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Andy reviews the RotoBaller staff's 2026 fantasy baseball mock draft for roto leagues. Read his favorite picks, draft sleepers, values and draft strategies.
Hey RotoBallers! Fantasy baseball season is in full swing (pun intended), and it's time to begin enacting our offseason research into mock drafts. Mock drafts are the perfect way for you to simulate a real-draft experience and get a feel of which players will be available for you at your respective picks. This is now my third-straight season writing this piece for RotoBaller, and it has become a wonderful yearly tradition.
This past week, 12 members from the RotoBaller baseball staff participated in a standard 5x5 mock draft. This was a slow draft that began on February 12 and concluded on Friday, February 20. In this piece, I will spotlight some of my favorite picks from the first six rounds and discuss different roster construction strategies. Is this the year to fade pitchers? How early should you take a relief pitcher? Which infield positions do you need to target within the opening rounds?
I will look to answer all of those questions below. Be sure to follow RotoBaller MLB on X for access to all of our league-winning content, and drop any questions your way to me @A_Smith_FS. Let's dive in!
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The RotoBaller Mock Draft Participants
- Zach Thompson
- Jarod Rupp
- Andy Smith
- Marty Tallman
- Eric Cross
- JB Branson
- Nicho Roessler
- Mike Carter
- Ryan Kirksey
- Jeremy Heist
- Kevin Luo
- Brad Camara
The RotoBaller Mock Draft Board
Round 1 - Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Garrett Crochet: Pick 1.09 - Ryan Kirksey
ADP: 11
The first round went primarily "chalk." However, the two picks that stood out were back-to-back in the nine and 10 slot. Kirksey went a little off the board and took Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet in the ninth slot, a few picks ahead of his ADP.
Crochet smashed all expectations in his first "full" season as a starter, as he logged 205 1/3 innings to the tune of a 2.59 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP. The southpaw posted an elite 31.3% K% while holding a dominant 5.7% BB%. While Tarik Skubal will likely be the first pitcher selected in all leagues (he went No. 6 overall in ours), the debate for the No. 2 pitcher is heated.
Paul Skenes should possess a higher floor in terms of ratios, but when looking for upside, especially in the strikeout department, Crochet should be your target. If you are not intrigued by the outfielders in this range (Kyle Tucker, Julio Rodriguez, Corbin Carroll), daft Crochet with confidence.
Julio Rodriguez: Pick 1.10 - Jeremy Heist
ADP: 11.2
The other player who went slightly earlier than his ADP was Rodriguez. Rodriguez has flashed immense upside throughout his MLB career, but has yet to fully put together a full 162-game season. Despite his typical inconsistent first half, Rodriguez has been able to finish the season with an elite stat line, worthy of a late-first/early-second round selection.
Throughout his career, Rodriguez has held a modest .253/.312/.399 line with a .711 OPS from March through June. However, from July through the end of the regular season, Rodriguez has looked like a superstar, carrying a .299/.354/.552 line with a .906 OPS.
Last season, he was slightly more productive in the first half with a .730 OPS, but it was still much lower than his .901 OPS in the back half. If the 25-year-old can avoid another slow start, he could be a top-5 pick next season.
Round 2 - Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Corbin Carroll: Pick 2.08 - Eric Cross
ADP: 6.6
This was the round of injury discounts. A consensus top-7 player fell to the 20th overall pick. Cross got one of the best values in the entire pool by adding Corbin Carroll nearly an entire round after his typical ADP. While Carroll is currently dealing with a hamate bone injury, there is a strong belief that the superstar may be ready for Opening Day. Even if he were to miss the start of the season, he would likely avoid a lengthy absence and may only miss a handful of games.
When active, Carroll is one of the few legit five-category contributors in the game. Last season, the former top prospect enjoyed a breakout season from a power perspective, hitting 31 home runs with 32 stolen bases and a .259/.343/.541 line. If the Diamondbacks continue to express optimism regarding his health, expect Carroll to creep back into the opening round.
