Fantasy Baseball 2014: Full 15-Team, 23-Round Mock Draft, Version 1.0

Practice makes perfect—even when it doesn't really count.

With fantasy baseball drafts about to start in earnest over the next few weeks, it's important to prepare for the big day. Reading up on the top-150 players this year is one way to do so, as is checking out the position rankings and some key sleepers.

Nothing, though, beats doing a mock draft. That's when a group of like-minded fantasy baseball folks gather over the Interwebs to participate in a process of player procurement, pick by pick, for practice.

The idea is to simulate a real fantasy baseball draft to get a better understanding of trends in roster construction and players' average draft position (ADP).

The point? To learn something while having some fun.

With all of the above in mind, yours truly joined in on a recent mock draft with a bunch of fellow fantasy baseball writers. What follows is a look at how everything shook out.

The Participants

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Before we get to the picks, here's some background.

This mock draft was held on Feb. 20 via Real Time Fantasy Sports and was set up by Howard Bender, the proprietor of RotoBuzzGuy.com and the strict yet self-deprecating general of his so-called Mock Draft Army, a project created to bring fantasy writers and readers together to get a more genuine sense of ADPs.

Here's a list of the nine fantasy writers who participated, in alphabetical order, as well as their site affiliations and Twitter handles:

• Howard Bender, Rotobuzz Guy, @rotobuzzguy
• Jason Catania, Bleacher Report, @JayCat11
• Tim Heaney, KFFL, @Tim_Heaney
• David Kerr, Fantasy Squads, @AskROTObaseball
• Tony Mauriello, Fantasy Trade, 411 @TheTonyM
• Andrew Miller, The Fantasy Fix, @44AMiller
• Michael Pichan, Fantasy Alarm, @FantasyNomad
• Rodric Richenberg, RotoWire, @rdrcrr
• Nick Shlain, RotoWire, @electricsnuff

And here's a rundown of the six readers who joined in to help keep those of us who do this for a living on our toes:

• Tom G.
• Tyler K.
• Shawn L.
• Mark O.
• Byron T.
• Johnny S.

Scoring and Settings

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Now, as for the other information you should know, this mock was set up for a make-believe league that uses standard 5x5 rotisserie scoring: BA, R, HR, RBI, SB for hitters; W, ERA, WHIP, K, SV for pitchers.

There's 23 rounds and no bench, which means everyone starts, so you best not get stuck with a schlub in your lineup or rotation.

The lineup positions are as follows: one each for first base, second base, third base, shortstop, middle infield, corner infield and utility; two catchers (as opposed to the standard one); five outfielders; and nine pitchers of any sort (starters and relievers).

Got all that?

To get a real sense of—and a full look at—the draft, here is the final board laid out in all its majestic, color-coded, 15-team, 23-round entirety. Opening that bad boy up is the best way to follow along as we cover each round along with some analysis.

Oh, and yours truly scored the second overall pick, which couldn't have worked out any better, as you're about to find out.

Mock on!

Round 1

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	1	Miguel Cabrera	1B/3B
Jason Catania	2	Mike Trout	OF
Tony Mauriello	3	Paul Goldschmidt	1B
Tyler K.	4	Andrew McCutchen	OF
Byron T.	5	Chris Davis	1B
Mark O.	6	Hanley Ramirez	SS
Tim Heaney	7	Carlos Gonzalez	OF
Tom G.	8	Robinson Cano	2B
Rodric Richenberg	9	Adam Jones	OF
Shawn L.	10	Ryan Braun	OF
Michael Pichan	11	Bryce Harper	OF
Johnny S.	12	Adrian Beltre	3B
David Kerr	13	Troy Tulowitzki	SS
Nick Shlain	14	Clayton Kershaw	SP
Howard Bender	15	Prince Fielder	1B

Analysis

My Pick: Mike Trout, OF

With pick No. 2, I was all set to take whichever of Miguel Cabrera or Trout didn't go first overall. Landing the latter helped cover all five categories with elite production while also filling one of five OF spots. It doesn't get any better than that.

Other Picks

It's hard to be critical of any first-round pick in a mock that is 15 teams deep, because if you don't take a guy you want the first time around, there's no guarantee he'll be there in Round 2. Think of this as the Bryce Harper Rule, which is why Michael Pichan grabbed him at No. 11 rather than risking that he would be gone by No. 20.

