What more could you ask for than the number one pick in your fantasy baseball draft?

Actually, in 2019, you could ask for a lot more.

Sure, Mike Trout and Mookie Betts are both unbelievable commodities whom any team should be ecstatic about landing. After doing multiple mock drafts from the top slot, however, I felt like I was playing catch-up the rest of the draft, every single time. Never was I wholeheartedly satisfied with the way my second and third picks turned out. More so, I was just settling for guys who weren’t good enough to offer the upside of the players going right before my two picks. So, I “settled” for players who at least offered high floors.

And all was not lost.

Rounds two through five can be very intimidating this year when drafting from one of the top picks. A trio of stars like Jose Altuve, Bryce Harper, and Manny Machado (who are ranked 14th, 15th, and 16th in the ECR, respectively) seem much more enticing than Javier Baez, Justin Verlander, and Charlie Blackmon (who are ranked 22nd, 23rd, and 24th in the ECR).

If you have a top pick and are especially worried that your team will struggle early, look no further than this guide. Also, don’t forget to practice on either the FantasyPros’ Draft Simulator or in the Mock Draft Lobby. Both options are great tools to perfect your strategy.

My results are based on a 5×5 standard 12-team league with the following positional requirements: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF, OF, OF, UTIL, UTIL, SP, SP, RP, RP, P, P, P, P, B, B, B, B.

1.1 – Mike Trout (LAA – OF)

2.12 – Charlie Blackmon (COL – OF)

3.1 – Corey Kluber (CLE – SP)

4.12 – Eugenio Suarez (CIN – 3B)

5.1 – Carlos Correa (HOU – SS)

6.12 – Daniel Murphy (COL – 2B)

7.1 – Blake Treinen (OAK – RP)

8.12 – Wil Myers (SD – 3B, OF)

9.1 – Brad Hand (CLE – RP)

10.12 – Willson Contreras (CHC – C)

11.1 – Michael Brantley (HOU – OF)

12.12 – Rafael Devers (BOS – 3B)

13.1 – Yu Darvish (CHC – SP)

14.12 – Tyler Glasnow (TB – SP/RP)

15.1 – Luke Voit (NYY – 1B)

16.12 – Arodys Vizcaino (ATL – RP)

17.1 – Kyle Freeland (COL – SP)

18.12 – Jordan Hicks (STL – RP)

19.1 – Domingo Santana (SEA – OF)

20.12 – Michael Wacha (STL – SP)

21.1 – Jimmy Nelson (MIL – SP)

22.12 – Brad Peacock (HOU – RP)

Noteworthy Picks

Mike Trout
I couldn’t help but go with Trout at one. When choosing between two players as good as Trout and Betts, the deciding piece for me was the fact that Trout has been this good for all seven big league seasons. It’s easy to forget that Betts, on the other hand, is only two years removed from a season in which he hit .264 with 24 HR.

Charlie Blackmon & Corey Kluber
I’ll be first to admit neither one of these two players are the sexiest of options. With that said, Blackmon is a guy who hasn’t had a major stat under .291 AVG, 29 HR, 111 R, 70 RBIs, and 12 SB since 2015. That’s a lot of safety for the 24th overall pick. In Kluber, I got my one stud SP and a guy who hasn’t had an ERA above 3.14 in four years. Not to mention, he’ll be one of the league leaders in Ks. Pretty solid floors for players who aren’t the flashiest picks.

Eugenio Suarez, Carlos Correa, Daniel Murphy, & Wil Myers
After going safe early, I drafted all four of these players for their upside. Focusing on Suarez, it’s shocking he isn’t going even higher. Compare his 2018 numbers to Paul Goldschmidt, and they look like this:

Suarez: .283 AVG, 34 HR, 79 R, 104 RBIs, 1 SB
Goldschmidt: .290 AVG, 33 HR, 95 R, 83 RBIs, 7 SB

While Goldschmidt went 21st overall, I was able to snag Suarez with the 48th pick. If the numbers aren’t convincing enough, the fact that Suarez is only 27 and still has major potential should resonate.

Correa, Murphy, and Myers all offer their own unique upside. For the fifth round, Correa presents mouthwatering bounce-back potential. Murphy is moving into Coors Field, where he is a lifetime .331 hitter. Myers’s 20-20 capability is something not many players possess at pick number 96. With the high-floor players I grabbed early, I felt just fine going high-risk, high-reward with these three hitters.

Starting Pitchers
Even though I only drafted one top-notch stud starter, I got enough of a sheer volume of starters late to feel confident in my rotation. I drafted high-upside pitchers who, while they may easily get dropped a few weeks in, could offer top-of-the-rotation value.

I especially like getting Freeland in the 17th round. So much has been made of his probable regression in 2019. What people don’t realize, though, is that Freeland was missing a lot more bats down the stretch last season. Oh, he was also the eighth overall pick in 2014 and is just 25 years old. I don’t deny that regression is probable. However, even if he regresses, this is my 17th-round pick who had a 2.85 ERA last year and will get more strikeouts this year.

Relief Pitchers
I was able to acquire three solid closers and a potential fourth on a great MLB team. I did this while only using two of my top 15 picks on closers. Getting value at the closer position is something that could easily set your fantasy team apart this year. Guys like Hicks, Barnes, and a few others could become formidable closers at an absolute bargain. Waiting to pick up extra relievers is a way to make up for any potential weaknesses drafting at the first pick could cause.

Final Advice
Going with a high floor early, high upside later approach could work extremely well when drafting with a top pick. When you have Trout or Betts, the last thing you want to do is waste your next few picks. Go safe, and then get your upside later. As evident, plenty of high-risk, high-reward players exist between rounds five and 10. Missing on one of those picks, conversely, will not kill your team.

Finally, find some value late. While you might not get your hands on another superstar in the second round, hitting on a couple of late sleepers like Voit or Santana will help fill that gap on your team. Stay safe early, and kill the competition late.

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Alex Altmix is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Alex, check out his archive or follow him @Altmix_23.