Corbin Carroll Targeting Opening Day Returnhttps://t.co/prMBHw8XcE
— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) February 19, 2026
Francisco Lindor: Pick 2.09 - Marty Tallman
ADP: 15.0
The other major injury scare of early spring training was New York's Francisco Lindor. Lindor, who is also recovering from a hamate bone injury, remains "on track" for Opening Day but, like Carroll, has an outcome in which he may miss the first week of action. However, Lindor dropped in our mock draft, falling nearly six picks later than his typical ADP.
The shortstop has launched 30+ long balls in three straight seasons and has hit the 30-SB mark in all but one of them. During these three years, Lindor has posted a .265 AVG while scoring 110.7 runs and recording 91.7 RBI per season. While Lindor's run total was projected to decrease following the departures of Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo, the Mets brought in Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. to offset any noticeable losses.
Similar to Carroll, if Lindor misses a short period and does not take long to find his footing, Tallman likely secured a first-round asset in the back half of the second round.
Round 3 - Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Yordan Alvarez: Pick 3.03 - Andy Smith
ADP: 32.2
The phrase "get your guys" should always take precedence over ADP, especially if you are drafting near the front or back ends of the draft. Since I was sitting at the third slot, I knew that one of "my guys," Yordan Alvarez, was not going to make it back to me in the fourth round. If I wanted him, I needed to reach him at 3.03 to secure his services.
While he only possesses utility eligibility to begin the season, there are some discussions in Houston that he may pick up outfield eligibility (by playing left field) sooner rather than later, given Houston's current roster. Prior to his injury-plagued 2025 season (48 games), Alvarez averaged 135 games per season (from 2021-2024) while posting a .296/.387/.571 line with 34 HRs per season.
When healthy, Alvarez is a first-round caliber bat, and you can acquire him near the end of Round 3 on most platforms. He is one of the true high-impact players that you can acquire outside of the top-30 picks.
Yordan Alvarez to See Time in Left Field? https://t.co/QjG91Ad3eP
— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) February 20, 2026
Wyatt Langford: Pick 3.11 - Kevin Luo
ADP: 51.2
Following a similar theme, Luo also selected one of "his guys," Wyatt Langford, with the 35th overall pick, nearly 15 slots higher than his current ADP. While he may have been able to draft Langford in Round 4, the team picking at the 12 slot (Brad Camara) did not have an outfielder yet and may have opted to select Langford there.
The former Florida standout has an elite raw profile and could take a major step forward in Year 3. Last season, Langford held a .241/.344/.431 line with 22 home runs and 22 stolen bases. However, under the hood, the 24-year-old generated an above-average .346 xwOBA with a stelar 14.0% barrel rate. Langford has 30/30 upside entering his third MLB campaign.
Round 4 - Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Roman Anthony: Pick 4.01 - Brad Camara
ADP: 50.0
Camara kicked off Round 4 with one of the game's budding stars in Roman Anthony at pick 37, almost an entire round before his cumulative ADP. Anthony spent nearly half the season in Boston did not disappoint. Through his first 71 games in the majors, the former No. 1 prospect held a .292/.396/.463 slash line with eight long balls and four stolen bases.
Under the hood, Anthony generated a remarkable .372 xwOBA with an eye-catching 60.3% hard-hit rate. While he posted a high 27.7% K%, he drew walks at a 13.2% rate, which kept his run total high. While the cost may seem high for a prospect that does not have much MLB experience, he has the talent to provide top-10 upside at the outfield position.
Bryce Harper: Pick 4.12 - Zach Thompson
ADP: 37.2
While Camara reached for Anthony, Thompson did the opposite with Bryce Harper. Sitting at the back-end of the round (48th overall), Thompson acquired the veteran first baseman at a nice discount, just about 10 picks later than his cumulative ADP.
While there have been some gradual signs of decline as he enters his age-33 season, Harper still possesses elite upside at this position. Last season, he posted a .261/.357/.487 line with 27 home runs and 12 stolen bases across 132 games. However, he generated a higher .268 xBA with a 77th percentile hard-hit rate and barrel rate, suggesting he could return to the 30+ HR upside he showed back in 2024.