That said, I thought Hanley Ramirez and Carlos Gonzalez came off the board a few slots early—I want stability with my top player—and Clayton Kershaw and Prince Fielder look like beauts at the back end of the round.

Round 2

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	16	Jason Kipnis	2B
Nick Shlain	17	Jacoby Ellsbury	OF
David Kerr	18	Evan Longoria	3B
Johnny S.	19	Joey Votto	1B
Michael Pichan	20	Carlos Gomez	OF
Shawn L.	21	Buster Posey	C/1B
Rodric Richenberg	22	Edwin Encarnacion	1B
Tom G.	23	David Wright	3B
Tim Heaney	24	Alex Rios	OF
Mark O.	25	Dustin Pedroia	2B
Byron T.	26	Jose Reyes	SS
Tyler K.	27	Yasiel Puig	OF
Tony Mauriello	28	Jay Bruce	OF
Jason Catania	29	Yu Darvish	SP
Andrew Miller	30	Giancarlo Stanton	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Yu Darvish, SP

Because the position is so darn deep, I wasn't looking to take a pitcher with my second pick, but we reached the point in the draft at the end of Round 2 where no hitter stood out in particular, and landing a player with the potential for a sub-3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 250 strikeouts was hard to pass up. The only downside to this pick is that it more or less forced me to go all out on bats with my next several selections, as you'll see.

Other Picks

While Evan Longoria, Joey Votto and Carlos Gomez were all strong picks at Nos. 18-20, I can't get behind drafting a catcher this early—even one capable of MVP production, like Buster Posey—since you're paying such a steep price and will lose 10-15 games of production by default.

The other choice that struck me as out of place? Alex Rios at No. 24 overall. I'm not a Rios fan, simply because he's prone to seasons of terribleness (see: 2011, 2009). Even though that's not likely to happen in the Rangers dynamic lineup, there were all sorts of players—even among OFs—that I would have taken ahead of him.

Round 3

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	31	Jose Bautista	OF
Jason Catania	32	Shin-Soo Choo	OF
Tony Mauriello	33	Adam Wainwright	SP
Tyler K.	34	Freddie Freeman	1B
Byron T.	35	Matt Carpenter	2B/3B
Mark O.	36	Justin Upton	OF
Tim Heaney	37	Albert Pujols	1B
Tom G.	38	Jean Segura	SS
Rodric Richenberg	39	Ian Desmond	SS
Shawn L.	40	Josh Donaldson	3B
Michael Pichan	41	Mark Trumbo	1B/OF
Johnny S.	42	Yoenis Cespedes	OF
David Kerr	43	Matt Holliday	OF
Nick Shlain	44	Hunter Pence	OF
Howard Bender	45	David Price	SP

Analysis

My Pick: Shin-Soo Choo, OF

With my third pick, I took my second Ranger in a row and second outfielder overall. Choo is a perennial 20-20 achiever who should hit for a solid average and score at least 100 runs batting atop the Rangers order. I briefly debated going with Matt Carpenter instead but felt more confident in Choo's proven ability, and I felt like I was on the right track when Carpenter went only three picks later.

Other Picks

This round was heavy on OFs—seven of 15 picks—so there was a run on the position pretty early. Outfield is deep, but it's not that deep, and if you want at least two studs, you'll need to aim to get them by Round 4 in most drafts.

To me, the pick with the most risk here was Josh Donaldson. I'm just not sure what to expect from him in 2014 after his out-of-nowhere breakout year at age 27, and at No. 40 overall, he basically needs to repeat last year's performance for the price to be worthwhile.

