Hi, I'm Kyle Bishop. You might remember me from such appearances as whatever the episode numbers were of the On The Corner podcast. Did you enjoy listening to me provide explanations of varying quality and cohesion for these picks in that medium? Well, have I got a deal for you! 1,800+ words on those very same picks, but slightly more organized and thought out! No need to thank me, just doing my job.
To read the analysis of other teams in the draft, head to our Mock Draft hub page here.
Round 1: Trea Turner (SS/OF, Washington Nationals)– We’ve heard quite a bit over the last couple of years about the scarcity of stolen bases in the current environment, and somewhat less about the increasing rarity of high-average hitters. Looking back on my overall fantasy performance during that time, I noticed an apparent lack of appreciation for these two categories. So, I went into the mock knowing I wanted Turner with my first pick. There just aren’t many players who can be a huge asset in steals without hurting you elsewhere. Turner has yet to play a full, continuous MLB season, and that’s certainly not something I can usually say of my early picks. But prorate his production thus far to 650 plate appearances and you end up with a .304 AVG, 106 R, 20 HR, 69 RBI, and 65 SB. That’s incredibly valuable. I might not have gone this way in a draft that counted, but I wanted to see how things would play out if I made sure to address speed early.
