As we ramp up the fantasy baseball draft season, now is the time for a fantasy baseball mock draft. Most take part in mock drafts to determine the best potential plan of attack to achieve the best draft results. Of course, the results can vary based on draft spot, league competition and more.
My task in these upcoming articles is to take part in quick mock drafts using FantasyPros’ fantasy baseball mock draft simulator. I will draft from the front and back of the draft (third overall pick), discussing the results and other potential picks available.
In the end, remember these are just mock drafts. They should be used to help build a better player pool concept, to realize when to target pitchers, certain hitting positions or statistics and more. Let’s look at my results for picking third in a 12-team mock draft. You can see the full results here.
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Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft (12-Team, Early Pick)
The lineup for this 12-team draft is 2-C, 1-1B, 1-2B, 1-3B, 1-SS, 1-CI, 1-MI, 5-OF, 1-UTIL, 8-P and four bench spots.
1.03: Aaron Judge (OF – NYY)
Picking Aaron Judge at three is a no-brainer. I want Bobby Witt Jr. or Judge if I have one of the top picks, and with Witt taken second, Judge it is.
The Yankees outfielder is a home run machine that comes with a lot of RBI and a nice batting average. If he tosses in a few steals, we are rolling out of the gate.
Others Considered: N/A
2.10: Jackson Chourio (OF – MIL)
Jackson Chourio was terrific in his rookie season, hitting .275 with 21 home runs and 22 stolen bases. He’ll be 21 this season and brings a Ronald Acuna Jr. profile to the field.
Chourio could be the next 40/40 player and will likely be a first-round pick in 2026. I love pairing his floor, especially in steals, after drafting Judge.
Others Considered: Trea Turner (SS – PHI)
3.03: Logan Gilbert (SP SEA)
I usually do not take starting pitching early, but the other options on the board led me to Logan Gilbert. He’s been an innings-eating machine in recent seasons while improving his ratios and strikeout skills.
Gilbert is in the argument as the third-best starting pitcher in drafts behind Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal. An argument can be made that Gilbert is the best of the trio due to his success in more than one season.
Other Considered: Rafael Devers (3B – BOS)
4.10: CJ Abrams (SS – WAS)
I like to leave my draft with at least one of the elite shortstops in the early rounds. I missed the early shortstops that tend to be better targeted when drafting in the back of the first round.
I love CJ Abrams this year and don’t mind relying on him as my elite starting shortstop. He brings a 20/20 floor with elite stolen base skills, which is excellent after drafting Judge.
Other Considered: Oneil Cruz (SS, OF – PIT)
5.03: Pete Alonso (1B – NYM)
Pete Alonso provides great value in round five, especially with the stolen base skills already added with Chourio. Pairing Alonso with Judge gives me two bats that can hit 40+ home runs and drive in over 100 runs.
Alonso returning to the Mets is also a plus, with Brandon Nimmo, Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto setting the table for him.
Others Considered: Teoscar Hernandez (OF – LAD)
6.10: Yainer Diaz (C – HOU)
With a great start to power, run production and speed, it was time to address some early concerns in batting average. That means drafting one of the elite catchers on the board in Yainer Diaz.
Diaz has 20 home run upside, but more importantly, he is a catcher who hits for a strong batting average. Diaz hit .299 last year while hitting .319 in the second half.
Others Considered: Raisel Iglesias (RP – ATL)
7.03: Andres Munoz (RP – SEA)
Closers were flying off the board, so I drafted Andres Munoz, one of the last closers I liked near the top of the draft. Munoz enters the season as the primary closer in Seattle as Matt Brash and Gregory Santos are not a threat like they were last season.
Munoz could sneak into 30 saves this year, which is excellent if waiting a little longer on an elite closer.
Others Considered: N/A
8.10: Junior Caminero (3B – TB)
Junior Caminero’s fantasy baseball average draft position (ADP) is on the rise, so I am glad to get him in round eight. I’ve taken him 20+ picks higher this draft season and have no problem with that.
Caminero brings a five-category upside at a position where similar profiles are drafted in rounds three and four. Give me all the Caminero this year.