Round 4

Ed Zurga/Getty Images

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	46	Madison Bumgarner	SP
Nick Shlain	47	Jose Fernandez	SP
David Kerr	48	Allen Craig	1B/OF
Johnny S.	49	Cliff Lee	SP
Michael Pichan	50	Max Scherzer	SP
Shawn L.	51	Pedro Alvarez	3B
Rodric Richenberg	52	Felix Hernandez	SP
Tom G.	53	Justin Verlander	SP
Tim Heaney	54	Matt Kemp	OF
Mark O.	55	Ryan Zimmerman	3B
Byron T.	56	Wil Myers	OF
Tyler K.	57	Chris Sale	SP
Tony Mauriello	58	Stephen Strasburg	SP
Jason Catania	59	Eric Hosmer	1B
Andrew Miller	60	Carlos Santana	C/1B(/3B)

Analysis

My Pick: Eric Hosmer, 1B

In need of my first non-OF hitter, I found Hosmer to be the most attractive given his breakout potential this season coming off a strong second half in 2013. I also like that he's a high-average hitter with 20-25-homer power who also chips in double-digit steals at first base, a spot where speed is traditionally nonexistent.

Other Picks

Got SPs? Nine of the 15 selections in Round 4 were arms, and admittedly, this is where I felt a bit foolish for taking Darvish so early; I really like all of these starters as SP1s, and this round proved that you can wait a bit and still get a staff anchor.

If memory serves me, Matt Kemp was a mis-pick, but we rolled through, so don't read too much into that one. The other choice I didn't get? Pedro Alvarez at No. 51, which is a heck of a lot of stock to put into hoping for another 35-40 home runs given the low average they're tethered to.

Round 5

Jim Cowsert/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	61	Anibal Sanchez	SP
Jason Catania	62	Elvis Andrus	SS
Tony Mauriello	63	Starling Marte	OF
Tyler K.	64	David Ortiz	UTIL
Byron T.	65	Adrian Gonzalez	1B
Mark O.	66	Joe Mauer	C/1B
Tim Heaney	67	Wilin Rosario	C
Tom G.	68	Alex Gordon	OF
Rodric Richenberg	69	Ian Kinsler	2B
Shawn L.	70	Zack Greinke	SP
Michael Pichan	71	Craig Kimbrel	RP
Johnny S.	72	Gio Gonzalez	SP
David Kerr	73	Anthony Rizzo	1B
Nick Shlain	74	Yadier Molina	C
Howard Bender	75	Jason Heyward	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Elvis Andrus, SS

Can you tell I like me some Rangers? Andrus is the third member of that club on my roster and the second offensive player. And while I didn't plan on loading up on Rangers, if there's one team to do so with hitters, it would be Texas. Andrus will be elite in both runs scored and stolen bases, and I got him two rounds after Jean Segura and Ian Desmond, two other high-end SS. That's value.

Other Picks

At No. 71, Craig Kimbrel came off the board a bit later than I would have guessed, which makes him much more palatable at this point. I still think you'll need to grab him by pick No. 50 or so in most drafts, though.

The only take I was less than enthused by here was Alex Gordon. He's fine, but I don't quite get the love for a guy who doesn't excel in any single category. If he were to go .270-18-75 with 80 runs and 10 steals, would that be such a surprise—and would it make you all that happy?

Round 6

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	76	Kyle Seager	3B
Nick Shlain	77	Manny Machado	3B
David Kerr	78	Brian McCann	C
Johnny S.	79	Jayson Werth	OF
Michael Pichan	80	Aroldis Chapman	RP
Shawn L.	81	Ben Zobrist	2B/SS/OF
Rodric Richenberg	82	Carlos Beltran	OF
Tom G.	83	Desmond Jennings	OF
Tim Heaney	84	Jose Abreu	1B
Mark O.	85	Cole Hamels	SP
Byron T.	86	Jonathan Lucroy	C
Tyler K.	87	Gerrit Cole	SP
Tony Mauriello	88	Brett Lawrie	3B
Jason Catania	89	Josh Hamilton	OF
Andrew Miller	90	Mike Minor	SP

Analysis

My Pick: Josh Hamilton, OF

In my defense, I snatched Hamilton prior to the news of his calf strain that's expected to keep him out for two weeks and could cost him the start of the regular season. Regardless, as long as he can stay relatively healthy (again, that might be asking too much now), I like Hamilton to bounce back. Hey, he can't be worse than he was in 2013—can he?

Other Picks

I particularly liked the Jose Abreu decision. Call it a hunch based on what we've seen from other recent Cuban imports (i.e., Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig), but I think Abreu could explode onto the scene in Year 1.

