Once February rolls around, I can’t help but start thinking about fantasy baseball. Sure, the NFL season won’t be over for a few more days, and pitchers and catchers have yet to report, but spring is right around the corner.
One of the first things I like to do to begin preparing for drafts is to run a few fantasy baseball mocks, even though several significant free agents remain unsigned. Running mocks gives me an idea of the depth at each position as we head into draft season.
I focused on the NL for this first go-around, running a 10-team, 5×5 snake draft using the FantasyPros Draft Simulator. I gave myself the fifth pick to watch trends best and used Yahoo! eligibilities and defaults (C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, 3 OF, 2 Util, 2 SP, 2 RP, 4 P, 5 BN). My strategy was to employ a balanced approach, trying to fill every category. I figured that would be the best way to get a feel for this year’s market. I aimed to take two relievers, six or seven starters, and backups at every position except catcher.
Let’s dive into the results!
- Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft Simulator
- 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit
- Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings
- Fantasy Baseball Projections
Mock Draft: 10-team NL Only (2024 Fantasy Baseball)
Mock Draft Results
1.05: Shohei Ohtani (DH, SP – LAD)
My first selection came down to Shohei Ohtani or Fernando Tatis Jr. There’s some slight risk with Ohtani due to his offseason shoulder surgery. Still, all indications point to him being ready to go on Opening Day. I think both players will have big years, but as a Dodgers fan, how could I take a Padre over our new $700m man?
2.06: Michael Harris II (OF – ATL)
Injuries limited Micahel Harris II at the onset of 2023, but he had a huge second half and was two homers shy of a 20/20 season in 138 games.
3.05: Tyler Glasnow (SP – LAD)
I wanted to go with a starter with my third pick, and the best available were Tyler Glasnow and his new teammate, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. We’ve not seen “Yoshi” yet, so I went with Glasnow, though his injury history is worrisome. However, I’m confident that when he does play, he’ll put up excellent numbers.
4.06: Oneil Cruz (SS – PIT)
Selecting Oneil Cruz in the fourth round was a bit of a gamble, considering he missed most of 2023. However, I felt his 30/30 upside was higher than that of CJ Abrams or Nico Hoerner, who went soon after.
5.05: Christian Walker (1B – ARI)
6.06: Justin Steele (SP – CHC)
I expect some regression from Steele this season, but he should still be solid and carries less risk than the other options on the board, like Joe Musgrove, Sonny Gray, Walker Buehler or Hunter Greene. As I assumed some risk with Glasnow, I wanted someone dependable in the rotation.
7.05: Paul Sewald (RP – ARI)
Usually, I like to wait on closers. However, six were already off the board, and in an NL-only league, I wanted to grab one who wasn’t in a committee while I could.
8.06: Hunter Greene (SP – CIN)
Hunter Greene felt too risky two rounds earlier, but he had too much upside to pass on at this juncture.
9.05: Alec Bohm (1B, 3B – PHI)
10.06: Adbert Alzolay (RP – CHC)
I’m not sure I like this pick, especially with Hector Neris now in Chicago, but the other options on the board didn’t thrill me, and Alzolay had 15 saves in the second half of 2023. At least I could close the book on relievers at this point.
11.05: Christopher Morel (2B, OF – CHC)
I needed help at both of Christopher Morel’s positions. His power is legit, but his batting average, on the other hand, is a concern.
12.06: Brandon Pfaadt (SP – ARI)
Brandon Pfaadt had an excellent second half and a great postseason, living up to the hype after a dreadful start. This type of pick can win you a championship, or he could lose control of his pitches again and be a total bust.
13.05: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (OF – ARI)
14.06: Kyle Harrison (SP – SF)
I’m a sucker for young pitchers with upside, and Kyle Harrison falls into that category. He’s the Giants’ top prospect for a reason, but he’s young and may not be ready to make an impact just yet. Even so, I felt he was worth a gamble at this point of the draft.
15.05: Jake Fraley (OF – CIN)
Despite sitting the majority of the time against lefties last season, Jake Fraley managed 15 home runs, 65 RBI and 21 stolen bases. He strikes me as a bit underrated, especially since he plays half his games in the Great American Ballpark. Ideally, I avoid drafting platoon players, but the pickings were getting slim, and I figured I could sit him against lefties in a league that allows daily lineup changes.
16.06: Elias Diaz (C – COL)
I couldn’t wait any longer to draft a catcher. Nine had already come off the board, and it came down to Elias Diaz or Travis d’Arnaud. Diaz isn’t as good as d’Arnaud, but he had nearly twice as many plate appearances last season and plays for the Rockies.
17.05: Henry Davis (OF – PIT)
Henry Davis is a hedge if Diaz can’t repeat his 2023, plus Davis gains eligibility behind the plate. He is a batting average risk, but so are most catchers, and his power could compensate.
18.06: Brendan Rodgers (2B – COL)
Brendan Rodgers has to stay healthy one of these years, right?
19.05: Jake McCarthy (OF – ARI)
The draft simulator told me I needed a few more SBs, and if there’s one thing Jake McCarthy does well, it’s steal bases.
20.06: Alex Cobb (SP – SF)
Alex Cobb’s been pretty solid the last two years and plays in a great pitcher’s park. There were higher-upside pitchers on the board, but I felt I already had too many of them and was looking for a solid veteran.
21.05: Josiah Gray (SP – WSH)
22.06: J.D. Davis (1B, 3B – SF)
23.05: Masyn Winn (SS – STL)
Masyn Winn has a bright future, but I’m not sure the soon-to-be 22-year-old is ready yet. Perhaps he’ll wow in Spring Training and force his way onto the roster. If not, it was my last pick, so not much harm was done.
Mock Draft Summary
The simulator graded my draft a “B,” which felt about right. I aimed to draft a balanced team and was successful in doing so, ranking fourth, fifth or sixth in every position group. Regarding the categories, I ranked middle-of-the-pack for the most part, though slightly below in runs, ERA and WHIP and slightly above in saves. It was not a bad first mock draft of the season, but there’s plenty of room for improvement.