft took place before the news of Rodòn’s forearm injury on Thursday afternoon. The offensive core of Julio Rodríguez, Austin Riley, and Francisco Lindor are as reliable as they come and if Luis Robert Jr. can remain on the field, it could be a game changer. Triston McKenzie, Jesús Luzardo, Drew Rasmussen, and Thairo Estrada had great 2022 campaigns, but still have questions on if last season was what they are or were those seasons just a mirage.
80-grade pick: Garrett Mitchell has flashed some surprising power this spring and should be the Brewers everyday center fielder at the start of the season. Selecting someone with both power and speed upside in the 18th round is crazy good value. There is a chance he could be this year’s Jake McCarthy, if everything goes right. I’ll also give a hat tip to Riley Greene as he is swinging a hot bat this spring. The Tigers also brought in the center field fences and so many of Greene’s fly balls died on the warning track in center last season.
20-grade pick: Michael Kopech‘s overall production last year was great, but his production really fell off in the second half of the year. He finished the season on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation and also had surgery on his right knee to address an issue with his meniscus. Due to his inconsistency since returning from Tommy John surgery, I would that the gamble on any other pitcher at this range in the draft.
Overall Grade: B
Team 5 - Dave Shovein (NBC Sports)
1. (5) José Ramírez (CLE - 3B)
2. (20) Spencer Strider (ATL - SP,RP)
3. (29) Michael Harris II (ATL - OF)
4. (44) Justin Verlander (NYM - SP)
5. (53) J.T. Realmuto (PHI - C)
6. (68) Cristian Javier (HOU - SP,RP)
7. (77) Andrés Giménez (CLE - 2B,SS)
8. (92) Zac Gallen (ARI - SP)
9. (101) Kenley Jansen (BOS - RP)
10. (116) Christian Yelich (MIL - OF)
11. (125) Pete Fairbanks (TB - RP)
12. (140) Christian Walker (ARI - 1B)
13. (149) Nick Lodolo (CIN - SP)
14. (164) Javier Báez (DET - SS)
15. (173) Reid Detmers (LAA - SP)
16. (188) J.D. Martinez (LAD - Util)
17. (197) Evan Phillips (LAD - RP)
18. (212) Joey Meneses (WSH - 1B,OF)
19. (221) Oscar Colas (CWS - OF)
20. (236) Reynaldo López (CWS - RP)
Team Overview:
The pitching staff is headlined by Spencer Strider, Justin Verlander, Cristian Javier, and Zac Gallen and all three had times where they were the best pitcher in baseball for stretches last season. This could be the best starting rotation in the entire league and the team shouldn’t have to worry about picking up pitchers on the waiver wire, unless someone massively underperforms or gets injured. José Ramírez and Michael Harris II provide the power and speed but won’t give you the lofty batting averages. Oscar Colas and Reynaldo López are interesting late-round fliers as López has a shot at being the White Sox closer while Liam Hendriks is out and Colas looks like he might break camp with the White Sox and be an everyday outfielder for them
80-grade pick: Reid Detmers story last year was a tale of two halves. He threw a no-hitter in underwhelming fashion and soon found himself back in Triple-A. However, while he was there he reworked his mechanics and added a few more ticks to his slider and finished the season in the majors while posting a 3.36 ERA during that time. If he can keep everything he gained in the second half, this could be a breakout season for the left-hander.
20-grade pick: I understand why Kenley Jansen goes as high in drafts as he does. He is one of just a handful of relievers with a firm grip on the closer role. However, if looking to draft any of the others. Jansen is one of the slowest relievers in the major leagues and it will be interesting to see how the new pitch clock will affect him.