Round 7

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	91	Everth Cabrera	SS
Jason Catania	92	Pablo Sandoval	3B
Tony Mauriello	93	Salvador Perez	C
Tyler K.	94	Domonic Brown	OF
Byron T.	95	Martin Prado	2B/3B/OF
Mark O.	96	Austin Jackson	OF
Tim Heaney	97	Matt Cain	SP
Tom G.	98	Curtis Granderson	OF
Rodric Richenberg	99	Jose Altuve	2B
Shawn L.	100	Jordan Zimmermann	SP
Michael Pichan	101	Nolan Arenado	3B
Johnny S.	102	Julio Teheran	SP
David Kerr	103	Jedd Gyorko	2B
Nick Shlain	104	Billy Hamilton	OF
Howard Bender	105	Michael Cuddyer	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Pablo Sandoval, 3B

Drafting a second injury-prone player in a row probably wasn't so savvy in hindsight, but Panda is a when-he-plays-he-hits type. Because 3B was running thin after Kyle Seager, Manny Machado and Brett Lawrie went in the previous round and I had a need at the position, I went for it. Sandoval is also in better shape this year—a contract year, by the way—and he has been great before.

Other Picks

Even with 3B thinning out, Nolan Arenado was a little too much of a reach for my taste at No. 101. Meanwhile, one pick before that, Jordan Zimmermann is fantastic value as a very strong SP2.

Perhaps the biggest mystery in fantasy baseball this year is Billy Hamilton, who could more or less push his owners to the top of the stolen base category by himself—or be back in Triple-A by June. At this stage, that's a gamble worth taking.

Round 8

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	106	Greg Holland	RP
Nick Shlain	107	Xander Bogaerts	SS
David Kerr	108	Mat Latos	SP
Johnny S.	109	Billy Butler	UTIL
Michael Pichan	110	Mike Napoli	1B
Shawn L.	111	Andrelton Simmons	SS
Rodric Richenberg	112	Kenley Jansen	RP
Tom G.	113	Brandon Belt	1B
Tim Heaney	114	Koji Uehara	RP
Mark O.	115	Matt Moore	SP
Byron T.	116	Homer Bailey	SP
Tyler K.	117	Chase Headley	3B
Tony Mauriello	118	Jurickson Profar	2B
Jason Catania	119	Shelby Miller	SP
Andrew Miller	120	Carl Crawford	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Shelby Miller, SP

Look, just because the Cardinals forgot about Miller last October doesn't mean fantasy owners shouldn't remember him this March. This is a 23-year-old who dominated to the tune of 15 wins, a 3.06 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 169 strikeouts in 173.1 innings—and that was as a rookie. With the reins coming off in Year 2, he's a definite SP2 candidate, which is exactly where he fits in my rotation after I took Darvish all the way back in Round 2.

Other Picks

Had Homer Bailey fallen to me—he went three picks earlier—I would have plucked him over Miller, so I endorse that choice.

I can't say the same for Andrelton Simmons or Carl Crawford, neither of whom are needle-movers in fantasy. At least the former might show 20-homer pop at SS, a position that was running low; the latter might be lucky to top 25 steals, and he plays a position where there were still better options.

Round 9

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	121	Alex Cobb	SP
Jason Catania	122	Matt Wieters	C
Tony Mauriello	123	Joe Nathan	RP
Tyler K.	124	Evan Gattis	C/OF
Byron T.	125	James Shields	SP
Mark O.	126	Jon Lester	SP
Tim Heaney	127	Aramis Ramirez	3B
Tom G.	128	Kris Medlen	SP
Rodric Richenberg	129	Shane Victorino	OF
Shawn L.	130	Brandon Phillips	2B
Michael Pichan	131	Aaron Hill	2B
Johnny S.	132	Howie Kendrick	2B
David Kerr	133	Starlin Castro	SS
Nick Shlain	134	Leonys Martin	OF
Howard Bender	135	Trevor Rosenthal	RP

Analysis

My Pick: Matt Wieters, C

If there's one lineup that is nearly as fantasy-friendly as that of the Rangers, it's the Orioles'. This being a two-catcher league, I selected the backstop I saw as the last of the second tier at the position. Wieters has his faults, namely batting average, but if he produces what he normally does in home runs over the past three seasons—22 (2011), 23 (2012), 22 (2013)—he'll add some power to my lineup, which I felt was lacking in that category.

