There's no better way to prepare for the fantasy baseball season than with a mock draft. Getting into a real draft with real people and going through each pick gives you a unique experience that can teach you about the draft trends you'll need to know before your real leagues get underway.
For example ... how far does Francisco Lindor fall? Where do the elite starting pitchers and closers land? When should you take your catcher? Cheat sheets and rankings simply won't tell you these sorts of details, but a few mock drafts will give you a great idea.
Our ESPN Fantasy staff got together for our first draft of the season, a 10-team roto mock. The drafters were: Kyle Soppe, Pierre Becquey, Tim Heaney, AJ Mass, Damian Dabrowski, Leo Howell, Todd Zola, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Joe Kaiser and Eric Karabell.
Round 1 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (1). Mike Trout , LAA OF (1) Kyle Soppe 2 (2). Jose Ramirez , CLE 3B (1) Pierre Becquey 3 (3). Mookie Betts , BOS OF (2) Tim Heaney 4 (4). J.D. Martinez , BOS OF (3) AJ Mass 5 (5). Max Scherzer , WSH SP (1) Damian Dabrowski 6 (6). Chris Sale , BOS SP (2) Leo Howell 7 (7). Nolan Arenado , COL 3B (2) Todd Zola 8 (8). Trea Turner , WSH SS (1) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (9). Jose Altuve , HOU 2B (1) Joe Kaiser 10 (10). Alex Bregman , HOU SS (2) Eric Karabell
Round 2 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (11). Manny Machado , SD SS (3) Eric Karabell 2 (12). Christian Yelich , MIL OF (4) Joe Kaiser 3 (13). Jacob deGrom , NYM SP (3) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (14). Giancarlo Stanton , NYY OF (5) Todd Zola 5 (15). Francisco Lindor , CLE SS (4) Leo Howell 6 (16). Ronald Acuna Jr ., ATL OF (6) Damian Dabrowski 7 (17). Corey Kluber , CLE SP (4) AJ Mass 8 (18). Aaron Judge , NYY OF (7) Tim Heaney 9 (19). Javier Baez , CHC SS (5) Pierre Becquey 10 (20). Aaron Nola , PHI SP (5) Kyle Soppe
Round 3 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (21). Justin Verlander , HOU SP (6) Kyle Soppe 2 (22). Clayton Kershaw , LAD SP (7) Pierre Becquey 3 (23). Trevor Story , COL SS (6) Tim Heaney 4 (24). Paul Goldschmidt , STL 1B (1) AJ Mass 5 (25). Bryce Harper , FA OF (8) Damian Dabrowski 6 (26). Andrew Benintendi , BOS OF (9) Leo Howell 7 (27). Freddie Freeman , ATL 1B (2) Todd Zola 8 (28). Kris Bryant , CHC 3B (3) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (29). Carlos Correa , HOU SS (7) Joe Kaiser 10 (30). Starling Marte , PIT OF (10) Eric Karabell
Round 4 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (31). Whit Merrifield , KC 2B (2) Eric Karabell 2 (32). Charlie Blackmon , COL OF (11) Joe Kaiser 3 (33). Juan Soto , WSH OF (12) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (34). Gerrit Cole , HOU SP (8) Todd Zola 5 (35). Cody Bellinger , LAD 1B (3) Leo Howell 6 (36). Blake Snell , TB SP (9) Damian Dabrowski 7 (37). Noah Syndergaard , NYM SP (10) AJ Mass 8 (38). Carlos Carrasco , CLE SP (11) Tim Heaney 9 (39). Khris Davis , OAK DH (1) Pierre Becquey 10 (40). Anthony Rizzo , CHC 1B (4) Kyle Soppe
Round 5 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (41). Anthony Rendon , WSH 3B (4) Kyle Soppe 2 (42). Luis Severino , NYY SP (12) Pierre Becquey 3 (43). Walker Buehler , LAD SP (13) Tim Heaney 4 (44). Marcell Ozuna , STL OF (13) AJ Mass 5 (45). Rhys Hoskins , PHI OF (14) Damian Dabrowski 6 (46). Nicholas Castellanos , DET OF (15) Leo Howell 7 (47). Adalberto Mondesi , KC SS (8) Todd Zola 8 (48). Trevor Bauer , CLE SP (14) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (49). James Paxton , NYY SP (15) Joe Kaiser 10 (50). George Springer , HOU OF (16) Eric Karabell
