Xander Bogaerts batted .320 last season. Is he ready to take another step forward?
As we move deeper into this draft, the strategy of each manager is becoming more widely known. Some are opting to select players with more upside, some are opting for those with more of a proven record. While some are looking to add balanced players that will fill every statistical category, others look for specialists in certain categories to fill their roster. The main point to remember is that whatever strategy you employ, you can be successful if you continue to adhere to that strategy throughout the draft.
Remember to keep track of live updates of the Mock Draft @thezman2010 on Twitter or at #FPMockDraft.
Read below for picks and analysis for the sixth and seventh round of the 2016 FantasyPros MLB Mock Draft.
Draft Wizard: Mock in minutes vs. the most accurate experts 
- FantasyPros Mock Draft: Round 1 Recap
- FantasyPros Mock Draft: Round 2 & 3 Recap
- FantasyPros Mock Draft: Round 4 & 5 Recap
6.01 Rob Klein – Jon Lester – SP, Chicago Cubs
Another left-handed strikeout pitcher was added to Rob’s team with the selection of Jon Lester. In his first season with the Cubs, Lester helped lead them back to the playoffs with 207 strikeouts in 205 innings while making 32 starts. He had his issues with holding runners on first base, but with the Cubs poised for contention once again, and pitching in the National League, he should continue to post 200+ strikeouts and improve on his 11 win season from last year. The high strikeout pitchers were going fast so it was time to grab a couple to anchor Rob’s staff. With his next selection 23 picks away, now is the time to go with power pitching.
C- 1B- Cabrera 2B- SS- 3B-Machado OF- Cruz OF-Gonzalez OF- UT- UT- UT- P-Hamels P-Lester P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.02 John Aubin – Xander Bogaerts – SS, Boston Red Sox
Despite his current ranking being at 91 on Fantasy Pros, John felt this was a good time to grab Xander Bogaerts who he feels is the second best shortstop going into 2016. After a rough start to last year, Bogearts came on in June and hit .336 with five home runs and 64 RBIs in this last 108 games. There are questions about his power numbers but quite a few of his doubles peppered the Green Monster in Fenway Park and could turn into home runs. He should improve on his power numbers and continue to hit a high average. He has the pedigree to be a perennial all-star and there is a reason the Red Sox would not part with him in trades.
C- 1B-Gonzalez 2B- SS-Bogaerts 3B-Bryant OF-McCutchen OF- OF- UT- UT- UT- P- Fernandez P-Bumgarner P- P- P- P- P- P-BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.03 Matthew Davis – Corey Seager – SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
Matthew’s next pick will not be for a while so he decided to look at a bigger set of possibilities. Matthew wanted stay on the path of selecting hitters, but wanted upside with this pick. Corey Seager has solidified himself as the everyday starting shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers and will be in for a 600+ at-bat sesaon. The 21-year-old only played in 27 major league games but made a major impact in those games, leading to him start in the playoffs. In 113 at-bats, Seager posted elite stats with a .421 wOBA, .224 ISO along with a crisp 175 wRC+. His .337 AVG will dip, but the shortstop is capable of putting up huge numbers and will be a favorite to win rookie of the year.
C- 1B-Rizzo 2B- SS-Seager 3B- OF- Pollock OF-Upton OF-Gomez UT-Cespedes UT- UT- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.04 Chris Zolli – Prince Fielder – 1B, Texas Rangers
Prince Fielder had a down season in 2014, but has had an OPS over .815 in every season since 2006 and had a .305 batting average in 2015. This was his first season with a .300 batting average since 2012 and his 187 hits were the most of his career. He did see his power drop in 2015, as he only had 23 home runs and his 98 RBI were his lowest output in a full season since 2010. Fielder had his highest BABIP in a full season in 2015, .323, but his hard hit percentage was back to 30% in 2015, as he had a 32.1% hard hit ball percentage. He may not be a 40+ home run player, but in a strong Texas lineup, Fielder should hit 30 or more home runs while knocking in 100 or more RBI.
C-Schwarber 1B-Fielder 2B- SS- 3B-Arenado OF- Marte OF-Martinez OF-Cain UT- UT- UT- P- P- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.05 David Marcillo – Matt Carpenter – 3B, St. Louis Cardinals
Matt Carpenter had a career year in 2015 that he may never replicate, but he should still be good enough to warrant a sixth round pick. A career .287 hitter in a great lineup, Carpenter should provide plenty of value in runs and will not hurt in any other categories. A repeat of his power showing from 2015 would make him an excellent pick at this range.
