January Mock Draft

It’s icy in Atlanta and there’s snow in the forecast for Pittsburgh, but nonetheless, spring is in the air, at least in the hearts and minds of fantasy baseball owners everywhere. Once again, the off-season has brought numerous changes. The Mets are looking like a contender after adding Carlos Beltran and Pedro Martinez, the Mariners went on a spending spree of their own and landed Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson, the nation’s capital has a team again, and Barry Zito is all that is left of Oakland’s Big Three starters.

To see how the off-season transactions have affected the fantasys baseball landscape, look no further than this January mock draft. Both the strategies being used by these fantasy veterans and the order in which the players went off the board should provide quite a bit of insight into this year’s draft trends, as well as a glimpse of spring.

As with any mock draft, the drafters’ preferences and team needs obviously play a role in their respective choices, and a player’s rank might therefore vary from what you might expect from a cheat sheet compiled outside of actual draft conditions.

Pick #	Player	Round	Team
1.	Albert Pujols - 1B, StL	1	tino
2.	Carlos Beltran - OF, NYN	1	SBC
3.	Alex Rodriguez - 3B, NYA	1	sean
4.	Vladimir Guerrero - OF, Ana	1	Mustang
5.	Johan Santana - SP, Min	1	flb
6.	Miguel Tejada - SS, Bal	1	RugbyD
7.	Barry Bonds - OF, SF	1	prose
8.	Randy Johnson - SP, NYA	1	Grump
9.	Todd Helton - 1B, Col	1	Erb
10.	Alfonso Soriano - 2B, Tex	1	CHAMBO
11.	Bobby Abreu - OF, Phi	1	Cubs
12.	Manny Ramirez - OF, Bos	1	giants
13.	Carl Crawford - OF, TB	2	giants
14.	Mark Teixiera - 1B, Tex	2	Cubs
15.	Derek Jeter - SS, NYA	2	CHAMBO
16.	Adrian Beltre - 3B, Sea	2	Erb
17.	Gary Sheffield - OF, NYA	2	Grump
18.	David Ortiz - 1B, Bos	2	prose
19.	Ichiro - OF, Sea	2	RugbyD
20.	Miguel Cabrera - OF, Fla	2	flb
21.	Mark Prior - SP, ChN	2	Mustang
22.	Curt Schilling - SP, Bos	2	sean
23.	Jim Thome - 1B, Phi	2	SBC
24.	Scott Rolen - 3B, StL	2	tino
25.	Kerry Wood - SP, ChN	3	tino
26.	Pedro Martinez - SP, NYN	3	SBC
27.	Jason Schmidt - SP, SF	3	sean
28.	Eric Chavez - 3B, Oak	3	Mustang
29.	Carlos Delgado - 1B, Fla	3	flb
30.	Ben Sheets - SP, Mil	3	RugbyD
31.	Roy Oswalt - SP, Hou	3	prose
32.	Nomar Garciaparra - SS, ChN	3	Grump
33.	Eric Gagne - RP, LA	3	Erb
34.	Jake Peavy - SP, SD	3	CHAMBO
35.	Carlos Zambrano - SP, ChN	3	Cubs
36.	Tim Hudson - SP, Atl	3	giants
37.	Hank Blalock - 3B, Tex	4	giants
38.	Micheal Young - SS, Tex	4	Cubs
39.	Jim Edmonds - OF, StL	4	CHAMBO
40.	Edgar Renteria - SS, Bos	4	Erb
41.	Aubrey Huff - 1B/3B, TB	4	Grump