Round 6 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (51). Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR 3B (5) Eric Karabell 2 (52). Edwin Diaz , NYM RP (1) Joe Kaiser 3 (53). Joey Votto , CIN 1B (5) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (54). Jameson Taillon , PIT SP (16) Todd Zola 5 (55). Eugenio Suarez , CIN 3B (6) Leo Howell 6 (56). Xander Bogaerts , BOS SS (9) Damian Dabrowski 7 (57). Craig Kimbrel , FA RP (2) AJ Mass 8 (58). Kenley Jansen , LAD RP (3) Tim Heaney 9 (59). Jean Segura , PHI SS (10) Pierre Becquey 10 (60). Ozzie Albies , ATL 2B (3) Kyle Soppe
Round 7 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (61). Lorenzo Cain , MIL OF (17) Kyle Soppe 2 (62). Patrick Corbin , WSH SP (17) Pierre Becquey 3 (63). Corey Seager , LAD SS (11) Tim Heaney 4 (64). Jack Flaherty , STL SP (18) AJ Mass 5 (65). Blake Treinen , OAK RP (4) Damian Dabrowski 6 (66). Stephen Strasburg , WSH SP (19) Leo Howell 7 (67). Mitch Haniger , SEA OF (18) Todd Zola 8 (68). Gleyber Torres , NYY SS (12) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (69). Aroldis Chapman , NYY RP (5) Joe Kaiser 10 (70). Jose Abreu , CWS 1B (6) Eric Karabell
Round 8 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (71). Zack Greinke , ARI SP (20) Eric Karabell 2 (72). Nelson Cruz , MIN DH (2) Joe Kaiser 3 (73). Michael Conforto , NYM OF (19) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (74). Tommy Pham , TB OF (20) Todd Zola 5 (75). Eddie Rosario , MIN OF (21) Leo Howell 6 (76). Daniel Murphy , COL 2B (4) Damian Dabrowski 7 (77). Matt Carpenter , STL 3B (7) AJ Mass 8 (78). Mike Clevinger , CLE SP (21) Tim Heaney 9 (79). Scooter Gennett , CIN 2B (5) Pierre Becquey 10 (80). Michael Brantley , HOU OF (22) Kyle Soppe
Round 9 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (81). Jesus Aguilar , MIL 1B (7) Kyle Soppe 2 (82). J.T. Realmuto , PHI C (1) Pierre Becquey 3 (83). Wil Myers , SD 3B (8) Tim Heaney 4 (84). Matt Chapman , OAK 3B (9) AJ Mass 5 (85). Jose Berrios , MIN SP (22) Damian Dabrowski 6 (86). Dee Gordon , SEA 2B (6) Leo Howell 7 (87). Jonathan Villar , BAL 2B (7) Todd Zola 8 (88). Felipe Vazquez , PIT RP (6) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (89). David Robertson , PHI RP (7) Joe Kaiser 10 (90). Madison Bumgarner , SF SP (23) Eric Karabell
Round 10 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (91). Mike Foltynewicz , ATL SP (24) Eric Karabell 2 (92). Miguel Andujar , NYY 3B (10) Joe Kaiser 3 (93). Yasiel Puig , CIN OF (23) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (94). Brad Hand , CLE RP (8) Todd Zola 5 (95). Justin Turner , LAD 3B (11) Leo Howell 6 (96). Gary Sanchez , NYY C (2) Damian Dabrowski 7 (97). Raisel Iglesias , CIN RP (9) AJ Mass 8 (98). David Dahl , COL OF (24) Tim Heaney 9 (99). Justin Upton , LAA OF (25) Pierre Becquey 10 (100). David Price , BOS SP (25) Kyle Soppe
Round 11 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (101). Roberto Osuna , HOU RP (10) Kyle Soppe 2 (102). Josh Donaldson , ATL 3B (12) Pierre Becquey 3 (103). Travis Shaw , MIL 2B (8) Tim Heaney 4 (104). Joey Gallo , TEX OF (26) AJ Mass 5 (105). A.J. Pollock , LAD OF (27) Damian Dabrowski 6 (106). Sean Doolittle , WSH RP (11) Leo Howell 7 (107). Zack Wheeler , NYM SP (26) Todd Zola 8 (108). Jose Peraza , CIN SS (13) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (109). Robinson Cano , NYM 2B (9) Joe Kaiser 10 (110). Edwin Encarnacion , SEA 1B (8) Eric Karabell
Round 12 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (111). Masahiro Tanaka , NYY SP (27) Eric Karabell 2 (112). Josh Hader , MIL RP (12) Joe Kaiser 3 (113). Aaron Hicks , NYY OF (28) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (114). Kirby Yates , SD RP (13) Todd Zola 5 (115). Ken Giles , TOR RP (14) Leo Howell 6 (116). Jose Leclerc , TEX RP (15) Damian Dabrowski 7 (117). Ian Desmond , COL 1B (9) AJ Mass 8 (118). Corey Knebel , MIL RP (16) Tim Heaney 9 (119). Mallex Smith , SEA OF (29) Pierre Becquey 10 (120). David Peralta , ARI OF (30) Kyle Soppe
