One of the best ways to practice for your real fantasy baseball draft is to partake in mock drafts. They give you a general idea of where players are being taken so you aren’t entering your actual draft blind. It is important to remember that there is no guarantee how a mock draft goes is how your actual draft will go, but they still act as solid practice to get you ready. They can help you get a better understanding of what positions you can afford to wait on and what players you can snag late as potential sleepers. This was my first mock draft of the 2022 fantasy baseball season, so keep that in mind as the first mock draft is always going to be different than say the fifth or sixth one you participate in.

The roster is as followed: C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, three OF, UTIL, five SP, three RP, five BN and was conducted using FantasyPros Draft simulator.

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Results:

1.06: Gerrit Cole (SP – NYY)

Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS,CF,RF – SD), Juan Soto (RF – WSH), Trea Turner (2B,SS – LAD), Vladimir Guerrero Jr (1B – TOR), and Jose Ramirez (3B – CLE) were the first five players selected. I elected to take the first starting pitcher in Cole. In points leagues, elite pitchers are generally more valuable compared to category or roto leagues. That is why I generally try to attack that position early in points leagues, but I won’t force it either.

2.07: Rafael Devers (3B – BOS)

Freddie Freeman (1B – FA) was my main target here, but he went two picks before me. I was perfectly content landing Devers, though. In points leagues, I value power and RBIs the most for hitters and that is exactly what Devers offers, coming off a season with 38 home runs and 113 RBIs.

3.06: Aaron Judge (OF – NYY)

I did not intend to land all AL East players with my first three selections, but that is how it ended up going. Just like with my Devers selection, I worry less about average/strikeouts and more about power in points leagues, and that is just what Judge offers. We saw the first catcher in Salvador Perez (C – KC) go off the board with the second to last pick in this round. That is a position I like to wait on, as you will see later on.

4.07: Robbie Ray (SP – SEA)

I was more than willing to take the reigning AL CY Young award winner in the middle of round four. Ray should highlight the Seattle Mariners rotation this season after signing a five-year deal right before the start of the lockout. I will happily take Cole and Ray as my top-two starters in a points league.

5.06: Jose Altuve (2B – HOU)

Once a consensus top three overall pick, it is insane to see Altuve falling this late. While he has shown some signs of slowing down the past couple of seasons, I like his consistency and elite ability to get on base to package with the power and upside that Devers and Judge offer at the plate. While I do focus on power and RBIs in points leagues, it is always good to find a little balance with those contact hitters like Altuve who also offer sneaky power.

6.07: Max Fried (SP – ATL)

I decided to take my third of five starting pitchers here as no other position player stood out. After breaking out in the shortened season, Fried posted another respectable year in 2021 and finished off the World Series year for the Braves by tossing six shutout innings against Houston in his final start of that series. There is no reason why he can’t keep up this consistent level of pitching on the mound for Atlanta.

7.06: Jesse Winker (OF – CIN)

I decided to balance the power a little more with Winker, who is coming off a season where he hit .305 at the plate with the Reds. He also hit 24 home runs. So as you can see with the Altuve and Winker selections, while they can offer balance with players like Judge and Devers, they both still offer some upside power as well.

8.07: Edwin Diaz (RP – NYM)

My first relief pitcher taken was Diaz, a position I am fine waiting on, as you can typically find viable closers throughout the season on the waiver wire as we see new closers appear as the season progresses. It was not a pretty start to last season for Diaz, but he was able to post far more respectable numbers down the final stretch of the year. His power and stuff are not a question at all. It is simply his consistency and command that needs to take a step forward for Diaz to be more reliable.

9.06: DJ LeMahieu (1B,2B,3B – NYY)

LeMahieu is reportedly fully recovered from the core muscle surgery he underwent back in October. He is another player I chose to balance with Devers and Judge as more of a contact hitter. I also like LeMahieu because of his multiple position eligibility.

10.07: Jordan Romano (RP – TOR)

My second relief pitcher taken is Romano, who underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee but is fully expected to be ready for the season. He recorded 23 saves in 24 opportunities for the Blue Jays and should maintain that role with an offense that won’t struggle to score runs.

11.06: Jake Cronenworth (1B,2B,SS – SD)

Like LeMahieu, my favorite part of selecting Cronenworth is not only the value this late but also his multiple position eligibility. He offers a great balance of both power and contact at the plate as well.

12.07: Ian Anderson (SP – ATL)

In his start in the World Series against Houston in Game 3, Anderson tossed five no-hit innings after posting a 3.58 ERA in the regular season. I could not pass on the value of Anderson this late as my No. 4 starter.

13.06: Logan Gilbert (SP – SEA)

Gilbert is my favorite breakout starting pitcher heading into this upcoming season. It was a rocky rookie year for him in 2021, but he showed huge flashes of elite potential as he gained more experience. As he enters his first full offseason with the major league team, Gilbert offers the potential to take a huge step forward this year.

14.07: Josh Bell (1B,LF – WSH)

I went back to more power here with Bell as I began to fill out my bench.

15.06: Michael Brantley (OF – HOU)

I felt this is a tremendous value for Brantley this late. He hit .311 during the 2021 season and found even more success in the playoffs. The power isn’t there for him, but the consistency and RBI upside is there in what should remain a solid overall offense in Houston.

16.07: Anthony Rizzo (1B – FA)

Rizzo won’t be going this late once he signs somewhere after the lockout, but he was a no-brainer here this late in this particular mock draft.

17.06: Joe Barlow (RP – TEX)

I likely waited a little too long for my third relief pitcher, but Barlow could be viable on a Texas Rangers team that has improved offensively. However, I’m not sure if the new offensive pieces will translate to a lot more wins for the team.

18.07: Omar Narvaez (C – MIL)

Narvaez is my No. 1 target late at the catcher position in every league this season. He is the definition of consistency at the plate.

19.06: David Fletcher (2B,SS – LAA)

Fletcher is another player I like late with eligibility at multiple positions.

20.07: Stephen Strasburg (SP – WSH)

This is a pure upside pick this late. Is Strasburg a big question mark with his health? Absolutely, but every player this late has question marks, and not many (if any) possess the upside that Strasburg holds IF he can stay healthy.

21.06: Taijuan Walker (SP – NYM)

Walker is another upside pick I took late. He was elite the first half of last season and, as a result, was selected to the All-Star game. He just needs to put it together a whole season.

Overview

In my next mock draft, I might focus on relief pitchers a tad bit earlier, though I do believe this strategy can work out fine. I really liked the balance I got with my hitters, with some having more power upside and some offering more consistency at the plate. I also liked how many players I drafted with eligibility at multiple positions. FantasyPros gave this mock a B+ and I am generally in agreement with that. The draft analyzer can be found here.

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Ari’s archive can be found here and you can follow him @koslow_ari