It’s time to start prepping for fantasy baseball drafts as the long offseason comes to an end. A fantasy baseball mock draft is a great way to familiarize yourself with the upcoming player pool and find trends for the real drafts.
Using FantasyPros’ Draft Wizard tool lets you run realistic mock drafts with your league-specific settings. Let’s run an early points league mock draft using Draft Wizard. This 10-team roto mixed league will use a roster of 2-C, 1-1B, 1-2B, 1-3B, 1-SS, 5-OF, 1-CI, 1-MI, 1-Util, 9-pitchers and three bench spots. You can find the draft board here.
Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
1.05: Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF – ATL)
This is a risky pick and one I am only willing to make in a shallow league like this one because of the replacement value available on the waiver wire. Ronald Acuna is coming off a good season where he hit .290/.417/.518 with 21 home runs and stole nine bases in 412 plate appearances.
The risk comes with health. Acuna has had multiple serious knee injuries in his career, and there is a risk he hurts them again. It appears he will play in the World Baseball Classic, which I do not think the Braves would allow if there were concerns. The upside is massive, especially if he starts to run more again.
2.06: Trea Turner (SS – PHI)
Trea Turner isn’t the star he once was, but he is still a five-category contributor. When healthy, he is a difference-maker at the shortstop position.
3.05: Mason Miller (RP – SD)
Mason Miller is arguably the best closer in the league. While you can wait on saves in shallower leagues, it is a tough year in the closer pool with a lot of unsettled situations and committees.
I like locking down at least one elite closer so I can avoid spending too much time in season chasing saves.
4.06: Jackson Merrill (OF – SD)
Jackson Merrill had a disappointing second season in the Majors due to injuries. He only played in 115 games and virtually stopped running.
However, Merrill was great in September when he was healthy, hitting .275/.320/.626 with seven home runs in 97 plate appearances. I expect a big rebound in 2026.
5.05: Nolan McLean (SP – NYM)
I do not normally invest in rookies as my ace, but Nolan McLean is different. He has a full arsenal, strikeout upside and good command and control. If you are going to wait on starters, McLean is a great upside pick to invest in.
6.06: Brandon Woodruff (SP – MIL)
The talent is not in question for Brandon Woodruff; it’s his health. He has not thrown more than 67 innings in a season since 2022.
That said, Woodruff was amazing in his time last season, and there is no reason to think he won’t be healthy this year in what will be a contract season for him.
7.05: Will Smith (C – LAD)
Will Smith no longer has the massive upside he once did because of Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman blocking him off from designated hitter and first base at-bats. Still, he is one of the safest catchers in the game on the best team in baseball.
8.06: Ivan Herrera (C, DH – STL)
Double-tapping catcher is not something I do very often, but in a two-catcher league, there are massive drops in value at the position.
Ivan Herrera is someone I have come around on recently. He has great underlying skills. Herrera won’t catch to start the season, but he is expected to get a ton of at-bats at designated hitter and then work behind the plate at times as he rehabs his elbow.
9.05: Alec Burleson (1B, OF, DH – STL)
Alec Burleson made massive strides versus left-handed pitching last season and is now projected for full-time at-bats at the top of the Cardinals’ order. He has multiple-position eligibility, which provides flexibility, so you can move him around your lineup.
10.06: Edward Cabrera (SP – CHC)
Edward Cabrera was fantastic when he was on the mound last season, and there is no reason to think he won’t be healthy. He is going to a very good Cubs team that will give him plenty of run support for win upside.
11.05: Ryan Walker (RP – SF)
With Camilo Doval gone, Ryan Walker is the go-to option in the ninth inning for the Giants. He had some struggles to start last season, but was great down the stretch. He is an underrated RP2.
12.06: Matt McLain (2B – CIN)
It’s hard to know which Matt McLain we will get in 2026. The stud from 2023 or the mediocre version from 2025? I tend to think he will be somewhere in between, which means he’s a pretty nice value pick as a five-category contributor at a weak position.
13.05: Andrew Vaughn (1B – MIL)
Andrew Vaughn is a former top prospect who was heading towards bust status in Chicago, but after the White Sox traded him to the Brewers, he hit .308/.375/493 with nine home runs and 46 RBI in 254 plate appearances.