Overall Grade: A
Team 6 - Vaughn Dalzell (NBC Sports)
1. (6) Kyle Tucker (HOU - OF)
2. (19) Gerrit Cole (NYY - SP)
3. (30) Jose Altuve (HOU - 2B)
4. (43) Dylan Cease (CWS - SP)
5. (54) Alek Manoah (TOR - SP)
6. (67) Max Fried (ATL - SP)
7. (78) Will Smith (LAD - C)
8. (91) Carlos Correa (MIN - SS)
9. (102) Giancarlo Stanton (NYY - OF)
10. (115) Matt Chapman (TOR - 3B)
11. (126) Jeffrey Springs (TB - SP,RP)
12. (139) Jake Cronenworth (SD - 1B,2B,SS)
13. (150) Lucas Giolito (CWS - SP)
14. (163) Ryan Mountcastle (BAL - 1B)
15. (174) Ke’Bryan Hayes (PIT - 3B)
16. (187) Craig Kimbrel (PHI - RP)
17. (198) Trey Mancini (CHC - 1B,OF)
18. (211) Josh Bell (CLE - 1B)
19. (222) Andrew Benintendi (CWS - OF)
20. (235) Jorge López (MIN - RP)
Team Overview:
Gerrit Cole, Dylan Cease, Alek Manoah, and Max Fried are great complements to one another. Cole and Cease should both collect more than 200 strikeouts each while Manoah and Fried should help balance out the possibly high WHIP ratio from Dylan Cease. Kyle Tucker and Jose Altuve are great 1-2 offensive contributors and if (and this is a big if here) Kyle Tucker were to move into the two spot in the Astros batting order would be an absolute game changer. Astros manager Dusty Baker has said that Michael Brantley will bat second when he is healthy. Brantley had season-ending shoulder surgery last year so there might be a chance we see Tucker bat higher. However, last year Baker had Jeremy Peña batting second so who knows what Dusty will do. Carlos Correa and Giancarlo Stanton could be league-winners, but they will have to remain healthy to do so, and that is one skill these two players don’t seem to have. With only Craig Kimbrel and Jorge López as the only two possible sources of saves on the team, there is going to be a lot of FAAB dollars spend riding the closer carousel.
80-grade pick: Lucas Giolito was my pick to win the AL Cy Young Award last year and geez was I wrong. However, at pick 150, this feels like a steal. Giolito bulked up last year and he has said that was definitely a wrong move. He has slimed back down and has looked good so far this spring. Will he win the Cy Young? No, but there is a chance he could return to a number two-esque starter this year.
20-grade pick: I’m steering clear of the Phillies closer situation in drafts this year. If I had to pick one guy, it surely would not be Craig Kimbrel. The 34-year-old posted a dreadful 1.32 WHIP for the Dodgers last season and now moves to a much worse ballpark. Give me Seranthony Domínguez over Kimbrel any day.
Overall Grade: C
Team 7 - Christopher Torres (Triple Play Fantasy Podcast)
1. (7) Mookie Betts (LAD - 2B,OF)
2. (18) Bobby Witt Jr. (KC - 3B,SS)
3. (31) Aaron Nola (PHI - SP)
4. (42) Brandon Woodruff (MIL - SP)
5. (55) Kyle Schwarber (PHI - OF)
6. (66) Raisel Iglesias (ATL - RP)
7. (79) Salvador Perez (KC - C)
8. (90) Willy Adames (MIL - SS)
9. (103) Tyler O’Neill (STL - OF)
10. (114) Robbie Ray (SEA - SP)
11. (127) Steven Kwan (CLE - OF)
12. (138) Nathaniel Lowe (TEX - 1B)
13. (151) Chris Sale (BOS - SP)
14. (162) Andrew Vaughn (CWS - 1B,OF)
15. (175) Paul Sewald (SEA - RP)
16. (186) Andrew Heaney (TEX - SP)
17. (199) Nico Hoerner (CHC - SS)
18. (210) Alec Bohm (PHI - 1B,3B)
19. (223) Trevor Rogers (MIA - SP)
20. (234) Kyle Finnegan (WSH - RP)
Team Overview:
There are not too many nits to pick with this roster. Bobby Witt Jr. turned into a fantasy superstar after going 20/30 in his rookie season. Aaron Nola and Brandon Woodruff are legit aces and a great way to begin a draft. Trevor Rogers and Chris Sale have been generating spring training buzz and if the production holds, both of those picks will pay huge dividends.
80-grade pick: Cubs manager David Ross has said that Nico Hoerner will be the Cubs leadoff hitter to start the season. Hoerner will also get second base eligibility early in the season as Dansby Swanson signed a long-term deal with the Cubs this winter. Hoerner has the chance to go 20/20 this year while racking up plenty of runs and with a great batting average. I could see him going 20 picks higher this time next year.