42.	Magglio Ordonez - OF, ChA	4	prose
43.	Adam Dunn - OF, Cin	4	RugbyD
44.	Marcus Giles - 2B, Atl	4	flb
45.	Oliver Perez - SP, Pit	4	Mustang
46.	Jimmy Rollins - SS, Phi	4	sean
47.	Aramis Ramirez - 3B, ChN	4	SBC
48.	Bret Boone - 2B, Sea	4	tino
49.	Moises Alou - OF, SF	5	tino
50.	Carlos Lee - OF, Mil	5	SBC
51.	Victor Martinez - C, Cle	5	sean
52.	Juan Pierre - OF, Fla	5	Mustang
53.	Melvin Mora - 3B, Bal	5	flb
54.	Richie Sexson - 1B, Sea	5	RugbyD
55.	Ivan Rodriguez - C, Det	5	prose
56.	Roy Halladay - SP, Tor	5	Grump
57.	Mike Mussina - SP, NYA	5	Erb
58.	Mariano Rivera - RP, NYA	5	CHAMBO
59.	JD Drew - OF, LA	5	Cubs
60.	Javy Lopez - C, Bal	5	giants
61.	Brad Lidge - RP, Hou	6	giants
62.	Mark Mulder - SP, StL	6	Cubs
63.	Hideki Matsui - OF, NYA	6	CHAMBO
64.	Francisco Rodriguez - RP, Ana	6	Erb
65.	Vernon Wells - OF, Tor	6	Grump
66.	Jeff Kent - 2B, LA	6	prose
67.	AJ Burnett - SP, Fla	6	RugbyD
68.	Derrek Lee - 1B, ChN	6	flb
69.	Keith Foulke - RP, Bos	6	Mustang
70.	Johnny Damon - OF, Bos	6	sean
71.	Rafeal Furcal - SS, Atl	6	SBC
72.	Chipper Jones - 3B/OF, Atl	6	tino
73.	Joe Nathan - RP, Min	7	tino
74.	Francisco Cordero - RP, Tex	7	SBC
75.	Armando Benitez - RP, SF	7	sean
76.	Mark Loretta - 2B, SD	7	Mustang
77.	Rich Harden - SP, Oak	7	flb
78.	Billy Wagner - RP, Phi	7	RugbyD
79.	Garret Anderson - OF, Ana	7	prose
80.	Josh Beckett - SP, Fla	7	Grump
81.	Shawn Green - 1B/OF, Ari	7	Erb
82.	Paul Konerko - 1B, ChA	7	CHAMBO
83.	Jose Guillen - OF, Was	7	Cubs
84.	Brad Penny - SP, LA	7	giants
85.	Travis Hafner - DH, Cle	8	giants
86.	David Wright - 3B, NYN	8	Cubs
87.	Kelvim Escobar - SP, Ana	8	CHAMBO
88.	Javier Vazquez - SP, Ari	8	Erb
89.	Octavio Dotel - RP, Oak	8	Grump
90.	John Smoltz - SP, Atl	8	prose
91.	Aaron Rowand - OF, ChA	8	RugbyD
92.	Jason Isringhausen - RP, StL	8	flb
93.	Justin Morneau - 1B, Min	8	Mustang
94.	Lance Berkman - OF, Hou	8	sean
95.	Matt Clement - SP, Bos	8	SBC
96.	Troy Glaus - 3B, Ari	8	tino
97.	Andruw Jones - OF, Atl	9	tino
98.	Jorge Posada - C, NYA	9	SBC
99.	Carl Pavano - SP, NYA	9	sean
100.	Jason Bay - OF, Pit	9	Mustang
101.	Brian Giles - OF, SD	9	flb
102.	Bronson Arroyo - SP, Bos	9	RugbyD
103.	Trevor Hoffman - RP, SD	9	prose
104.	Mike Lowell - 3B, Fla	9	Grump
105.	Kazuo Matsui - SS, NYN	9	Erb
106.	Freddy Garcia - SP, ChA	9	CHAMBO
107.	Chone Figgins - 2B/3B/OF, Ana	9	Cubs
108.	Danny Kolb - RP, Atl	9	giants
109.	Jeff Bagwell - 1B, Hou	10	giants
110.	Braden Looper - RP, NYN	10	Cubs
111.	Scott Podsednik - OF, ChA	10	CHAMBO
112.	Corey Patterson - OF, ChN	10	Erb
113.	Sammy Sosa - OF, ChN	10	Grump
114.	Carlos Guillen - SS, Det	10	prose
115.	Guillermo Mota - RP, Fla	10	RugbyD