Additionally, not many first basemen have a double-digit steals profile, but Harper has hit this mark in four of his last five seasons. While he may not be the flashy pick he was earlier in his career, Harper can still provide immense value, especially if he can find him near the back-half of Round 4, even if he fails to hit the 140-game mark again.
Round 5 - Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Jackson Merrill: Pick 5.07 - Nicho Roessler
ADP: 64.8
While we have already identified those who "reached" for a breakout pick, let's spotlight the idea of reaching on a bounce-back candidate. Jackson Merrill smashed all expectations in his debut season, posting a .292/.326/.500 line with 24 home runs and 16 stolen bases. The Padres did not put any training wheels on Merrill as he appeared in 156 games and showed gradual improvement throughout the season.
In the second half of that season, he posted a remarkable .314/.349/.516 line. However, in 2025, his sophomore season was derailed by injuries. While he enjoyed a hot start (.378/.415/.676 line over his first 10 games), he would suffer a hamstring injury. The following month, Merrill would suffer a concussion, which would further keep him on the shelf.
Through 115 games, Merrill would still be productive, carrying a .264/.317/.457 line with 16 home runs, but only swiped one base. With a healthy offseason, expect Merrill to provide immense value at his current 64.8 ADP. Rosessler selected him nine slots higher, but there is a strong possibility he would not have made it back to his next selection. When healthy, Merrill has the skill set to be a top-25 hitter in rotisserie leagues.
Round 6 - Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft
Kyle Bradish: Pick 6.02 - Kevin Luo
ADP: 84.4
Let's talk about one of the most breakout picks at the starting pitcher position. Sitting at the 62nd slot, Luo once again put his chips in to select Baltimore right-hander Kyle Bradish nearly 20 picks higher than his ADP. Bradish underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024 but returned in late 2025, setting up the possibility for a career season in 2026.
Before the injury in 2024, Bradish logged 39 1/3 innings with a 2.75 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 32.5% K%. In 2025, Bradish looked even more dominant, holding a 2.53 ERA and 1.03 WHIP with a career-best 37.5% K%.
While there is concern for an innings limit as he continues to build up, Luo may have secured a sleeper for the AL Cy Young if everything goes right. Fortunately, Luo already acquired a true ace in Bryan Woo (Round 4), which provides Luo with some leeway if Bradish does not hit the "ace" workload. If Bradish lives up to his breakout title, Luo may have secured two top-10 starting pitchers.
Kyle Bradish Expects to Pitch on Innings Limit in 2026https://t.co/X1a3SLSICO
— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) February 16, 2026
Vinnie Pasquantino: Pick 6.05 - Mike Carter
ADP: 78.6
The final pick we will spotlight is Mike Carter's sixth-round selection. Sitting at the 65th overall pick, Carter went just above a round higher on ADP by being selected by the Royals' first baseman, Vinnie Pasquantino. Pasquantino finally put together a complete season in 2025, logging a career-high 160 games with a .264/.323/.475 line with 32 home runs, 119 RBI, and 72 runs.
However, while Carter may have been able to acquire Pasquantino in his Round 7 selection, first basemen were flying off the board, and Carter did not want to fall behind in that position. Just a few picks earlier (58th overall), Heist selected Josh Naylor, leaving Pasquantino as one of the few true, reliable first basemen on the board.
Given the lack of depth at that position, Carter was willing to go above ADP to secure one of the remaining high-end assets. This is a concept we will spotlight below, as it is crucial to monitor positional accuracy during the draft to avoid falling behind at a given position.
With the top-6 rounds out of the way, let's get to the nitty-gritty. In this standard rotisserie mock draft, every roster must fill five starting outfield spots, meaning that there will be 75 outfielders listed as starters, with a potential for a handful more in the utility spots. This means that targeting the outfield position early can go a long way in roster construction.