20-grade pick: The Cardinals’ outfield situation was murky even before Jordan Walker‘s spring performance so using a ninth round pick on O’Neill who has had trouble staying on the field is a risk that I would not take. Lars Nootbaar went after pick 200 and the Cardinals outfielder I would rather have on my team.
Overall Grade: B-
Team 8 - Andy Behrens (Yahoo)
1. (8) Juan Soto (SD - OF)
2. (17) Shohei Ohtani (Batter) (LAA - Util)
3. (32) Randy Arozarena (TB - OF)
4. (41) Shohei Ohtani (Pitcher) (LAA - SP)
5. (56) Ozzie Albies (ATL - 2B)
6. (65) Alex Bregman (HOU - 3B)
7. (80) Tim Anderson (CWS - SS)
8. (89) Ryan Helsley (STL - RP)
9. (104) Jordan Walker (STL - 3B)
10. (113) Vinnie Pasquantino (KC - 1B)
11. (128) Luis Severino (NYY - SP)
12. (137) Grayson Rodriguez (BAL - SP)
13. (152) Dustin May (LAD - SP)
14. (161) Daniel Bard (COL - RP)
15. (176) William Contreras (MIL - C)
16. (185) Sonny Gray (MIN - SP)
17. (200) Hunter Renfroe (LAA - OF)
18. (209) Cody Bellinger (CHC - OF)
19. (224) James Karinchak (CLE - RP)
20. (233) Liam Hendriks (CWS - RP)
Team Overview:
Juan Soto and both Ohtanis. What more could you want? As if this roster wasn’t fun enough, throw in the preseason hype man, Vinnie Pasquantino, and the spring hype man, Jordan Walker into the mix. Grayson Rodriguez is supposed to be in the Orioles’ starting rotation out of camp but it is still up in the air in how many innings he will throw, which will limit his win total. Mike Trout doppelgänger, Hunter Renfroe is a great late-round flier for power and if the Angels can stay healthy, his RBI total could beat projections.
80-grade pick: I really liked the trade for the Angels when they acquired Hunter Renfroe from the Brewers this winter. Not only is Renfroe Mike Trout‘s doppelgänger, his power should play well in the Angels’ home ballpark. Per Roster Resource, Renfroe is expected to hit fifth behind Taylor Ward, Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Anthony Rendon. Not a bad situation to be in at all.
20-grade pick: I really like this build so I am just picking nits at this point. I’m not buying a bounce back from Cody Bellinger. I would love to be wrong but if the Dodgers couldn’t fix him, do we expect the Cubs to be able to unlock the one-time NL MVP? I’m also worried about Daniel Bard. I love his story, but I’m steering clear of the 37-year-old veteran.
Overall Grade: C
Team 9 - George Bissell (NBC Sports)
1. (9) Yordan Alvarez (HOU - OF)
2. (16) Bo Bichette (TOR - SS)
3. (33) Nolan Arenado (STL - 3B)
4. (40) Shane McClanahan (TB - SP)
5. (57) Starling Marte (NYM - OF)
6. (64) George Springer (TOR - OF)
7. (81) Gunnar Henderson (BAL - 3B,SS)
8. (88) Byron Buxton (MIN - OF)
9. (105) Tyler Glasnow (TB - SP)
10. (112) Nestor Cortes (NYY - SP)
11. (129) Freddy Peralta (MIL - SP)
12. (136) Bryce Harper (PHI - OF)
13. (153) Pablo López (MIN - SP)
14. (160) Chris Bassitt (TOR - SP)
15. (177) Vaughn Grissom (ATL - 2B)
16. (184) Hunter Brown (HOU - RP)
17. (201) Jose Miranda (MIN - 1B,3B)
18. (208) Esteury Ruiz (OAK - OF)
19. (225) Garrett Whitlock (BOS - SP,RP)
20. (232) Cal Raleigh (SEA - C)
Team Overview:
This roster has the makings of being a monster but Yordan Alvarez has been plagued by hand soreness this spring, Starling Marte had double groin surgeries during the winter, Tyler Glasnow suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain this spring, and no one, sadly, should expect Byron Buxton to remain healthy for the entire season. The starting rotation of Shane McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow, Nestor Cortes, Freddy Peralta, Pablo Lopez, and Chris Bassitt is very risky and I am not sure I would select those five. McClanahan, Glasnow, Peralta, and Lopez have all battled injuries the past couple of seasons and while Chris Bassitt has pitched 150+ innings the past few seasons, he is moving to a less friendly ballpark for the first time in his career.