Other Picks

How James Shields and Jon Lester lasted until picks 125 and 126 is a mystery to me, as both are SP2s.

I also felt that Shane Victorino, Brandon Phillips, Aaron Hill and Starlin Castro—who were all taken within a five-pick stretch in the second half of Round 9—each presented great value where they were selected. 

Round 10

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	136	Wilson Ramos	C
Nick Shlain	137	Doug Fister	SP
David Kerr	138	Michael Wacha	SP
Johnny S.	139	Alfonso Soriano	OF
Michael Pichan	140	Danny Salazar	SP
Shawn L.	141	Brandon Moss	1B/OF
Rodric Richenberg	142	Hisashi Iwakuma	SP
Tom G.	143	Victor Martinez	UTIL
Tim Heaney	144	Daniel Murphy	2B
Mark O.	145	Dexter Fowler	OF
Byron T.	146	Francisco Liriano	SP
Tyler K.	147	Jeff Samardzija	SP
Tony Mauriello	148	Glen Perkins	RP
Jason Catania	149	Chase Utley	2B
Andrew Miller	150	J.J. Hardy	SS

Analysis

My Pick: Chase Utley, 2B

After Brandon Phillips, Aaron Hill and Howie Kendrick got popped in succession last round, and Daniel Murphy went five picks before mine in this round, I knew I wanted Utley, who I deemed as far and away the best 2B still out there—and frankly, better than some of the aforementioned players. He's old (35) and an injury-risk, but if he can give me 130-140 games, he'll find a way to hit .270-.280 with 15-plus home runs and double-digit steals. To round out my infield, I'll take it.

Other Picks

As we enter the middle rounds of the draft, many of the picks are either need- or upside-based. To that end, I like just about all of these takes, particularly Doug Fister, Michael Wacha, Danny Salazar, Glen Perkins and J.J. Hardy.

If there's one to call out, it would probably be Dexter Fowler, who always seems to show flashes of brilliance before ultimately disappointing his owner.

Round 11

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	151	Will Venable	OF
Jason Catania	152	Jhonny Peralta	SS
Tony Mauriello	153	Hyun-Jin Ryu	SP
Tyler K.	154	Anthony Rendon	2B
Byron T.	155	Patrick Corbin	SP
Mark O.	156	Christian Yelich	OF
Tim Heaney	157	Andrew Cashner	SP
Tom G.	158	Jed Lowrie	2B/SS
Rodric Richenberg	159	Sonny Gray	SP
Shawn L.	160	Darin Ruf	1B/OF
Michael Pichan	161	Matt Adams	1B
Johnny S.	162	Jered Weaver	SP
David Kerr	163	Johnny Cueto	SP
Nick Shlain	164	Coco Crisp	OF
Howard Bender	165	Ben Revere	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Jhonny Peralta, SS

In a round with plenty of youngsters who possess upside (i.e. Anthony Rendon, Christian Yelich, Sonny Gray) but are also unproven over full seasons, I went the safe route with Peralta, who provides the added benefit of filling my MI spot and bringing some more power to my lineup. His strong 2013 season was interrupted by the Biogenesis suspension, but he's a great fit in St. Louis, where the lineup should boost his stats.

Round 12

Leon Halip/Getty Images

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	166	Masahiro Tanaka	SP
Nick Shlain	167	Michael Brantley	OF
David Kerr	168	Sergio Romo	RP
Johnny S.	169	Alexei Ramirez	SS
Michael Pichan	170	Brad Miller	SS
Shawn L.	171	Adam Lind	1B
Rodric Richenberg	172	Kendrys Morales	1B
Tom G.	173	Norichika Aoki	OF
Tim Heaney	174	Asdrubal Cabrera	SS
Mark O.	175	CC Sabathia	SP
Byron T.	176	Lance Lynn	SP
Tyler K.	177	Ryan Howard	1B
Tony Mauriello	178	B.J. Upton	OF
Jason Catania	179	Mark Teixeira	1B
Andrew Miller	180	Justin Masterson	SP

Analysis

My Pick: Mark Teixeira, 1B

In hindsight, I should have taken Masahiro Tanaka with my last pick (Peralta), simply because No. 166 seems really, really low for what could be an SP2. Plus, I'd had Tanaka queued up for a few rounds already and just never pulled the trigger.