Others Considered: Freddy Peralta (SP – MIL)
9.03: Seiya Suzuki (OF – CHC)
I try to leave drafts with at least four top-60 outfielders, so it was time to add my third outfielder. Seiya Suzuki is a beast who brings a nice batting average with 20+ home run power and stole 16 bases last year.
He’s put up these numbers while landing on the injured list (IL) early in the previous two seasons. A full season of Suzuki could be a great value at this point in the draft.
Others Considered: Ian Happ (OF – CHC)
10.10: Zac Gallen (SP – ARI)
I love how the offense is forming, but pitching has been a problem, as a lot of my targets were taken before I had a chance to get them. That makes Zac Gallen my SP2.
I do not love Gallen as my SP2; I prefer him as my SP3, but he was the best starting pitcher available at this point in the draft. Gallen brings a solid floor, which is a nice option here. I’ll have to take more volatile starting pitchers later in the draft.
Others Considered: N/A
11.03: Ryan Walker (RP – SF)
As the closer pool dries up, it was time to grab my second closer to pair with Munoz. Ryan Walker was outstanding for the Giants last year, especially once he took over the closing role.
After Walker, it’s mainly platoon options or, at best, questionable leading closers. In a 12-team league, you will need 75 or so saves, so getting two closers that could save 55-60 games is a huge plus.
Others Considered: Justin Steele (SP – CHC)
12.10: Luis Garcia (2B – WAS)
I don’t mind waiting on second base in drafts. I could have waited even longer, but I am glad to add Luis Garcia, coming off a career year.
Garcia has always showcased solid batting average skills, but he added power and speed this past year. He hit 18 home runs while stealing 22 bases and hitting .282. Finding another batting average asset later in drafts with 20/20 potential is nice.
Others Considered: Brandon Nimmo (OF – NYM)
13.03: Carlos Rodon (SP – NYY)
With only Gilbert and Gallen as my starting pitchers, it was time to take some chances, and Carlos Rodon was the first chance. Injuries have been an issue in recent years, but Rodon is coming off 175 innings pitched, his second time throwing at least 175 innings in the previous three seasons.
When Rodon racks up innings, he can rack up wins and nice ratios. More importantly, a lot of strikeouts. Rodon has 185+ strikeouts in three of the last four seasons. He’s a great pick late in drafts.
Others Considered: Jared Jones (SP – PIT)
14.10: Tyler Stephenson (C – CIN)
Tyler Stephenson is one of my favorite C2 options in drafts. He provides a nice batting average floor at catcher while showcasing a 15-home run floor with 20+ home run upside.
Stephenson should hit in the middle of the lineup, which could also lead to plenty of run production.
Others Considered: Jasson Dominguez (OF – NYY)
15.03: Masyn Winn (SS – STL)
I prefer to have my middle infield spot occupied with a shortstop. I have been landing on Masyn Winn, Jeremy Pena or Dansby Swanson.
Winn has been my priority as we saw his power improve in the second half of last year. He already showcased a nice batting average floor with speed. Winn should lead off this season, which could also lead to plenty of runs scored. Winn has the potential to be this year’s Zach Neto.
Others Considered: Isaac Paredes (1B, 3B – HOU)
16.10: Heliot Ramos (OF – SF)
Heeliot Ramos was outstanding in his rookie season. He showcased 20+ home run skills with a nice batting average and run production.
For those who love Colton Cowser, just wait and draft Ramos later. He should produce a similar, if not better, stat line.
Others Considered: Luis Rengifo (2B, 3B – LAA)
17.03: Cristopher Sanchez (SP – PHI)
Cristopher Sanchez is coming off a breakout season where he made 31 starts and threw 181.2 innings. The outstanding workload came with a 3.32 ERA and 1.24 WHIP.
Sanchez gets a ton of groundballs and has showcased the skills to be even better. He’s a poor man’s Framber Valdez and is drafted 10 rounds later. Sanchez makes for a solid SP4 or SP5.