80-grade pick: Gunnar Henderson is one of the top prospects in the game and his brief time in the majors last year gave us a glimpse at what he can do. The 21-year-old slashed .259/.348/.440 across 132 plate appearances and should be in the heart of a much better Baltimore Orioles lineup.
20-grade pick: I loved what Garrett Whitlock did early last year but after having hip surgery during the winter, it appears that he will not be ready for opening day. With the current state of the Red Sox rotation, he will get a chance to start once he is healthy but I could see him going less than five innings per start with will lessen his chance at collecting wins. I would have taken a flier on player with more upside in the 19th round.
Overall Grade: C-
Team 10 - Patrick Daugherty (NBC Sports)
1. (10) Freddie Freeman (LAD - 1B)
2. (15) Rafael Devers (BOS - 3B)
3. (34) Max Scherzer (NYM - SP)
4. (39) Devin Williams (MIL - RP)
5. (58) Xander Bogaerts (SD - SS)
6. (63) Corbin Carroll (ARI - OF)
7. (82) Adley Rutschman (BAL - C)
8. (87) Tommy Edman (STL - 2B,SS)
9. (106) Logan Webb (SF - SP)
10. (111) George Kirby (SEA - SP)
11. (130) Rhys Hoskins (PHI - 1B)
12. (135) Jhoan Duran (MIN - RP)
13. (154) Brady Singer (KC - SP)
14. (159) Amed Rosario (CLE - SS,OF)
15. (178) Masataka Yoshida (BOS - OF)
16. (183) Miles Mikolas (STL - SP)
17. (202) Jeff McNeil (NYM - 2B,OF)
18. (207) Sean Manaea (SF - SP)
19. (226) Francisco Álvarez (NYM - Util)
20. (231) Noah Syndergaard (LAD - SP)
Team Overview:
With an offensive led by Freddie Freeman, Rafael Devers, and Xander Bogaerts, this team should crush their competition in batting average. Tommy Edman and Corbin Carroll also help in the batting average department while giving the team some much-needed stolen bases. Outside of Max Scherzer, the starting pitching is lacking big-time strikeout pitchers. However, Logan Webb and George Kirby could take a step forward this year. Devin Williams and Jhoan Duran are exciting relievers to watch but I have concerns on how many saves each will get. The Twins haven’t given the role to Duran and the Airbender changeup that Williams throws can lead to injury.
80-grade pick: This team is very strong and I love many of the picks but getting George Kirby with the 111th overall pick was the one I liked the most. Kirby is a command artist but there is room for him to collect more strikeouts. I also think the Mariners are not going to limit his innings per start so there is plenty of chances for him to collect plenty of wins during the season.
20-grade pick: I like Francisco Álvarez as a player, but I am not sure how he will help out this team. He is only UTL eligible and with Omar Narvaez and Tomás Nido on the team, it might be midseason or later before Álvarez can get catcher eligibility.