Entering the draft, I wanted to emphasize this position, but unfortunately, sometimes your pre-draft plan can get thrown out the window. As shown in the results, I did not select my first outfielder until Round 6 in Toronto's George Springer. In fact, Thompson waited a few rounds longer (Round 10) to select Lawrence Butler as his OF1.
Did this strategy pay off? It's hard to say before our regular season begins, but from a pure roster-construction perspective, I made it more challenging than it needed to be. Given that I involuntarily faded the position, I emphasized the "high-floor" options at the position, like Ian Happ, Teoscar Hernandez, and Jose Altuve (drafted as a 2B but later shifted to OF), to offset this construction.
I was unable to take major risks at this position and needed to draft the "safe" players." However, I could receive a major boost if Alvarez logs 10 games in the outfield, as he is projected to do so.
Thompson did the opposite approach; he faded the position but still targeted the high-upside options like Butler, Chandler, Simpson, and Daulton Varsho.
In hindsight, I would have preferred to target an outfielder in the opening rounds, as one injury to Springer or Alvarez could quickly derail this roster. Instead, managers should take inspiration from Rupp, Branson, Roessler, Carter, Heist, Luo, and Camara, as they all selected at least two outfitters in the first five rounds.
In standard leagues, managers looking to keep themselves on track should hope to exit Round 4 with at least one outfielder on their roster to avoid centering their entire mid-round strategy on outfielders as I did. You want to keep all options open in the draft, and completely fading a position like outfield can put yourself in a hole much earlier than you would wish.
Pitching: Focus or Fade in 2026?
Similar to outfield, the other position managers need to put a hayv pemhii on is pitching. Let's take a look at some unique roster strategies that were employed among starters and relievers.
Starting Pitchers
Like last year's mock draft, I approached this draft with a heavy emphasis on hitters and instead filled my starting rotation with pitchers who either have high-end strikeout upside or elite WHIP upside, as that is typically one of the hardest ratios to piece together throughout the season.
In Round 4, we saw Luo, Heist, Roessler, Cross, Tallman, and me each find our SP1, with my selection coming at the end of this run in Hunter Greene. I was eyeing several of the pitchers in this round as they all fit my target of a high-end strikeout option.
Greene has yet to log over 151 innings in a single season, but has flashed elite strike potential when on the mound and could compete for the strikeout crown if he can hit the 170-inning mark. Earlier in this round, we saw pitchers like Cole Ragans, Chris Sale, and Woo get taken off the board, who fit a similar profile of my ideal SP1 (not counting the "big three" in Round 1).
However, after taking Greene, I faded the position to continue stacking hitters and did not find my SP2 until Round 8 in Kevin Gausman. Gausman is a high-volume arm that will not only rack up just under 200 punchouts but also has the upside to post an elite WHIP, as evidenced by his 1.06 WHIP last season.
I would later pair Greene and Gausman with Blake Snell (at a massive injury discount) at pick 147 (69.4 ADP), and Zack Wheeler pick 142 (131.2 ADP), both of which have elite strike potential, which will keep me aloft in that category despite not heavily targeting the position in the early rounds. Wheeler also possesses elite command that should stabilize my WHIP if Snell struggles after his return from injury.
Zack Wheeler is the biggest sleeper in @TheReal_NFC drafts ➡️
Since 2/1, he’s the P49
Going AFTER volatile arms like:
Misiorowski
Snell 🫤
Strider 📉Before being shut down last season...
2.71 ERA (2.49 xERA)
0.94 WHIP
33.3% K% in 149.2 IP pic.twitter.com/6JPZN8Gk6x— Andy Smith (@A_Smith_FS) February 22, 2026
While it may seem I faded the position, Branson took it a notch further, not finding his SP2 until Round 9 with Tyler Glasnow. While he would go back-to-back with his SP3 in Round 10, unfortunately, he selected Pablo Lopez, who is set to undergo Tommy John surgery. Despite him being projected to finish at the bottom of the sitkroeut totals, he will likely dominate the pitching ratios (more on that later).
