12-team fantasy mock draft with analysis

No two drafts are alike, as you shall see from the results of theScore's 12-team mock ahead of the fantasy baseball season. And in breaking down the results, it should provide a look into the flow of the draft, the reasoning behind certain selections, and the various strategies and approaches that can be utilized - all while acting as a reminder that anything can happen.

This 12-team draft uses standard rotisserie categories with the following roster spots: C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, MI, CI, OF, OF, OF, OF, UTIL, SP, SP, SP, RP, RP, P, P, P, BN, BN, BN, BN. We wanted to get as many players off the board as possible, so the draft goes 24 rounds.

Draft participants: Lucas Casaletto, Esten McLaren, Jonathan Soveta, Jonah Birenbaum, Michael Bradburn, Josh Wegman, James Bisson, Brandon Wile, Dan Levine, Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb, Bryan Mcwilliam, Jason Wilson.

(ADPs courtesy the National Fantasy Baseball Championship; position eligibility courtesy FantasyPros):

Round 1

This is a fairly standard group of first-round names, though the order is a bit different from usual ADP expectations. Arenado is typically being drafted as the No. 1 third baseman ahead of Bryant, while both Goldschmidt and Turner are often being taken within the first four picks. The biggest leap here is Bryant, whose current ADP is 15.

Your first-round pick is essentially your biggest building block. Positional flexibility shouldn't be a concern yet, and you want to make sure your selection will contribute across the board. Trout and Altuve are going 1-2 on average because they're the most likely to offer a full five categories of production. Harper and Goldschmidt have that potential, too. Stanton won't steal bases, but he's likely going to be elite in the other four standard categories, which helps alleviate pressure later.

Just make a note - especially if you pick in the second half of Round 1 - of which categories you need to make up later. A harsh wake-up call is entering the season and realizing you have nobody who will steal bases or score an ample amount runs. It's less damaging in head-to-head leagues, but being poised to finish last in any rotisserie category means the season will be tough sledding from the outset.

Round 2

Team Levine might have the bargain of the early going by snagging Blackmon with the 16th overall pick. His ADP is 8, so chances are he won't drop this far often. It may seem crazy for Judge and his 52 home runs to barely eke into the second round, but Team Casaletto didn't get him too far past his ADP of 18. Perhaps Judge's 30.7 percent strikeout rate is scaring people away. Team Wegman went with back-to-back third basemen, but Machado is expected to gain shortstop eligibility within the first couple weeks.

The biggest leap in Round 2 came when Team Bradburn took Seager with the 20th pick. The Dodgers shortstop is typically being selected with the 39th pick, but if he plays up to his potential - and if his back issues are behind him - it could look savvy, though he may have still been on the board when Team Bradburn picked next.

Round 3

Catcher is largely a fantasy wasteland, and Team Wegman was the first to jump in by snatching the Yankees backstop. You might not be able to exercise the same patience, however, as Sanchez is typically being selected around the 20th pick.

Team Sharkey-Gotlieb must be very confident in Yelich's abilities in his new Milwaukee home. The outfielder's ADP is 63, making him the biggest reach in the first three rounds.

Team Levine wasn't intending to select three outfielders to kick off his draft, but he couldn't resist Martinez, who dropped well below his ADP of 25 (note: draft was completed prior to Martinez signing with the Red Sox).

Round 4

Neither Posey nor Contreras are typically being selected until the fifth or sixth rounds, but the position is dire once they're off the board. If you miss out on the top three, it's probably best to wait.

This could also explain why deGrom (35) and Carrasco (36) fell well below their ADPs. All drafters to this point had been exercising patience when it comes to pitching, with only seven hurlers being selected in the first three rounds. In fact, after Round 4, there were still five teams without a pitcher at all. Four teams (Casaletto, Soveta, Bradburn, Bisson) took advantage by selecting two top-tier arms by that point in the draft.