Round 13 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (121). Brian Dozier , WSH 2B (10) Kyle Soppe 2 (122). Charlie Morton , TB SP (28) Pierre Becquey 3 (123). Max Muncy , LAD 3B (13) Tim Heaney 4 (124). Victor Robles , WSH OF (31) AJ Mass 5 (125). Matt Olson , OAK 1B (10) Damian Dabrowski 6 (126). Tim Anderson , CWS SS (14) Leo Howell 7 (127). Andrew McCutchen , PHI OF (32) Todd Zola 8 (128). German Marquez , COL SP (29) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (129). Stephen Piscotty , OAK OF (33) Joe Kaiser 10 (130). Robbie Ray , ARI SP (30) Eric Karabell
Round 14 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (131). Wade Davis , COL RP (17) Eric Karabell 2 (132). Kyle Hendricks , CHC SP (31) Joe Kaiser 3 (133). Luis Castillo , CIN SP (32) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (134). Miles Mikolas , STL SP (33) Todd Zola 5 (135). Dallas Keuchel , FA SP (34) Leo Howell 6 (136). Chris Archer , PIT SP (35) Damian Dabrowski 7 (137). Rougned Odor , TEX 2B (11) AJ Mass 8 (138). Byron Buxton , MIN OF (34) Tim Heaney 9 (139). Ender Inciarte , ATL OF (35) Pierre Becquey 10 (140). Amed Rosario , NYM SS (15) Kyle Soppe
Round 15 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (141). Carlos Martinez , STL SP (36) Kyle Soppe 2 (142). Cody Allen , LAA RP (18) Pierre Becquey 3 (143). Yoan Moncada , CWS 2B (12) Tim Heaney 4 (144). Jurickson Profar , OAK SS (16) AJ Mass 5 (145). Mike Moustakas , MIL 3B (14) Damian Dabrowski 6 (146). Eduardo Rodriguez , BOS SP (37) Leo Howell 7 (147). Salvador Perez , KC C (3) Todd Zola 8 (148). Rafael Devers , BOS 3B (15) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (149). J.A. Happ , NYY SP (38) Joe Kaiser 10 (150). Hunter Renfroe , SD OF (36) Eric Karabell
Round 16 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (151). Shohei Ohtani , LAA DH (3) Eric Karabell 2 (152). Jon Lester , CHC SP (39) Joe Kaiser 3 (153). Billy Hamilton , KC OF (37) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (154). Cole Hamels , CHC SP (40) Todd Zola 5 (155). Nomar Mazara , TEX OF (38) Leo Howell 6 (156). Cesar Hernandez , PHI 2B (13) Damian Dabrowski 7 (157). Archie Bradley , ARI RP (19) AJ Mass 8 (158). Elvis Andrus , TEX SS (17) Tim Heaney 9 (159). Jose Martinez , STL 1B (11) Pierre Becquey 10 (160). Yu Darvish , CHC SP (41) Kyle Soppe
Round 17 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (161). Kyle Schwarber , CHC OF (39) Kyle Soppe 2 (162). Justin Smoak , TOR 1B (12) Pierre Becquey 3 (163). Kevin Gausman , ATL SP (42) Tim Heaney 4 (164). Shane Bieber , CLE SP (43) AJ Mass 5 (165). Jose Alvarado , TB RP (20) Damian Dabrowski 6 (166). Sean Newcomb , ATL SP (44) Leo Howell 7 (167). Carlos Santana , CLE 1B (13) Todd Zola 8 (168). Willson Contreras , CHC C (4) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (169). Eric Hosmer , SD 1B (14) Joe Kaiser 10 (170). Ramon Laureano , OAK OF (40) Eric Karabell
Round 18 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (171). Austin Meadows , TB OF (41) Eric Karabell 2 (172). Will Smith , SF RP (21) Joe Kaiser 3 (173). Andrew Heaney , LAA SP (45) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (174). Jonathan Schoop , MIN 2B (14) Todd Zola 5 (175). Eloy Jimenez, CWS OF (42) Leo Howell 6 (176). Rick Porcello , BOS SP (46) Damian Dabrowski 7 (177). Wilson Ramos , NYM C (5) AJ Mass 8 (178). Tyler Glasnow , TB RP (22) Tim Heaney 9 (179). Jesse Winker , CIN OF (43) Pierre Becquey 10 (180). Andrew Miller , STL RP (23) Kyle Soppe