Relief Pitchers
The other component of building your pitching staff is the relievers. With this being a "saves only" league, managers prioritized the elite ninth-inning options, and we began to see them go off the board as early as Round 7.
In this round, both Carter and I kicked off the closer run with Edwin Diaz and Mason Miller. Both of these pitchers have 30+ save outcomes and should provide elite strikeout totals along the way. In Rounds 8 through 13, most managers secured at least their RP1, while one team already had two (Tallman), in Jhoan Duran and Ryan Helsley.
Roessler opted to fade this position as he would not find his RP1 until Round 15. However, he made sure to target a high-volume source for saves. Carlos Estevez led the MLB in saves last season (with 42) and held a 2.45 ERa with a 1.06 WHIP. While he will likely face some prominent regression (3.69 xERA), ATC still projects him to tally 32 saves, the fifth-most in the major leagues.
Thompson opted to complete fade this position as he did not select a single "RP" until the final round in Payton Tolle. However, Tolle is projected to operate as a starter in 2026, leaving Thompson with zero save contributors to begin the season. However, given the position's volatility, this bold strategy could pay off.
Last season, we saw Emilio Pagan quickly emerge in a crowded Cincinnati bullpen and finish the season with 32 saves. Thompson was able to build a potent lineup with high-end starters instead. If he can find two viable save sources on the waiver wire, he could make a strong run for the title.
However, Branson's strategy was the most unique and could be the most successful. Branson played the "waiting game" and grabbed Devin Williams as one of the final "RP1s" and paired him with Kenley Jansen and Josh Hader, who he selected at a great injury discount at pick 174 (87.6 ADP). Hader may miss Opening Day, but like the previous note on Carroll and Lindor, fantasy baseball is a marathon, not a sprint, and Branson may have three 25+ save relievers on his team.
In the final rounds, he opted to bolster his pitching staff with some of the game's most dominant setup options in Matt Brash, Garrett Cleavinger, and Grant Taylor. These relievers are elite handcuffs in their own bullpens but can also be paired to form "FrankenAces," as noted in his popular bullpen strategy.
As shown, it is completely viable to fade starting pitchers. However, you must be very selective when doing so. Make sure your "SP1" has just as much upside as the high-end options (like Ragans or Greene) and pair them with other high-end strikeout pitchers in the middle rounds that won't tank your WHIP ratio.
Enacting the late-round FrankenAce strategy as Branson did can not only help you save your ratios but also give you an "ace" at a very low cost.
How to Target The Infield?
Let's round this out with some quick thoughts on each of the infield positions and determine what strategy managers should plan on utilizing in their upcoming drafts.
The Deepest Position
The shortstop position is the deepest in the 2026 player pool. As shown in the results, even managers who opted for a soft fade at the position will still start players like Corey Seager, Geraldo Perdomo, and Jeremy Pena weekly. However, the one manager who opted to avoid this position was Roessler. who found his shortstops in Round 21 and 22 in JJ Wetherholt and Carlos Correa.
Wetherholt, a top prospect, is all but guaranteed to make the Opening Day roster, but pairing him with a high-floor option in Correa does provide Roessler with some roster security in case Wetherholt stumbles out of the gate.
Managers should prioritize one of the five-category stars at the position in the early rounds, but should view Seager, Swanson, Pena, and Adames as viable fall-back options.
Don't Wait for Third Base
My major regret was not targeting the third base position earlier. This season, third base is looking exceptionally top-heavy, headed by Jose Ramirez, Junior Caminero, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Manny Machado. However, after those elite assets, there are a handful of mid-tier fall-backs, but all come with major concerns.
Eugenio Suarez could be a detriment in batting average, while Alex Bregman could see his power numbers decline in his move to Wrigley Field. If you wait even longer, you may end up with Isaac Paredes as your starting 3B, as I did. While the upside is there, Paredes is at major risk of not having an everyday role, which would make a top-12 finish all but impossible.