Team Wile grabbed the ageless wonder Cruz about a round early based on ADP, but you can't argue with results. He's averaged 42 home runs and 106 RBIs while batting .287 over the last four seasons. In formats where he has outfield eligibility (they exist!) he will be worth this draft slot.

Round 5

Team McLaren must believe Bogaerts was the victim of bad injury luck in 2017, as he reached more than 30 spots relative to his ADP of 86. Believe it or not, Andrus is being drafted right around this spot. His ADP of 58 may seem high, but there's always a premium to be paid for speed, and he's stolen at least 20 bases in nine straight seasons.

Team Wile waited until the fifth to grab a starter, and proceeded to take two more in the following rounds and wound up with a trio of Archer, David Price, and Jose Quintana, which allowed him to focus on other positions before returning to the well.

Wary about Hoskins after a small sample size? Team Bradburn isn't, and neither is the consensus. Hoskins is being drafted right around the 50th pick in most drafts, and it's easy to understand. He crushed 18 home runs across 131 plate appearances last season. He'll have plenty of lineup protection in Philly, including Carlos Santana and Odubel Herrera ahead of him. If you were hoping to wait on him, that's not going to be an option.

Round 6

(Note: Above round was completed prior to Darvish signing with the Cubs)

Had Darvish signed before the draft, there's little chance he falls to the sixth round, especially because he's in line to get a ton of wins as the premier starter in Chicago. Stroman was the biggest reach of the draft so far, and the first selection whose ADP is in the hundreds (126). Know your draft partners, and where their allegiances lie. Fans of specific teams will occasionally favor those players over others.

Jansen and Kimbrel both fell below their ADPs, but the principle is the same. If Jansen goes, Kimbrel will soon follow. This can happen sooner in the draft, and if it does, you have to expect closer ADPs to go out the window.

Remarkably, Team Bisson only took Ohtani slightly earlier than his ADP of 73, but chances are Ohtani wouldn't have lasted until his next pick. It's risk vs. reward, as Ohtani's success in the majors is purely hypothetical, but he's Team Bisson's third option behind more concrete choices in Chris Sale and Luis Severino.

Round 7

By selecting Merrifield, Team Bisson basically put a stamp on stolen bases. He quietly assembled a team with Turner, Hamilton, and now Merrifield. Together, they stole a total of 139 bases in 2017, which means Team Bisson didn't need to think much about adding more speed later, when it's even more scarce.

Myers was another player Team Levine saw as a value pick based on his ADP of 69, although with first base being deep, he may have fallen further if not for this league's inclusion of the CI position.

Team Soveta's pick of Rivero was curious on the surface, but the Pirates reliever's ADP isn't too far off. Still, he's typically not being drafted as a top-three reliever.

Round 8

This round might be the closest to ADP projections since the first, as none of these players were taken egregiously early or late.

The only player who was selected far from his usual spot was McCullers, whose ADP sits at 150. His appeal to Team Wegman isn't surprising, though. When healthy, McCullers is one of baseball's best strikeout artists, punching out more than 10 batters per nine innings throughout his career. The problem is that Wegman anchored his pitching staff with McCullers and the oft-injured James Paxton. If they each blow a tire, which is possible, it could be a long season.

Team Soveta landed the last of the really appealing catchers, though Realmuto falls slightly below the best at the position since his chances to drive in runs may be few and far between as long as he stays in Miami.

Round 9

And here come the closers. A closer run is bound to happen, but it's entirely dependent on when the best get taken. That said, Osuna, Davis, and Giles aren't far off their relative ADPs.

Beltre feels like robbery at the tail end of the ninth round, even though I picked him 50 spots ahead of his ADP. As the 15th third baseman off the board, it's a solid investment and I wasn't about to risk someone else reaching for him over the next 22 picks. When you pick on an end, it's imperative to have a strategy in place and a reasonable understanding of who your rivals may be targeting.