Instead, I settled for Teixeira, on the hopes that he can have a healthy 2014 and replicate something close to 25 home runs and 80-90 RBI. Again, my search for power continues.

Round 13

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	181	Neil Walker	2B
Jason Catania	182	Nelson Cruz	OF
Tony Mauriello	183	Yan Gomes	C
Tyler K.	184	Jimmy Rollins	SS
Byron T.	185	C.J. Wilson	SP
Mark O.	186	Rafael Soriano	RP
Tim Heaney	187	Marco Estrada	SP
Tom G.	188	Will Middlebrooks	3B
Rodric Richenberg	189	David Robertson	RP
Shawn L.	190	Addison Reed	RP
Michael Pichan	191	Corey Kluber	SP
Johnny S.	192	Miguel Montero	C
David Kerr	193	Grant Balfour	RP
Nick Shlain	194	Chris Carter	1B/OF
Howard Bender	195	Oswaldo Arcia	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Nelson Cruz, OF

As I said, I was on a quest for power during this portion of the draft, and Cruz—who actually was still a free agent at the time, which is possibly part of the reason I got him this late—is always a threat for 25-30 home runs. Now that he's an Oriole, he'll also get to keep hitting amid a potent lineup in a hitter-friendly ballpark.

Round 14

Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	196	Todd Frazier	3B
Nick Shlain	197	Steve Cishek	RP
David Kerr	198	Casey Janssen	RP
Johnny S.	199	A.J. Pierzynski	C
Michael Pichan	200	Michael Bourn	OF
Shawn L.	201	Jason Castro	C
Rodric Richenberg	202	Alejandro De Aza	OF
Tom G.	203	Ernesto Frieri	RP
Tim Heaney	204	Jason Grilli	RP
Mark O.	205	Nick Swisher	1B/OF
Byron T.	206	Brett Gardner	OF
Tyler K.	207	Khris Dvis	OF
Tony Mauriello	208	Matt Dominguez	3B
Jason Catania	209	Jonathan Papelbon	RP
Andrew Miller	210	Justin Morneau	1B

Analysis

My Pick: Jonathan Papelbon, RP

I took my first closer, who just so happened to be the fifth one selected in Round 14 alone. Papelbon is not the top-tier stopper he was two or three years ago, but he's still good for 30 saves with a respectable ERA and good WHIP. Even if he's traded midseason, Papelbon is likely to remain in the ninth inning for his new team. I prefer him to the other four RPs that went ahead of him because he still gets it done and has the least chance of losing the gig.

Round 15

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	211	Ivan Nova	SP
Jason Catania	212	Yovani Gallardo	SP
Tony Mauriello	213	Tony Cingrani	SP
Tyler K.	214	Jim Johnson	RP
Byron T.	215	Michael Pineda	SP
Mark O.	216	Nate Jones	RP
Tim Heaney	217	R.A. Dickey	SP
Tom G.	218	Jarrod Parker	SP
Rodric Richenberg	219	Chris Johnson	3B
Shawn L.	220	Clay Buchholz	SP
Michael Pichan	221	Brandon Beachy	SP
Johnny S.	222	Fernando Rodney	RP
David Kerr	223	Torii Hunter	OF
Nick Shlain	224	Jonathan Villar	SS
Howard Bender	225	Alcides Escobar	SS

Analysis

My Pick: Yovani Gallardo, SP

I was one of 11 owners to add an arm in this round, so it's pretty clear just how readily available—and how deep—pitching is, especially when you can score a hurler who still has a great shot at 170-plus strikeouts in Gallardo this late. He was shaky in the first half before settling in (3.09 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) over the second half of 2013, and he's also only 28, by the way. I would have liked a better SP3, but I think he can regain that status during certain stretches. 

