With the World Series done and free agency officially underway, it makes sense that the folks at Pitcher List held an early Mock Draft. While the length and duration of the upcoming 2027 season are in question, that doesn’t stop us from doing a Mock Draft and breaking down all the selections from this 12-team, head-to-head format draft.
So let’s look at the format and order of this Mock Draft with the Pitcher List Network podcast hosts, plus round breakdowns and final thoughts of how managers did in this “way-too-early” Mock Draft.
League Format
12 Team H2H Categories Standard 5×5
C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, OF, OF, OF, UTIL, UTIL
23 Players per Roster
One Win per Week
Two Ohtanis (DH, and SP)
Draft Order
- Wins Above Fantasy (Steve and Van)
- Hacks and Jacks (Scott)
- On the Wire (Adam and Kevin)
- The Craft (Eno)
- On the Corner (Eric)
- This Week in Fantasy (John & Patrick)
- Plus Pitch Podcast (Nick)
- Destination Dynasty (Matt and Martin)
- Approach Angle (Kyle and Nate)
- First Pitch (Jake)
- In the Shallows (Carson and Erik)
- In the Pen (Rick)
Draft Board
Rounds 1-2
Shohei Ohtani (hitter version) went first overall, but he had a down year, ranking 26th in Yahoo 5×5 head-to-head category formats in 2026. Still, he’s often been the top fantasy hitter in previous seasons, and injury limited him in 2026. It seemed like WAF was banking on his health returning and him playing more than 134 games in 2027. If that happens, we could see a return to 40 HRs (though after 11 SB in 2026, reaching the 30+ SB mark may be tough).
Jacob Misiorowski was the highest-taken pitcher, as Hacks and Jacks took the Brewers ace No. 2 overall. (Who said Scott only cared about hitters?) The Miz certainly deserved Top-5 consideration after winning 16 games, posting a 1.80 ERA and striking out 252 batters, which are insane fantasy pitching numbers. Looking at Yahoo 2026 ranks for pitchers and hitters, the Miz ranked 18th, so it feels like Scott may have reached here. Then again, the Brewers righty doesn’t seem like an injury risk; the Brewers are a good team (making him a sure bet for wins), and he’s a strikeout machine. Getting Miz allowed Scott to get pitching out of the way and focus solely on hitters after.
Outfielders dominated the first round, with six of the 12 picks going to outfielders (though Yordan Alvarez is more of an outfielder by technicality, as he tends to play more DH). Aaron Judge being selected No. 6 by This Week in Fantasy Baseball is an interesting pick, especially since he played only 66 games and ranked 191st in Yahoo 5×5 category scoring last year. That said, Process+ data shows his power remained prodigious despite his injury issues. He can be a Top-3 fantasy hitter again if healthy, but at 34, that isn’t as guaranteed as it was before.
In the second round, Cam Schlittler (13) went ahead of Tarik Skubal (16) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (16). Skubal pitched 26 games due to injury, but as usual, he was dominant when healthy. He struck out 186 and posted a 2.76 ERA. He had 12 wins last year, but one has to wonder what that could look like in 2027, especially if he returns to Los Angeles or lands with a playoff contender. While I’m expecting Skubal to get back into prime Skubal form, I like In The Pen selecting Schlittler ahead of Skubal, especially since he ranked as the third-best pitcher in Yahoo 5×5 category scoring behind the Miz and Christopher Sanchez last year. Schlittler has the youth on his side (25 years old).
José Ramírez went No. 15 overall despite a down season, ranking 48th for hitters in Yahoo. The stolen base numbers were solid (37), but the homers took a huge dive (12). On the flip side, Miguel Vargas ranked No. 9 in Yahoo with 33 homers and 22 stolen bases. Then again, Ramirez seemed to come alive again in the postseason, so that could explain why Jake at First Pitch Podcast preferred the Guardians’ third baseman over the White Sox one.
Rounds 3-4
Ronald Acuña Jr. may be one of the riskiest players in this mock draft, but WAF’s selection at No. 25 overall (the first pick in the third round) feels like a great value. They paired the picks at the turn with Nick Kurtz in the second, and according to Steve and Van, “it doesn’t take much to project them to have 70 homers and 40 steals between the two of them.” I agree, and though both carry injury risk, these two selections could carry WAF to some fantasy hardware if the sluggers can get back healthy in 2027.