Hosmer dropped well below his ADP of 72. He's a polarizing option, as he's been selected as late as 122 in some drafts. He was a four-category stud in 2017, though his move to San Diego has question marks surrounding it. Team Bisson can use him as his primary first baseman, but has flexibility in the form of Bellinger and Desmond later on.

Round 10

Team Birenbaum made the first big rookie splash by taking Moncada, but it's right around his expected selection. With the White Sox poised to be bad, Moncada will get his hacks in the upper half of the lineup, and this could be the only time he'll be available beyond the early rounds.

The same could apply to Devers, who impressed in his short stint with the Red Sox in 2017. However, with a better supporting cast, he could find himself batting near the bottom of the lineup, or even back in Triple-A if he struggles.

Based on his ADP of 151, few believe in Smoak's breakout. If the numbers are sustainable, he's a steal in the 10th. But the closest Smoak ever came to the 38 homers he hit in 2017 was 20 in 2013.

Round 11

Versatility is Gonzalez's prime appeal, as he hits in one of baseball's most potent offenses and is the perfect insurance policy at almost every offensive position.

Team Casaletto and Team Soveta became the second and third teams to add a second outstanding ninth-inning option. With four teams still avoiding closers to this point, getting that extra edge can be a viable strategy.

Team Mcwilliam grabbed a solid group of starting pitchers, as Lester is his third option behind Tanaka and Berrios. It's not a bad haul after waiting until the seventh round to target pitching. He was the last team to draft a starter, and it didn't leave him worse for wear.

Round 12

Team Wegman waited the longest to grab a first baseman. Olson has tantalizing pop, but he's operating on a very small sample size and plays in Oakland Coliseum.

Doolittle's injury history is worrisome, but he's a fine pick-up this late with Washington expected to win a boatload of games.

Perhaps feeling the crunch on starting pitching, Teams McLaren, Casaletto, and Levine each grabbed their third options. Godley is a solid value play considering his ADP is 131, while Gray came off the board a few rounds earlier than projected. He's shaky due to Coors Field, but was excellent in limited action last season.

Round 13

Team Mcwilliam took the first reliever who isn't his team's primary closer. However, Miller's K-rate is elite, he can throw multiple innings out of the bullpen, and he's bound to vulture the odd save.

Team Wegman grabbed Gardner 30 spots ahead of his ADP, but his floor is high for a pick this late. Though no longer a 40-SB threat, Gardner's averaged 21 stolen bases over the last five seasons. Still, Team Wegman may be wishing he'd taken his second outfielder a few rounds earlier.

LeMahieu is a bargain in the 13th round, but likely fell because he's largely unremarkable. His value, especially in rotisserie formats, lies securely in his consistent .300 batting average. Just don't expect much else.

Round 14

By this point, the precipitous drop-off at shortstop is very apparent, as teams are grabbing reinforcements more aggressively at other positions. But Simmons is a potentially good addition for Team Bradburn after a surprising offensive campaign.

Team Soveta eschewed starting pitching after grabbing Strasburg and deGrom early, but Chatwood could be a solid third option. He'll be backed by a strong lineup and is no longer starting half his games at Coors, where he was absolutely demolished last season. However, he was taken well below his ADP of 278.

Round 15

Dickerson was drafted before the Rays cut ties with him, but his fantasy prospects should improve now that he's with the Pirates. He'll provide exceptional power value if he hits high in the lineup, as he's projected to.

Garcia could be a bargain, even though he was selected ahead of his 198 ADP. The knock on Garcia is that he won't sustain a high batting average after posting a .392 BABIP in 2017, the highest among qualified hitters. Outfield is probably Mcwilliam's weakest position, but there's plenty of upside.

Bradley is poised to be the Diamondbacks' closer, and yet he was the 19th reliever selected. Team Bradburn made a conscious decision to fill his FLEX spots with relievers. It should provides flexibility during the season, but he'll need to stream starters to rack up wins and strikeouts.