116.	Orlando Cabrera - SS, Ana	10	flb
117.	Barry Zito - SP, Oak	10	Mustang
118.	Jeremy Bonderman - SP, Det	10	sean
119.	BJ Ryan - RP, Bal	10	SBC
120.	Jose Reyes - 2B, NYN	10	tino
121.	Shingo Takatsu - RP, ChA	11	tino
122.	Brian Roberts - 2B, Bal	11	SBC
123.	Preston Wilson - OF, Col	11	sean
124.	Eddie Guardado - RP, Sea	11	Mustang
125.	Troy Percival - RP, Det	11	flb
126.	Sean Casey - 1B, Cin	11	RugbyD
127.	Steve Finley - OF, Ana	11	prose
128.	Danny Graves - RP, Cin	11	Grump
129.	Bartolo Colon - SP, Ana	11	Erb
130.	Chad Cordero - RP, Was	11	CHAMBO
131.	Livan Hernandez - SP, Was	11	Cubs
132.	Brandon Webb - SP, Ari	11	giants
133.	Bobby Crosby - SS, Oak	12	giants
134.	Jason Kendall - C, Oak	12	Cubs
135.	Jason Varitek - C, Bos	12	CHAMBO
136.	Mike Sweeney - 1B, KC	12	Erb
137.	Jose Vidro - 2B, Was	12	Grump
138.	Jose Mesa - RP, Pit	12	prose
139.	Roger Clemens - SP, Hou	12	RugbyD
140.	Mark Buerhle - SP, ChA	12	flb
141.	Joe Mauer - C, Min	12	Mustang
142.	Brad Wilkerson - 1B/OF, Was	12	sean
143.	Coco Crisp - OF, Cle	12	SBC
144.	Andy Pettitte - SP, Hou	12	tino
145.	Odalis Perez - SP, LA	13	tino
146.	Kevin Millwood - SP, Cle	13	SBC
147.	Chase Utley - 2B, Phi	13	sean
148.	Zack Greinke - SP, KC	13	Mustang
149.	Lew Ford - OF, Min	13	flb
150.	Johnny Estrada - C, Atl	13	RugbyD
151.	CC Sabathia - SP, Cle	13	prose
152.	Mike Piazza - C/1B, NYN	13	Grump
153.	Trot Nixon - OF, Bos	13	Erb
154.	Torii Hunter - OF, Min	13	CHAMBO
155.	Danys Baez - RP, TB	13	Cubs
156.	Chris Carpenter - SP, StL	13	giants
157.	Luis Castillo - 2B, Fla	14	giants
158.	Brad Radke - SP, Min	14	Cubs
159.	Casey Blake - 3B, Cle	14	CHAMBO
160.	Kris Benson - SP, NYN	14	Erb
161.	Greg Maddux - SP, ChN	14	Grump
162.	Wade Miller - SP, Bos	14	prose
163.	Dmitri Young - 1B, Det	14	RugbyD
164.	Jeremy Affeldt - RP, KC	14	flb
165.	Khalil Greene - SS, SD	14	Mustang
166.	Randy Winn - OF, Sea	14	sean
167.	Jon Lieber - SP, Phi	14	SBC
168.	Bob Wickman - RP, Cle	14	tino
169.	Dave Roberts - OF, SD	15	tino
170.	Larry Walker - OF, StL	15	SBC
171.	Matt Morris - SP, StL	15	sean
172.	Phil Nevin - 1B, SD	15	Mustang
173.	Joel Piniero - SP, Sea	15	flb
174.	Juan Uribe - 2B/3B/SS, ChA	15	RugbyD
175.	Russ Ortiz - SP, Ari	15	prose
176.	Luis Gonzalez - OF, Ari	15	Grump
177.	Mike Adams - RP, Mil	15	Erb
178.	Jeff Weaver - SP, LA	15	CHAMBO
179.	Rocco Baldelli - OF, TB	15	Cubs
180.	Kevin Brown - SP, NYA	15	giants
181.	Ken Griffey, Jr. - OF, Cin	16	giants
182.	Todd Walker - 2B, ChN	16	Cubs
183.	Pedro Feliz - 1B/3B/SS, SF	16	CHAMBO
184.	Ramon Hernandez - C, SD	16	Erb
185.	Latroy Hawkins - RP, ChN	16	Grump
186.	Doug Davis - SP, Mil	16	prose
187.	Aaron Boone - 3B, Cle	16	RugbyD