In addition to Acuña, it seemed like managers were selecting athletic outfield types with upside but some risk. Jackson Merrill, Julio Rodríguez, and Jordan Walker went 31, 32, and 33, respectively. Interestingly enough, Yahoo ranked them 18, 44, and 8, respectively, in their 2026 hitter rankings. Of those three, I’d lean toward Walker, especially since he’s a triple-digit RBI threat (102 last year). Then again, he needs to prove that he can produce in back-to-back seasons. I applaud Kyle Bland from The Approach Angle for believing in Walker.
We also started to see some shortstops go off the board in the late third and fourth rounds. Gunnar Henderson went 36th, Zach Neto went 39th, Francisco Lindor went 47th, and Kevin McGonigle went 48th. It seems like Rick Graham is betting on a bounceback from Henderson, especially after the Baltimore shortstop ranked 118th among hitters in Yahoo 5×5 category scoring a year ago. One could say the same about Lindor, who ranked 184th. Conversely, Neto ranked 21st, and McGonigle ranked 39th. Neto has strikeout issues, but he scored 102 runs, hit 27 home runs, and stole 24 bases. That profile makes him the most desirable of the four shortstops taken in this 3rd to 4th-round range.
On the pitching end, Sanchez (28th) and Paul Skenes (35th) were the only pitchers selected in the third round, and then a slew of pitchers went in the fourth. Postseason stud Drew Rasmussen feels like a good value pick by Adam Howe at 46th overall, and he ranked 8th among pitchers in Yahoo 5×5 category rankings. That said, you have to worry about his mileage after a long postseason, which is why he fell to the end of the fourth.
Rounds 5-7
We finally start to see some catchers go in these rounds. Drake Baldwin went No. 52 (selected by Eno), Hunter Goodman went No. 70 (selected by Adam), and Kyle Bland selected William Contreras at No. 81. Goodman ranked the best of the trio of catchers, with a No. 34 ranking among Yahoo hitters compared to Baldwin’s 45th ranking and Contreras’ 60th. The big difference with Goodman is the homers, as he had 41 a year ago. With another season at Coors, the Rockies catcher seems like a good fantasy bet for bombs from the catching position.
In the 6th round, we saw some strikeout machines picked up in Garret Crochet (62nd), Gavin Williams (63rd), and Dylan Cease (65th). Jake’s Williams pick feels solid, especially since he ranked 4th among pitchers in Yahoo 5×5 category scoring last year. For managers who like to wait on pitching in drafts, Jake provided a nice blueprint: wait until after the fourth round to select pitchers, then get Logan Henderson in the fifth and Williams in the sixth. I would gladly ride with those two as my fantasy pitching horses.
Scott of H&J selected Lowe with his seventh-round pick, but he feels like an awkward pick since he’s a free agent. Granted, Lowe showed he could hit bombs in both the Trop and PNC, and the latter isn’t easy. However, after 35 homers a year ago, I expect regression, and how much depends on where he inks his next deal. Wins Above Fantasy and In the Pen selected second basemen in the fifth round: Ketel Marte (WAF) and JJ Weatherholt (ITP). Reaching on those two feels like a safer strategy than waiting on Lowe.
Closers start to get picked up in this range, with Mason Miller being the first closer to go in the draft. Eric picked up Miller 68th overall, and Eno picked up Cleveland’s Cade Smith 76th overall. In Yahoo 5×5 category scoring, Miller ranked 14th and Smith 19th among pitchers (all, not just relievers). For managers who like to solidify saves early and then take dart throws with other arms, picking up Miller and Smith in this range seems like a sound strategy.
Rounds 8-10
The 8th and 9th rounds seemed to be the “roll the dice” rounds, as we saw managers pick up a lot of guys coming off disappointing years. Maikel Garcia (92nd), Vinnie Pasquantino (89th), and Cal Raleigh (86th) stick out the most in that range, as all three fantasy players had much higher expectations in our Mock Draft a year ago. Garcia fits into Eric’s lineup in a peculiar fashion, especially since he spent high picks on Bobby Witt Jr.. and Brice Turang. Drafting Witt and Garcia forces a manager to invest in home runs elsewhere, and Kyle Schwarber in the third round helps. However, Eric also drafted Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. in the 5th, and Vladdy didn’t even hit double-digit home runs last year. That lineup makes it seem like homers may be a tough category to win each week.