Overall Grade: B-
Team 11 - Jen Piacenti (Sports Illustrated)
1. (11) Mike Trout (LAA - OF)
2. (14) Manny Machado (SD - 3B)
3. (35) Edwin Díaz (NYM - RP)
4. (38) Corey Seager (TEX - SS)
5. (59) Framber Valdez (HOU - SP)
6. (62) Teoscar Hernández (SEA - OF)
7. (83) Kevin Gausman (TOR - SP)
8. (86) Dansby Swanson (CHC - SS)
9. (107) Kris Bryant (COL - OF)
10. (110) Jorge Polanco (MIN - 2B)
11. (131) Charlie Morton (ATL - SP)
12. (134) Anthony Rizzo (NYY - 1B)
13. (155) MJ Melendez (KC - C,OF)
14. (158) Luis Garcia (HOU - SP)
15. (179) Kodai Senga (NYM - SP)
16. (182) Patrick Sandoval (LAA - SP)
17. (203) Luis Arraez (MIA - 1B,2B)
18. (206) Taylor Rogers (SF - RP)
19. (227) Ketel Marte (ARI - 2B)
20. (230) Kenta Maeda (MIN - SP)
Team Overview:
Mike Trout, Manny Machado, and Edwin Díaz is an exciting trio to begin a draft, although there is a lack of steals. Picking up Corey Seager in the fourth round doesn’t help but there will be plenty of homers hit by those three hitters. Looking down the roster, I am not sure the picking up stolen bases was the focus of this team. Framber Valdez, Kevin Gausman, and Charlie Morton is a great start, but there is a chance Morton underperforms as he is entering the season as a 39-year-old. Kenta Maeda‘s velocity is touching 91 mph which is a good sign for the 35-year-old who is returning after undergoing Tommy John surgery 18 months ago and could be an excellent late-round selection.
80-grade pick: Kevin Gausman posted a 3.35 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 174 ⅔ innings last year but his .363 BABIP makes me think he was extremely unlucky last year. I’m surprised he lasted until the seventh round and he should easily return a profit at that price. The Blue Jays prioritized defense in their offseason moves and I have moved all Toronto’s pitchers up in my personal rankings.
20-grade pick: I was all in on Kris Bryant last year once he signed with the Rockies, but I am now all out. He dealt with plantar fasciitis and that is one condition that doesn’t go away on its own. He also plays on dreadfully bad Rockies team that has gotten worse as it appears that Brendan Rogers will miss significant time this year with a shoulder injury. Injury risk and poor team is combination I try to avoid in drafts.
Overall Grade: B+
Team 12 - D.J. Short (NBC Sports)
1. (12) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR - 1B)
2. (13) Corbin Burnes (MIL - SP)
3. (36) Jazz Chisholm Jr. (MIA - 2B)
4. (37) Emmanuel Clase (CLE - RP)
5. (60) Julio Urías (LAD - SP)
6. (61) Daulton Varsho (TOR - C,OF)
7. (84) Wander Franco (TB - SS)
8. (85) Jake McCarthy (ARI - OF)
9. (108) Max Muncy (LAD - 2B,3B)
10. (109) Blake Snell (SD - SP)
11. (132) Taylor Ward (LAA - OF)
12. (133) Hunter Greene (CIN - SP)
13. (156) Ian Happ (CHC - OF)
14. (157) Scott Barlow (KC - RP)
15. (180) Alex Cobb (SF - SP)
16. (181) C.J. Cron (COL - 1B)
17. (204) Lars Nootbaar (STL - OF)
18. (205) Jameson Taillon (CHC - SP)
19. (228) DJ LeMahieu (NYY - 1B,2B,3B)
20. (229) José Berríos (TOR - SP)
Team Overview:
Picking at a turn can be fun as you pick two players back-to-back and there is no better combination than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Corbin Burnes with the 12th and 13th pick. You have everything you need expect for game-changing speed. That was addressed in the third, sixth and eighth rounds with Jazz Chisholm Jr., Daulton Varsho, and Jake McCarthy. Taylor Ward and Lars Nootbaar are some of my favorite middle-round outfielders and getting Nootbaar in the 17th round is an absolute steal. Corbin Burnes, Julio Urías, and Blake Snell is a great start and should provide plenty of wins and strikeouts.
80-grade pick: How on earth did Lars Nootbaar last past pick 200? Oh yeah, that’s right. I wasn’t in the draft. Nootbaar has been working with Driveline over the past few seasons and focused on improving his bat speed this winter. I could easily see him hitting .250 with 25+ bombs this year. He is playing in the WBC for Team Japan and his price could jump if he performs well on the international stage.
20-grade pick: It is not that I dislike Jake McCarthy but as the 85th player off the board? No thank you. Why draft him in the 8th round when you could wait to the 18th round and grab Garrett Mitchell. Maybe I am being too harsh on the guy, but it feels that we are paying for last year’s stats.
Overall Grade: C