Others Considered: Michael Toglia (1B – COL)
18.10: MacKenzie Gore (SP – WAS)
Another young arm I am incredibly optimistic about this season is MacKenzie Gore. He increased his workload to 32 starts and 166.1 innings this past season. Gore had a 3.90 ERA and 3.98 SIERA.
Gore’s WHIP of 1.42 is the major problem, but he has slowly improved his walk rate in the last three seasons. Gore has the skills to be a great starting pitcher, and it just comes down to managing his walks. He’s worth a shot in round 18.
Others Considered: Tanner Houck (SP – BOS)
19.03: George Springer (OF – TOR)
George Springer may be getting old, but he continues to produce for fantasy. This past season, Springer hit 19 home runs while stealing 16 bases.
Springer will likely hit near the top of the Jays’ lineup. Drafting his 15/15 floor as your OF5 is not a bad way to go about things.
Others Considered: Nick Pivetta (SP – FA)
20.10: Justin Martinez (RP – ARI)
I mentioned you would need 75+ saves to compete in a 12-team league, so you need to draft three closers. Justin Martinez has electric stuff but lacks control.
When Martinez is on, he looks like one of the best relievers in the game. Martinez should rack up 20 saves if he doesn’t implode, even while sharing some time with A.J. Puk.
Others Considered: Spencer Arrighetti (SP – HOU)
21.03: Ryan Mountcastle (1B – BAL)
Ryan Mountcastle has battled injuries in his last two seasons but still showcased a ton of power when he was in the lineup. Even with the power down, Mountcastle hit over .270 each season.
Mountcastle’s power potential, batting average floor and solid run production make him a nice corner infield target.
Others Considered: N/A
22.10: Nick Lodolo (SP – CIN)
Nick Lodolo is a popular late-round starting pitching gamble this season. He has insane stuff, but health has derailed him in recent seasons.
The injuries have been around his ankle and legs, which leave me optimistic about a nice comeback season in 2025. He provides significant upside at a cheap draft cost.
Others Considered: Jesus Luzardo (SP – PHI)
23.03: Trevor Story (SS – BOS)
Speaking of upside, look no further than Trevor Story. He returned late last season from an injury that was supposed to sideline him for all of 2024.
Story showcased power and speed in his short time, but the batting average and strikeouts were still a concern. Even if Story does not improve his batting average, he brings 20/20 potential hitting in the middle of the Red Sox’s batting order. Another gamble worth taking in the reserve rounds.
Others Considered: Nolan Jones (OF – COL)
24.10: TJ Friedl (OF – CIN)
TJ Friedl had an injury-riddled 2024, which lowered his draft price in 2025. Friedl has showcased plenty of power and speed, hitting atop the Reds’ lineup when healthy.
If healthy, Friedl is a steal at his current fantasy ADP, as he’s another 20/20 type of player.
Others Considered: Andrew Vaughn (1B – CWS)
25.03: Ryan McMahon (3B – COL)
After drafting plenty of high-upside players, I went with Ryan McMahon, who is as boring as they come. He continually hits .240 or better with 20 home runs and some speed.
McMahon plays nearly every day and benefits from his home games in Coors Field. McMahon makes for a nice bench bat you can plug into your lineup when he’s playing at home.
Others Considered: Garrett Mitchell (OF – MIL)
26.10: Max Scherzer (SP – TOR)
Since I waited on starting pitching, I have been looking for a lot of late-round upside. Scherzer is the epitome of taking a chance late.
Scherzer missed a lot of time in recent seasons with back and neck injuries. On the mound, he was still his usual bulldog self. Give me all the late-round Scherzer.
Others Considered: N/A
Draft Wizard Insights
The early draft pick lets you get an MVP talent while giving you a nice second/third-round turn. It does make you reach a bit for certain positions based on those early picks, as you usually miss on shortstop and potentially some speed.
As ADP has changed, starting pitching has been slightly different when picking early in drafts. I took more chances in this draft, so Draft Wizard gave me a B grade and an 86/100 score. The projections rank this team fourth overall, fourth in hitting and sixth in pitching. The late-round picks meant a first-place projection for my bench. There should be plenty of in-season management.
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