Some interesting “hot corner” options were selected in this range. Zack Gelof was selected 99th overall, Bo Bichette 107th, and Austin Riley 109th. After a couple of down years, Gelof returned in 2026, ranking 62nd overall among hitters in Yahoo with 22 homers, 16 stolen bases, and 76 runs scored. He vastly outranked Bichette (97th) and Riley (154th) in Yahoo. Since Gelof is younger and has another year of home games at Sutter Health Field, Adam’s selection of Gelof feels like a crafty pick to solidify the hot corner (and he carries OF and 2B eligibility).
Fun, but flawed pitchers were picked up in bunches in the 10th round. Blake Snell (118th), Eury Pérez (117th), and Trey Yesavage (113th) were notable ones selected. Snell was good on the mound (1.90 ERA), but he pitched only 42.2 innings. Yesavage had a bit of a postseason hangover, posting a 3.69 ERA in 93 innings and ranking 179th among pitchers in Yahoo 5×5 category scoring. Perez was the best of the bunch, ranking 43rd. However, his value seemed more tied to strikeouts (170) and innings (153) rather than ERA (3.91). Snell seemed to be trending best among Yesavage and Perez at the end of the season, but the injury risk is so high with the lefty. Adam seemed to realize that and picked up pitching with his next four picks.
Rounds 11-15
This is the range where teams typically build up their rotations and bullpens, and this year was no different. Fantasy managers selected 35 pitchers between rounds 11 and 15. It also seemed like many managers had favorite picks in this range.
Kyle and Nate from The Approach Angle said, “Mason Montgomery, 130th overall, but as the 10th closer off the board, felt like a steal given his upside.” Steve and Van from Wins Above Fantasy pointed out Jake Bauers at No. 166, saying, “felt like a steal almost 100 picks after Alec Burleson with a pretty similar output if not higher upside in the HR/SBs.” Eric from On the Corner was enthralled with his Emmett Sheehan pick at No. 173, saying, “He has good stuff, he misses bats, he has four consistent pitches, he can get whiffs with his fastball, he has a secondary for strikes, he plays for one of the best teams in baseball. It should work. I think it’s going to work. He’s just 26 years old and was in his first full MLB season. Getting him at 173 feels like a really great bet on that upside.”
Mike and Matt of Destination Dynasty hadn’t gotten much recognition in the early rounds, but selecting Chase DeLauter at No. 161 felt like a steal and could be one of the draft’s better values. They said, “Durability is the biggest issue for DeLauter, but when healthy he can provide elite four-category production.” If the Guardians can spend some money and add some more hitting talent to the lineup, DeLauter’s stock will only go up. He ranked 79th in Yahoo 5×5 category scoring among hitters last year, ahead of other outfielders like Jo Adell (83rd), Brandon Marsh (89th), and Garrett Mitchell (92nd).
Rounds 16-23
Pitcher List’s fearless leader, Nick from the Plus Pitch Podcast, made an intriguing run in this range, especially with the hitters he drafted. He selected Mike Trout (16th round), Spencer Jones (18th round), Jackson Holliday (20th round), and Adley Rutschman (23rd). Based on Yahoo 5×5 category scoring rankings among hitters, Trout ranked 94th, Jones 197th, and Jackson and Adley were outside the Top-200. That said, I think this quartet of late-round hitters has real power upside. Adley will have adjusted to Boston (he struggled initially after being traded from Baltimore), Jones will have a year under his belt in the Bronx, Holliday is in a “make-or-break” year, and Trout is a 20+ HR threat with 10+ SB upside.
Carson from In the Shallows went bold with prospect picks in these late rounds. In the 16th, he selected Minnesota’s Walker Jenkins, the Twins’ No. 1 prospect who hit .226 in his Big League debut last year. In the 21st round, he selected the Athletics shortstop Leo De Vries. De Vries hasn’t played beyond Double-A ball, but he hit .290 with 13 homers and 34 stolen bases in 428 plate appearances with Midland last year. And even though this was in the 15th round, Carson also picked up Jesús Made, the Brewers’ No. 1 prospect who hit 14 homers and stole 37 bases in Double-A Biloxi.