C-Posey 1B-Votto 2B- SS- 3B-Carpenter OF- Stanton OF- OF- UT- UT- UT- P- Harvey P-Gray P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.06 Jamie Mellor – Freddie Freeman – 1B, Atlanta Braves
Jamie looked at multiple ways to go with this, but the 1B position is getting thin after all the guys taken and he fears that waiting another round was inadvisable. Freeman is a solid guy who will give you a good batting average, 20+ HR, with upside, and solid numbers in runs and RBIs. Now, if your league uses OBP instead of BA, then this pick is even better, as it is quite possible that Freeman will see plenty of walks since he is currently the most established hitter projected to start for the Braves. The downside is that the ability to pitch around him in RBI situations might hurt those totals.
C- 1B-Freeman 2B- SS-Correa 3B- OF- Betts OF-Braun OF- UT- UT- UT- P- Price P-Hernandez P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.07 Matt Terelle – Jason Heyward – OF, Chicago Cubs
Heyward’s move to the Cubs should boost his production across the board this season. He is moving to a deep, high-powered lineup where he will be likely have Anthony Rizzo or Kris Bryant batting behind him with Ben Zobrist setting the table in front of him. Heyward is usually a safe bet for double-digit home runs and 20 steals. Considering how good the offense is around him, look for him to reach career highs in RBI and runs scored in 2016.
C- 1B- 2B- SS- 3B-Donaldson OF- Bautista OF-Blackmon OF- UT-Sano UT- UT- P- Grienke P- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.08 Eric Townsend – David Ortiz – UT, Boston Red Sox
Elite power is difficult to come by, especially late in drafts, making the HR machine Big Papi a great option late in the sixth round. While experts have predicted the wheels would come off for Ortiz for years, and despite his penchant for slow starts, the Red Sox DH has continued to produce each and every season, and that should continue into his last one. Ortiz doesn’t hit over .300 anymore, but a .275 average, 35+ homers, and over 100 RBI is a reasonable prediction for his finale.
C- 1B-Abreu 2B-Altuve SS-Tulowitzki 3B- OF- OF- OF- UT-Ortiz UT- UT- P-Cole P-deGrom P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.09 Kerry Kaufmann – Robinson Cano – 2B, Seattle Mariners
Having obtained his top two starters, a corner infielder and a solid first outfielder, Kerry wanted to concentrate on the middle infield. Kerry was more than pleased to see Robinson Cano still on the board. While not the player he was in is prime, Cano is still one of the top fantasy second basemen in the league. He hit .287 with 21 home runs and 79 RBI in 2015. This was his first season under .300 since 2008. Kerry cannot expect a 30-home run, 100 RBI, .300+ season from Cano, but would be more than happy with a very realistic showing of 25 home runs, 80 RBI and .280 to .300 batting average.
C- 1B-Encarnacion 2B-Cano SS- 3B-Frazier OF-Kemp OF- OF- UT- UT- UT- P-Kershaw P-Keuchel P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.10 Daniel Marcus – Billy Hamilton – OF, Cincinnati Reds
There are a lot of things to like about Billy Hamilton which outweighs his downside. He became more efficient in his stolen base attempts last year as he was caught eight times in 65 attempts as opposed to 23 times in 79 attempts in 2014. He should get the green light plenty this season as the Reds will have little to play for and he will be one of the few bright spots in this lineup. Though Hamilton is really only a one or two category contributor, Dan feels that his team is able to take the hit in average and power with Paul Goldschmidt, George Springer, and Adam Jones already rostered.
C- 1B-Goldschmidt 2B- SS- 3B- OF- Springer OF-Jones OF-Hamilton UT- UT- UT- P- Sale P-Carrasco P- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.11 Roy Widrig – Hunter Pence – OF, San Francisco Giants
Hunter Pence is generally regarded as a top-50 player in fantasy baseball, and if not for a freak injury-plagued season in 2015, would likely have gone in the fifth round of this draft. However, he spent 90 games on the DL with a broken forearm, sore wrist and a strained oblique in 2015, and his stock has dropped as such. In those 52 games played in 2015, he managed 9 HR and 40 RBI. Extrapolated over 162 games, Hunter Pence should provide 20 HR and nearly 100 RBI without dinging the team in other categories.
C- 1B-Davis 2B- SS- 3B- OF-Harper OF-Pence OF- UT- UT- UT- P-Arrieta P-Syndergaard P-Archer P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
6.12 Gavin Tramps – Johnny Cueto – SP, San Francisco Giants
Based on the second half of 2015, this is a risky pick in the sixth round. After Johnny Cueto’s move from the Reds to the Royals, his ERA jumped from 3.20 to 4.06 and his WHIP spiraled from an elite 0.934 to 1.45. There are many suggestions as to the reasons behind this loss of form but nothing conclusive. The move back to the NL, a new partnership with Buster Posey and the reduced expectancy of no longer being the club’s No.1 starter could help get the 29-year-old back to his elite level. Of course, there is the risk that his elbow prevents him making it through Spring Training.