Round 16

I grabbed Gattis well past his ADP of 147, but catchers certainly aren't flying off the board. However, it's also a pick I probably wouldn't make again because Gattis' playing time may not be guaranteed with Brian McCann in the fold. If the Astros add a last-minute DH, both Gattis and McCann will see their values plummet.

Team Soveta snagged Beckham with belief that his second half was a sign of things to come. He was already tapping into his power before being traded to Baltimore, and then ramped it up by hitting 10 homers in 50 games while batting .306. He's also getting a shot at third base, so he'll gain extra eligibility.

Team Casaletto may have made a savvy pick with Morton, who had a breakout campaign in 2017 - his first with the Astros. However, Morton could lose his rotation spot if he struggles, as Houston is stacked with relievers who were effective starters (Brad Peacock, Collin McHugh).

Round 17

Here's another closer run. Vizcaino was Team Levine's third, while Familia was Team Wile's second foray into relievers. Team Sharkey-Gotlieb elected to veer away from guaranteed saves in hopes that Betances can be more efficient in the strike zone. If anything happens to Aroldis Chapman, he could be next in line.

Acuna could be the steal of the draft. At this point, even if he isn't as ready for the big stage as he thinks he is, if he's your fifth outfielder, you can afford a bit of leeway.

Cozart is a solid depth play for Team Wegman, and with Simmons entrenched at shortstop, he's going to gain 3B eligibility quickly. Team Mcwilliam also may benefit from from added eligibility, as the Astros are expected to move Gurriel around the infield this season.

Round 18

Team McLaren selected his fifth consecutive starting pitcher in Snell, and he has not - and will not - draft a reliever. The strategy is that closers are too volatile to put much stock into on draft day, and he'll instead aim to find saves on the waiver wire throughout the season. He's also elected to stock up on high-upside starters in hopes of striking gold. If he doesn't, one of them will likely be dropped for a set-up man getting a promotion. This is not a fool-proof plan, especially in a draft this deep, but you have to admire the commitment.

The Davis and Bour picks are great here. They both have powerful upside and neither Sharkey-Gotlieb nor Levine are relying on them to be a cornerstone. We're only three years removed from Davis hitting 47 homers, which is big potential this late.

Round 19

Team Casaletto's one area of weakness is starting pitching depth - he took only five starters total, second fewest in the mock - and went with another high-end middle reliever here. With this kind of strategy, you're committing to streaming starters throughout the season.

Gennett may not hit 27 homers again, but he's projected to hit fifth in the Reds' lineup, which should provide ample of RBI opportunities. At this stage, the flexibility he offers is gold.

Team Birenbaum shored up his infield youth movement with Torres after already drafting Moncada and Albies. They're fine lottery tickets, and if all of them hit the ground running, one could be a viable trade chip to help fortify starting pitching.

Round 20

Reed isn't a closer now, but he may be in the best position to earn that role. Fernando Rodney is entering camp as Minnesota's expected closer, but he's both 40 years old and very erratic.

Anderson fell multiple rounds to Team McLaren, and while shortstop is fairly top-heavy, he's not bad insurance. Perhaps he can hit higher in Chicago's lineup if he improves his on-base ability.

Pomeranz (ADP 184) sank like a stone in this draft, and Team Wile managed to pick up his sixth starter at a bit of a discount. Injuries pose the biggest threat, but Pomeranz has been solid for years, owning a 38-28 record with a 3.24 ERA and 9.1 K/9 in almost 500 innings since 2014.

Round 21-24

The last four rounds are typically lottery tickets, and Team Sharkey-Gotlieb may have picked the right one by selecting Dahl in the 24th, especially if he lands a starting gig. Team Soveta may be laughing with Pujols on his bench if the "best-shape-of-his-life" narrative actually pulls through. And Mauer has a stronger lineup around him than ever, so Team Mcwilliam could benefit from solid, if unspectacular, production.

Happy drafting. Remember, form a plan and be prepared to abandon it (or, at the very least, alter it) if your opponents throw a few curveballs. They will.