Safe to say, In the Shallows cornered most of the late-round prospect capital, a high-risk strategy for re-draft leagues.
Two interesting last-round project arms selected in this Mock Draft were Lucas Erceg (268th overall) and Evan Phillips (276th).
Erceg was horrible last year, but after a short stint in Omaha, he returned to Kansas City with rejuvenated stuff. Without a set closer, Erceg could get back in the mix, and Eno drafting him here makes me think his stuff could finally come together and get him back to 2024 form. As for Phillips, he doesn’t have a team, but he feels like a guy who could go to the Rays or Guardians and suddenly thrive in the bullpen. The stuff has always been there, but the health has not. With the right team, he could finally put together a year the Dodgers couldn’t get from him in the last couple of years because of injury.
Undrafted Players
The catching position seemed to produce the most undrafted players in this mock draft. Kyle Teel was a notable name undrafted, and his injury-plagued 2026 season was probably the reason. Unless the White Sox pick up a catcher in free agency, I think Teel has a path to get a lot of at-bats and production. His barrel and hard-hit rates were still solid last year, and I think Teel has 15-20 HR potential at minimum.
Francisco Alvarez and Salvador Perez were also notable catchers who went undrafted. Alvarez still hit 16 home runs in 420 plate appearances, and Salvy hit 21 in 627. With the right roles and adjustments, both catchers have 20+ HR potential in 2027.
On the pitching end, Shane Bieber, Zac Gallen, and Jack Flaherty were notable names not selected. All three pitchers have injury histories and are probably in the twilight of their careers. That said, all three have pedigree, and all are free agents. It would be interesting to see if a new team could tap into their potential again and get them back to their previous forms in some capacity, even if it’s not for a full season. While I wouldn’t build my team around these guys, I also think they’re worth last-round dart throws, especially if pitching-savvy clubs sign them.
Biggest Lessons of the Draft
Here are some lessons learned from managers who participated in this Mock Draft.
- Wins Above Fantasy (Steve and Van): May have to pay up for pitching. A lot more infield spots feel more shallow than usual.
- The Craft (Eno): Closer and catcher are decently deep, and you can wait a bit there, but if you want a real second closer, those run out fast. It’s not much of a problem in a league like this, but trying to get a starting pitcher without a hefty injury risk is pretty futile after a few rounds. Oh, and third base sucks.
- On the Corner (Eric): Waiting on pitching the way to go. So many guys I think could be top 15 arms went outside of the first 6 rounds: Joe Ryan, Jacob deGrom, Braxton Ashcraft, Griffin Jax, Jared Jones, Eury Pérez, Carlos Rodón. Also, speed seemed to dry up very fast.
- Week in Fantasy (John and Patrick): Patrick: One of my biggest lessons would probably be to push up guys with positional flexibility a little more because it almost always felt like the ones I would have wanted at our pick went earlier than I was expecting. For example, Kevin McGonigle (SS/3B eligible) went at 4.12, and we ended up selecting a 3B (Machado) and SS (Turner) with our next two picks. Having him locked in at one of those two spots would have offered some nice flexibility.
- First Pitch Podcast (Jake): Lock in a second baseman early and trust that I can find the discounted starters later on. Second base drops off so early, and I think I could’ve gotten a huge advantage by drafting one of the rare elite options early. There were plenty of solid starting options later in the draft, and the high-upside pitchers all went later in the draft. I feel like I could’ve gotten away with drafting more elite batters in the top 100 before focusing all my attention on pitching in the middle rounds.
- The Shallows (Carson and Erik): Buy the dip! So many players went on discount relative to their 2026 draft value. That’s when you want to invest in a player! Barring major injury, age, or major skills regression, a player’s actual talent level doesn’t fluctuate that much year to year, especially established players. There are obviously outliers (2025 Cal Raleigh & 2026 Vlad Jr.), so when a player who was drafted in the first round the last couple years drops to the third, you have to strike (i.e. Skenes, Acuna, J-Rod).
- In the Pen (Rick): I didn’t draft a closer early for the sake of this mock draft, but it feels deep right now (that will likely change after November). OF and SP are deep. Catcher feels pretty good right now in one-catcher leagues. SS is very deep