C- 1B- 2B-Gordon SS- 3B- OF-Trout OF- OF- UT- UT- UT- P-Scherzer P-Kluber P-Strasburg P-Cueto P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.01 Gavin Tramps – Francisco Lindor – SS, Cleveland Indians
This pick matches Francisco Lindor‘s current ADP and it feels like a steal. In the second half of last season, Lindor was not just the best shortstop, he was the third best hitter according to fWAR, just behind Josh Donaldson and Joey Votto. Take out his extraordinary defensive skills and he was still the 15th best hitter regardless of position. His post-ASB production was 10 home runs, 44 runs, 11 stolen bases and a .345 AVG, playing just 99 games.
C- 1B- 2B-Gordon SS-Lindor 3B- OF-Trout OF- OF- UT- UT- UT- P-Scherzer P-Kluber P-Strasburg P-Cueto P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.02 Roy Widrig – Kyle Seager – 3B, Seattle Mariners
The seventh round seems like incredible value for a guy who popped 26 home runs in 2015 with a .779 OPS in what some would consider a down year. Seager’s RBI total dropped from 96 to 74 last season, but new Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto cleaned house of some useless players and have put a solid new core of players around Seager, Cruz, and Cano.
C- 1B-Davis 2B- SS- 3B-Seager OF-Harper OF-Pence OF- UT- UT- UT- P-Arrieta P-Syndergaard P-Archer P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.03 Daniel Marcus – Maikel Franco – 3B, Philadelphia Phillies
Franco was impressive in his major league debut and possesses a nice combination of power and a lack of swing and miss in his game. Dan also likes the consistency he showed throughout the season as his Hr/fb rate fell below 12.5 only in July. This pick might be a bit early judging by early season ADP but the options after Franco all have significant risks, which motivated Dan to reach a bit to grab Franco.
C- 1B-Goldschmidt 2B- SS- 3B-Franco OF- Springer OF-Jones OF-Hamilton UT- UT- UT- P- Sale P-Carrasco P- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.04 Kerry Kauffman – Ben Revere – OF, Washington Nationals
In what may seem to be an odd choice at first glance, Kerry believes Revere is the perfect pick for him at this stage of the draft. Up until this pick, he has filled his roster with high power, moderate BA players with very little stolen base potential; this is where Revere fits in. He stole a combined 31 bases with a .306 batting average with the Phillies and Blue Jays last season. Revere has a career .295 batting average with 176 stolen bases in 645 games. While he will not supply power or draw walks, Revere is an excellent asset in terms of batting average and stolen bases. Playing in Washington, Revere should have many opportunities to scores runs and can expect .300, 40-plus stolen bases and 90 to 100 runs scored.
C- 1B-Encarnacion 2B- SS- 3B-Frazier OF-Kemp OF- OF- UT- UT- UT- P-Kershaw P-Keuchel P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.05 Eric Townsend – Albert Pujols – 1B, Los Angeles Angels
While much of the luster (and batting average) has come off of Pujols in recent years, he remains a consistent source of power. The last two seasons have been quite different for the Angels slugger, with 2014 favoring a little more balance (28 HR & .272 avg), and 2015 slugging ability (40 HR & .244 avg). In 2016 look for a line somewhere in the middle, with something like 32 HR, .260 avg, and 100 RBI being a reasonable expectation. Pujols may be on the decline, but he still has some solid seasons ahead if he can stay healthy, and his numbers are elite among the remaining hitters in the middle rounds of the draft.
C- 1B-Abreu 2B-Altuve SS-Tulowitzki 3B- OF- OF- OF- UT-Ortiz UT-Pujols UT- P- Cole P-deGrom P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.06 Matt Terelle – Brian Dozier – 2B, Minnesota Twins
Dozier offers a unique blend of power (28 home runs) and speed (12 stolen bases). His power numbers are elite for the second base position as his 28 home runs and 101 runs scored last season led all second basemen and his 77 RBI were second in the league, behind only Robinson Cano. Dozier offers plus contributions in all the standard fantasy categories except batting average. Last season marked his low-point for steals over his three full big league seasons, so expect that number to bounce back into the upper teens.
C- 1B- 2B-Dozier SS- 3B-Donaldson OF- Bautista OF-Blackmon OF-Heyward UT-Sano UT- UT- P- Grienke P- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.07 Jamie Mellor – Anthony Rendon – 2B/3B, Washington Nationals
There were players Jamie would have preferred that were taken before his pick. This came down to three players, but he took Rendon for his potential and having both second and third base eligibility. Rendon is returning from injury last season and has the upside of an MVP candidate.