188.	Randy Wolf - SP, Phi	16	flb
189.	Greg Aquino - RP, Ari	16	Mustang
190.	Micheal Cuddyer - 2B/3B/OF, Min	16	sean
191.	Dallas McPhearson - 3B, Ana	16	SBC
192.	Geoff Jenkins - OF, Mil	16	tino
193.	Tom Gordon - RP, NYA	17	tino
194.	Ryan Freel - 2B/3B/OF, Cin	17	SBC
195.	Jaret Wright - SP, NYA	17	sean
196.	Cesar Izturius - SS, LA	17	Mustang
197.	Matt Lawton - OF, Pit	17	flb
198.	Woody Williams - SP, SD	17	RugbyD
199.	Derek Lowe - SP, LA	17	prose
200.	Pat Burrell - OF, Phi	17	Grump
201.	Milton Bradley - OF, LA	17	Erb
202.	Jake Westbrook - SP, Cle	17	CHAMBO
203.	Horacio Ramirez - SP, Atl	17	Cubs
204.	Jermaine Dye - OF, ChA	17	giants
205.	Noah Lowry - SP, SF	18	giants
206.	Brandon Inge - C/3B, Det	18	Cubs
207.	David Wells - SP, Bos	18	CHAMBO
208.	Nick Johnson - 1B, Was	18	Erb
209.	Dontrelle Willis - SP, Fla	18	Grump
210.	Jeremy Burnitz - OF, Col	18	prose
211.	Kevin Mench - OF, Tex	18	RugbyD
212.	John Thompson - SP, Atl	18	flb
213.	Richard Hidalgo - OF, Tex	18	Mustang
214.	Jacque Jones - OF, Min	18	sean
215.	Adam Eaton - SP, SD	18	SBC
216.	Brian Lawrence - SP, SD	18	tino
217.	Tom Glavine - SP, NYN	19	tino
218.	Dan Haren - SP, Oak	19	SBC
219.	Austin Kearns - OF, Cin	19	sean
220.	Jerome Williams - SP, SF	19	Mustang
221.	AJ Pieryznski - C ChA	19	flb
222.	Mike Gonzalez - RP, Pit	19	RugbyD
223.	Wily Mo Pena - OF, Cin	19	prose
224.	Jason Giambi - 1B, NYA	19	Grump
225.	Paul Byrd - SP, Ana	19	Erb
226.	Ted Lilly - SP, Tor	19	CHAMBO
227.	Carlos Pena - 1B, Det	19	Cubs
228.	Alex Sanchez - OF, Det	19	giants
229.	Al Leiter - SP, Fla	20	giants
230.	Jason Marquis - SP, StL	20	Cubs
231.	Ray Durham - 2B, SF	20	CHAMBO
232.	Tadahito Iguchi - 2B, ChA	20	Erb
233.	Jarrod Washburn - SP, Ana	20	Grump
234.	Jeff Suppan - SP, StL	20	prose
235.	Jose Valverde - RP, Ari	20	RugbyD
236.	Julio Lugo - SS, TB	20	flb
237.	Akinori Otsuka - RP, SD	20	Mustang
238.	Jorge Julio - RP, Bal	20	sean
239.	Justin Speier - RP, Tor	20	SBC
240.	Miguel Olivo - C, Sea	20	tino
241.	Gil Meche - SP, Sea	21	tino
242.	D’Angelo Jimenez - 2B, Cin	21	SBC
243.	Matt Holliday - OF, Col	21	sean
244.	Scott Kazmir - SP, TB	21	Mustang
245.	Luis Gonzalez - 2B/3B/OF, Col	21	flb
246.	Orlando Hernandez - SP, ChA	21	RugbyD
247.	Vinny Castilla - 3B, Was	21	prose
248.	Frank Thomas - 1B, ChA	21	Grump
249.	Kip Wells - SP, Pit	21	Erb
250.	BJ Upton - SS, TB	21	CHAMBO
251.	Ryan Dempster - RP, ChN	21	Cubs
252.	Juan Rincon - RP, Min	21	giants

 
(Notes: 5×5 roto scoring was assumed for this mock. Players’ teams are current through the time of the draft, but may of course change during the off-season.)

Thanks to all our enthusiastic drafters!