Vaughn has always had good underlying skills and a boatload of talent, but he finally put it all together in Milwaukee. The fact that he goes as low as he does is a gift for those who take the plunge.
14.06: Brett Baty (2B, 3B – NYM)
I love Brett Baty. He is a former top-25 prospect who has a lot of power and a good hit tool. The additions this offseason complicate things a little for him, but that will work itself out and may already have with the Francisco Lindor injury news.
15.05: Clay Holmes (SP – NYM)
I am kind of surprised to get Clay Holmes this late. He doesn’t have a good health track record, but he is coming off a season where he pitched 165.2 innings with a 3.53 ERA.
Holmes will likely regress, but he pitches for a great team in a good home park, so the regression shouldn’t be as bad as his average draft position (ADP) suggests.
16.06: Marcell Ozuna (DH – PIT)
Marcell Ozuna just signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates to be their everyday designated hitter. He will be part of a decent lineup, but hitting in a bad ballpark. However, when healthy, Ozuna’s power plays anywhere.
17.05: Lars Nootbaar (OF – STL)
I have been a fan of Lars Nootbaar for a while, but it has never really worked out the way I had hoped. I am giving him one last chance in a season where the Cardinals are rebuilding. They have no reason not to give him a full run in the outfield.
There are still good reasons to believe in Nootbaar as well. He makes good in-zone contact, walks a ton and has power in the bat.
18.06: Chad Patrick (SP – MIL)
Do not let the two first names fool you, Chad Patrick is a very interesting pitcher. He has four pitches with a stuff+ over 100 and pretty good control and command.
With Freddy Peralta dealt, Patrick should have a rotation spot locked down in Milwaukee. He is a great sleeper pick this year.
19.05: Justin Crawford (OF – PHI)
Justin Crawford is a hit tool/speed prospect that the Phillies are expecting to play every day in center field this season.
Crawford has put up great average and speed numbers in the minors, but there are concerns about whether he can hit velocity consistently in the Majors. There is a lot of upside if he can. He is worth the gamble this late.
20.06: Willi Castro (2B, 3B, OF – COL)
Willi Castro is moving to Colorado and will be a full-time starter for the first time in his career. He still has speed, and the thin air and larger outfield in Colorado should help his batting average on balls in play (BABIP).
Castro is eligible at three positions, which is huge for a league this deep.
21.05: Jordan Lawlar (3B – ARI)
Jordan Lawlar is a top prospect who just hasn’t been given a full run at the Major League level. The Diamondbacks are going to give him a chance to win the left field job, which would give him dual eligibility early in the season.
If Lawlar can make enough contact to stick, he could have a big breakout season.
22.06: Tyler Mahle (SP – SF)
Tyler Mahle is coming off a really good season that was cut pretty short due to injury. He is moving to a great park and a good team that has a history of signing veteran starters to one-year deals with great success.
Ultimately, there is a lot of risk because Mahle hasn’t thrown 100 innings in a season since 2022. There is some really nice upside with this pick if he can reach that number again.
23.05: Riley O’Brien (RP – STL)
Riley O’Brien is competing for the closer role in St. Louis. I would recommend handcuffing JoJo Romero if you are going to make this type of pick.
24.06: JoJo Romero (RP – STL)
I do think Riley O’Brien will be the 1A closer in St. Louis, but there is a chance he shares the job with JoJo Romero, or that Romero wins it outright.
25.05: Nolan Gorman (2B, 3B, DH – STL)
I am not a Nolan Gorman believer, but I needed power, and he made the most sense this late. I would probably go a different direction most times.
26.06: Lucas Giolito (SP – FA)
Lucas Giolito hasn’t signed with a team yet, but he will, and there are still some innings and strikeout upside in his arm.
Draft Wizard Insights
The Draft Wizard gave this draft an A grade (95/100) and projects it as the second-best team in the league. My biggest issues are wins and strikeouts, but that is something I can take care of by streaming pitchers during the season in a league of this size.
I did take on a lot of risk, but again, in a shallow league, you should shoot for upside. Overall, I think I did a good job of getting a lot of volume on this team while mixing in upside plays.
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