C- 1B- 2B-Rendon SS-Correa 3B- OF- Betts OF-Braun OF- UT- UT- UT- P- Price P-Hernandez P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.08 David Marcillo – Eric Hosmer – 1B, Kansas City Royals
Hosmer is one of those guys who will not hurt you in any categories. He might not provide elite numbers in any key categories either, but at round seven, you are not finding a Mike Trout-type. Hosmer is the definition of a solid ballplayer, and he will be in a good lineup again in 2016. With an ADP of 65, Hosmer is a steal in round seven.
C-Posey 1B-Votto 2B- SS- 3B- OF- Stanton OF- OF- UT-Hosmer UT- UT- P- Harvey P-Gray P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.09 Chris Zolli – Yu Darvish – SP, Texas Rangers
Picking Darvish at the end of the seventh round is a massive steal, as our owners were scared off by his Tommy John injury in 2015. Since coming over from Japan in 2012, Darvish has a 3.27 ERA in 545 1/3 innings, striking out 11.2 batters per nine innings. The one issue that fantasy owners have to worry about is his walks, but he has seen his walk rate drop from 4.2 in 2012 to 3.1 in 2014. Before having arm issues at the end of the 2014 season, he had a 2.42 ERA, 11.3 K/9, and a .222 batting average allowed in his first 15 starts. Darvish is a SP1 and his high strikeout profile will fit well on a good Rangers roster, providing opportunities for wins.
C-Schwarber 1B- 2B- SS- 3B-Arenado OF- Marte OF-Martinez OF-Cain UT- UT- UT- P- Darvish P- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.10 Matthew Davis – Tyson Ross – SP, San Diego Padres
22 of the first 81 picks selected were starting pitchers. You will notice this is the perfect spot to select a starting pitcher if you are on board with holding out on pitching for at least the first five rounds. Tyson Ross will be the 23rd starting pitcher taken but his K% (25.8%) in 2015 is higher than 12 of the 22 SPs taken before him. David Price (25.2%), Zack Greinke (23.7%), Matt Harvey (24.9%), Gerrit Cole (24.3%), Felix Hernandez (23.1%), Dallas Keuchel (23.7%), Sonny Gray (20.3%), Jon Lester (25.0%), Cole Hamels (24.4%) and Johnny Cueto (20.3%) are the pitchers with a lower K% in 2015. Ross logged a career-high 196 innings in 2015 and that came with a 3.26 ERA. Ross’ advanced stats suggest there is plenty of room for improvement with a 2.98 FIP. At 28-years of age, Ross has another level to him starting with his absurd SwStr% that has been over 12% the past two seasons. Improvement in command with his slider will lower his pitch count and lead to more innings, equaling a higher strikeout total than 2015’s 212. Matthew absolutely loves Ross’ upside, as he currently has him ranked in his top 20 at the starting pitcher position.
C- 1B-Rizzo 2B- SS- 3B- OF- Pollock OF-Upton OF-Gomez UT-Cespedes UT- UT- P-Ross P- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.11 John Aubin – Craig Kimbrel – RP, Boston Red Sox
Craig Kimbrel makes 23 pitchers chosen in the first 83 picks, but Kimbrel is the first closer off the board. In John’s eyes, Kimbrel is still the top closer in baseball despite what many considered a down year. Kimbrel finished 2015 with 39 saves, 2.58 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with a K/9 of 13.2. He did get moved by the Braves on the eve of opening day last year in a surprising trade to the Padres which turned out to be a team that greatly underachieved. Kimbrel will have a fresh start with the Red Sox and will be in a strong bullpen with him firmly entrenched as the closer. While a move to the AL East may not help to improve his ERA and WHIP, his strikeout rate and save totals should be one of the tops in baseball. Kimbrel is 27, still in his prime and is safe as they come in baseball’s most volatile position.
C- 1B-Gonzalez 2B- SS-Bogaerts 3B-Bryant OF-McCutchen OF- OF- UT- UT- UT- P- Fernandez P-Bumgarner P-Kimbrel P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
7.12 Rob Klein – Yaisel Puig – OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
2015 was a headache for all involved with the talented outfielder. Hampered by injuries, issues with his manager, and immaturity, Puig had a dismal season where he played only 79 games with a .255 batting average, 11 home runs and 38 RBI. The selection of Puig at this spot is about talent and upside. He is way too risky of a player to be counted on, but as a third outfielder on Rob’s team, his talent is worth the risk. He is also only 25 years old and with new manager Dave Roberts, Puig will get a new start. In his fourth season, he may put up numbers similar or better to 2014 when he was an All-Star.
C- 1B- Cabrera 2B- SS- 3B-Machado OF- Cruz OF-Gonzalez OF-Puig UT- UT- UT- P- Hamels P- P- P- P- P- P- P- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE- BE-
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Chris Zolli is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Chris, check out his archive and follow him @thezman2010.
