The 2023 fantasy baseball season will be here before we know it. That means it’s time for you to prepare for your fantasy baseball drafts. What better way to do so than using our FREE mock draft simulator tool? Mock in minutes to practice for your upcoming fantasy baseball drafts.
Here’s a recent mock draft using the simulator along with notes on a few players selected.
Beyond our draft prep articles and mock draft simulator, we will have you covered with 2023 fantasy baseball rankings. You can find our updated 2023 fantasy baseball expert consensus rankings here. And below you’ll find rankings from our analysts to help you prepare for the 2023 fantasy baseball season.
2023 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft: 12-Team Snake Draft, Pick No. 6
Round 1: Julio Rodriguez (OF – SEA)
Julio Rodriguez led the 2022 youth movement throughout MLB, skipping Triple-A to win Rookie of the Year with 29 of 30 first-place votes and electrifying the crowd at the HR Derby in July. He contributed across all batting categories, slugging 28 HR with 75 RBI, 84 runs, and 25 stolen bases. His slash line was impressive at .284/.345/.509 with a wOBA of .366. He missed time in the middle of the season with a finger injury he incurred while stealing a base, or he would have probably joined the 30/30 Club. His K% (25.9) and BB% (7.1) need improvement, but at age 22, he has plenty of time to work on these numbers. Fantasy managers can deal with those considering he is above the 90th percentile in Avg EV, Max EV, HardHit%, barrel%, outs above avg, and sprint speed. Making a case for him to go 1.1 in 2023 drafts isn’t difficult.
Round 2: Bobby Witt Jr. (3B – KC)
There were a lot of arguments prior to the 2022 season about whether Witt was ready for the majors full time or if he would need some seasoning. The 22-year-old responded by getting 632 plate appearances, hitting 20 HR, stealing 30 bases, and scoring 82 runs while knocking in 80. Not a bad way to introduce yourself to the neighborhood. Witt struggled to get on base, walking away with an OBP of .294 and xwOBA of .313. He also struggled defensively, which could lead to more time at third base, depending on how Kansas City wants to play him. But he will play every day, and with the new base-stealing rules boosting that category, he may run every day, too. In dynasty leagues, he is already taken; for those in redraft, he is worth a high pick.
Round 3: Edwin Diaz (RP – NYM)
Yes, that is Timmy Trumpet you’re hearing as Edwin Diaz enters the chat. He may have just brought his Statcast page to contract negotiations before signing his five-year, $102 million deal to return to New York. The 28-year-old was in the 100th percentile in xBA, K%, Whiff%, xSLG, and xERA/xOBA, which is exactly what you are looking for from a fantasy closer while racking up 32 saves. His xFIP was a ridiculous 1.04, and he stranded 90.4% of runners on base. While chances are good Diaz will not repeat these numbers in 2023, there is nothing to suggest that he won’t return as an elite closer option with job security on a team that should win plenty of games. He’ll probably cost you a second-round pick, but there isn’t much downside if you’re willing to pay for saves.
Round 4: Kyle Schwarber (1B/OF/DH – PHI)
Kyle Schwarber strikes out at such a large clip (29.9 K%) that it is easy to miss his dominance in other fantasy categories. In his age-29 season, he played 155 games, led the NL in home runs with 46, scored 100 runs, drove in 94, and stole 10 bases. His OBP was the second-lowest of his career at .323, but his xwOBA was .375, so hopefully, some improvement is in the cards for 2023. Schwarber batted leadoff for the vast majority of the season, but the acquisition of Trea Turner will most likely move him down in the order. It’s possible they leave him in the 2-slot, especially until Bryce Harper returns, in which case he will continue to score runs and increase his RBI total. The Phillies will score in bunches, and Schwarber may have multi-position eligibility, depending on your league, which is not a bad fantasy asset to have at all as long as you can absorb the batting average.
Mock Draft Results & Analysis
Check out the full draft board, results, and analysis for each team below!
Beyond our fantasy baseball content, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you prepare for your draft this season. From our free mock Draft Simulator – which allows you to mock draft against realistic opponents – to our Draft Assistant – that optimizes your picks with expert advice – we’ve got you covered this fantasy baseball draft season.
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