Round 19 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (181). Jordan Hicks , STL RP (24) Kyle Soppe 2 (182). Brad Boxberger , KC RP (25) Pierre Becquey 3 (183). Rich Hill , LAD SP (47) Tim Heaney 4 (184). Nick Senzel, CIN 2B (15) AJ Mass 5 (185). C.J. Cron , MIN 1B (15) Damian Dabrowski 6 (186). Buster Posey , SF C (6) Leo Howell 7 (187). Nick Pivetta , PHI SP (48) Todd Zola 8 (188). Arodys Vizcaino , ATL RP (26) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (189). Kyle Seager , SEA 3B (16) Joe Kaiser 10 (190). Shane Greene , DET RP (27) Eric Karabell
Round 20 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (191). Jeremy Jeffress , MIL RP (28) Eric Karabell 2 (192). Wilmer Flores , ARI 1B (16) Joe Kaiser 3 (193). Miguel Cabrera , DET 1B (17) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (194). Jackie Bradley Jr ., BOS OF (44) Todd Zola 5 (195). Randal Grichuk , TOR OF (45) Leo Howell 6 (196). Harrison Bader , STL OF (46) Damian Dabrowski 7 (197). Kyle Freeland , COL SP (49) AJ Mass 8 (198). Brandon Nimmo , NYM OF (47) Tim Heaney 9 (199). Corey Dickerson , PIT OF (48) Pierre Becquey 10 (200). Jose Quintana , CHC SP (50) Kyle Soppe
Round 21 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (201). Yasmani Grandal , MIL C (7) Kyle Soppe 2 (202). Julio Teheran , ATL SP (51) Pierre Becquey 3 (203). Gregory Polanco , PIT OF (49) Tim Heaney 4 (204). Scott Schebler , CIN OF (50) AJ Mass 5 (205). Ryan Braun , MIL OF (51) Damian Dabrowski 6 (206). Drew Steckenrider , MIA RP (29) Leo Howell 7 (207). Tyler Skaggs , LAA SP (52) Todd Zola 8 (208). Nathan Eovaldi , BOS SP (53) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (209). Keon Broxton , NYM OF (52) Joe Kaiser 10 (210). Joey Lucchesi , SD SP (54) Eric Karabell
Round 22 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (211). Miguel Sano , MIN 3B (17) Eric Karabell 2 (212). Yadier Molina , STL C (8) Joe Kaiser 3 (213). Jon Gray , COL SP (55) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (214). Marcus Semien , OAK SS (18) Todd Zola 5 (215). Marco Gonzales , SEA SP (56) Leo Howell 6 (216). Pedro Strop , CHC RP (30) Damian Dabrowski 7 (217). Kevin Kiermaier , TB OF (53) AJ Mass 8 (218). Dylan Bundy , BAL SP (57) Tim Heaney 9 (219). Ross Stripling , LAD SP (58) Pierre Becquey 10 (220). Jay Bruce , SEA OF (54) Kyle Soppe
Round 23 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (221). Joe Musgrove , PIT SP (59) Kyle Soppe 2 (222). Brandon Morrow , CHC RP (31) Pierre Becquey 3 (223). Willy Adames , TB SS (19) Tim Heaney 4 (224). Kenta Maeda , LAD SP (60) AJ Mass 5 (225). Corbin Burnes , MIL RP (32) Damian Dabrowski 6 (226). Ryan Yarbrough , TB RP (33) Leo Howell 7 (227). Trevor May , MIN RP (34) Todd Zola 8 (228). Yuli Gurriel , HOU 3B (18) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (229). Alex Wood , CIN SP (61) Joe Kaiser 10 (230). Josh James , HOU SP (62) Eric Karabell
Round 24 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (231). Jake Arrieta , PHI SP (63) Eric Karabell 2 (232). Collin McHugh , HOU RP (35) Joe Kaiser 3 (233). Yusei Kikuchi, SEA SP (64) Tristan H. Cockcroft 4 (234). Cedric Mullins , BAL OF (55) Todd Zola 5 (235). Odubel Herrera , PHI OF (56) Leo Howell 6 (236). Garrett Hampson , COL SS (20) Damian Dabrowski 7 (237). Bo Bichette, TOR SS (21) AJ Mass 8 (238). Eduardo Escobar , ARI SS (22) Tim Heaney 9 (239). Julio Urias , LAD SP (65) Pierre Becquey 10 (240). Zach Eflin , PHI SP (66) Kyle Soppe
Round 25 Pick (Ovr.), Player, Team Position (Rank) Drafted by 1 (241). Matt Barnes , BOS RP (36) Kyle Soppe 2 (242). Jakob Junis , KC SP (67) Pierre Becquey 3 (243). Austin Barnes , LAD C (9) Tim Heaney 4 (244). Carl Edwards Jr ., CHC RP (37) AJ Mass 5 (245). Asdrubal Cabrera , TEX SS (23) Damian Dabrowski 6 (246). Lourdes Gurriel Jr ., TOR SS (24) Leo Howell 7 (247). Yonny Chirinos , TB RP (38) Todd Zola 8 (248). Alex Reyes , STL SP (68) Tristan H. Cockcroft 9 (249). Matt Kemp , CIN OF (57) Joe Kaiser 10 (250). Austin Hedges , SD C (10) Eric Karabell