Managers should emphasize not leaving Rounds 7-9 without a starting third baseman. This position quickly bottoms out and does not offer the same high-floor sleeper options as second base, first base, or catcher does.
While there are a handful of needy late-round targets like Kazuma Okamoto, he has seen his ADP rise significantly since the start of the month and is quickly moving out of corner infield territory and into low-end 3B1 territory.
Second Base - Surprisingly Deep?
As noted above, second base may seem top-heavy like third base, but it surprisingly has a lot of depth, making it a sneaky "punt" position. After Round 10, Cross, Roessler, Carter, Heist, Luo, and Camara did not have their "starting second baseman," but still managed to find viable options. In Round 11, we saw Ozzie Albies and Brandon Lowe go off the board.
Albies is a prime bounce-back target, while Lowe has the skill set to lead the position in home runs. Later in Round 13, Carter selected Bryson Stott, who brings elite speed upside with a high total of counting stats. However, my favorite later-round options at the position were selected in Round 17 in Gleyber Torres and Marcus Semien.
I selected Torres as my "middle infielder" but quickly shifted Altuve to the outfield, which made Torres my "2B." Torres held a .256 AVG with 16 HR, 79 runs, and 64 RBI in his first season in Detroit. While he will only have a handful of steals, his .269 xBA suggests the .270 AVG he produced earlier in his career is possible in 2026 while accumulating 150 runs + RBI in this potent Detroit lineup.
ATC projections support Torres as a top sleeper at this position as he projects the former Yankee to hold a .257/.343/.401 line with 79 R, 69 RBI, 17 HR, and five stolen bases, and is currently ranked as his No. 5 overall 2B.
Roessler found his second baseman in Semien a few picks later. Semien is a prime bounce-back candidate as he joins one of the better lineups in baseball. After posting a .230 AVG with only 15 HRs, the 35-year-old could easily return to his 20+ HR upside with a .250+ AVG in a change of scenery. Semien possesses higher stolen base upside, making him a strong, well-rounded target for category leagues.
While it may be tempting to target the high-end options, don't be afraid to punt this position and select a high-floor asset in the double-digit rounds.
The Crowns of the Infield (C, 1B)
We will combine the first base and catcher positions, as both are very deep heading into 2026. While first base may seem somewhat "top-heavy" like second base, managers who opt to avoid the early-round staples can still find high-end production at this position. Rupp executed this strategy quite well by finding Alec Burleson and Jonathan Aranda in Rounds 16 and 17.
Aranda placed in the 96th percentile in xwOBA and hard-hit rate and could produce a +.300 AVG with a 20+ HR season.
Jonathan Aranda a Potential Breakout Candidate in Full-Time Role https://t.co/2XEThQpIvc
— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) January 27, 2026
The catcher position is as deep as it ever has been in decades. While I entered this draft with a strict plan to target a late-round option, Cal Raleigh, the position's consensus No. 1 player, fell to me much lower than his current ADP (15.0) at pick 22. Sometimes, you have to abandon your pre-draft strategy, especially when values like this are on the board.
Past Round 10, Branson, Camara, Luo, Cross, Rupp, Carter, and Heist all found their starting catcher and still landed a decent option. Luo opted to pair two of the position's budding stars, Carter Jensen and Samuel Basallo. While there is some risk there, both are projected to see everyday at-bats on their respective teams.
Camara's selection of Salvador Perez (pick 157) was one of the best true value picks of the draft, compared to his 106.2 ADP. Perez, despite being 35 years old, has hit 25+ HRs in back-to-back seasons and should earn high-end counting stats in an improving Kansas City lineup.
Managers should enter the draft with a plan at each position, but should not panic if they see their targets fly off the board. However, while most infield positions (C, 1B, 2B, SS) have several reliable deep options, third base is quite shallow and should be a higher priority for managers in the first seven-to-eight rounds.
Participating in mock drafts like this can best prepare you for the twists and turns that come during the real draft.
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