Round 16

Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	226	Hiroki Kuroda	SP
Nick Shlain	227	Omar Infante	2B
David Kerr	228	Avisail Garcia	OF
Johnny S.	229	Huston Street	RP
Michael Pichan	230	Brian Dozier	2B
Shawn L.	231	Matt Garza	SP
Rodric Richenberg	232	Josh Reddick	OF
Tom G.	233	George Springer	OF
Tim Heaney	234	Kole Calhoun	OF
Mark O.	235	Tim Lincecum	SP
Byron T.	236	Rex Brothers	RP
Tyler K.	237	Taijuan Walker	SP
Tony Mauriello	238	Cameron Maybin	OF
Jason Catania	239	Chris Tillman	SP
Andrew Miller	240	Adam Eaton	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Chris Tillman, SP

Tillman pitched a bit over his head and got a little lucky in 2013, but he still won 16 games and sported a 3.71 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and struck out 179 batters over more than 200 innings. Even with regression factored in, there's room for him to approximate those digits, which makes him a solid fourth starter in a league that is—reminder!—15 teams deep.

Round 17

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	241	Adam LaRoche	1B
Jason Catania	242	Neftali Feliz	RP
Tony Mauriello	243	Emilio Bonifacio	2B/OF
Tyler K.	244	A.J. Burnett	SP
Byron T.	245	Jim Henderson	RP
Mark O.	246	Mike Zunino	C
Tim Heaney	247	Erick Aybar	SS
Tom G.	248	Zack Wheeler	SP
Rodric Richenberg	249	Chris Archer	SP
Shawn L.	250	A.J. Griffin	RP
Michael Pichan	251	Marlon Byrd	OF
Johnny S.	252	Danny Farquhar	RP
David Kerr	253	Ian Kennedy	SP
Nick Shlain	254	Bobby Parnell	RP
Howard Bender	255	Josh Johnson	SP

Analysis

My Pick: Neftali Feliz, RP

Nothing against Feliz, who is my second closer to help me stay competitive in the saves category, but this was an almost instantaneous case of buyer's remorse. I was eyeing Zack Wheeler, a breakout candidate in his second year, to continue bolstering my rotation, and when I took my eye off him and turned my gaze instead toward Feliz, Wheeler went six slots later.

Round 18

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	256	Devin Mesoraco	C
Nick Shlain	257	Bartolo Colon	SP
David Kerr	258	David Freese	3B
Johnny S.	259	Mitch Moreland	1B
Michael Pichan	260	Welington Castillo	C
Shawn L.	261	Edward Mujica	RP
Rodric Richenberg	262	Corey Hart	OF
Tom G.	263	Scott Kazmir	SP
Tim Heaney	264	Carlos Ruiz	C
Mark O.	265	Nick Markakis	OF
Byron T.	266	Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
Tyler K.	267	Travis d'Arnaud	C
Tony Mauriello	268	Zack Cozart	SS
Jason Catania	269	Yasmani Grandal	C
Andrew Miller	270	Russell Martin	C

Analysis

My Pick: Yasmani Grandal, C

I had been hoping that Devin Mesoraco would drop all the way down to my pick—he had been in my queue for a while—but those hopes were dashed as soon as Round 18 started. Good thing was, in a round where five catchers went before I was on the clock, I was still able to land Grandal, who was next on my list after Mesoraco, at the end of the round.

Grandal struggled through a suspension and injury in 2013, but this is a 25-year-old former first-round draft pick with a capable bat from both sides. As my second catcher, it is a worthy gamble to believe that something clicks for him in 2014.

Round 19

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	271	Rick Porcello	SP
Jason Catania	272	Colby Rasmus	OF
Tony Mauriello	273	Cody Allen	RP
Tyler K.	274	Stephen Drew	SS
Byron T.	275	Junior Lake	OF
Mark O.	276	Melky Cabrera	OF
Tim Heaney	277	Drew Smyly	SP
Tom G.	278	Ricky Nolasco	SP
Rodric Richenberg	279	Alex Avila	C
Shawn L.	280	Daniel Nava	OF
Michael Pichan	281	Dan Haren	SP
Johnny S.	282	Ubaldo Jimenez	SP
David Kerr	283	Cody Asche	3B
Nick Shlain	284	Jose Veras	RP
Howard Bender	285	Tommy Hunter	RP

Analysis

My Pick: Colby Rasmus, OF

Rasmus may never live up to expectations that were set for him when he was a consensus top-10 prospect several years ago, but he has shown a knack for hitting the ball out of the park. In a year shortened by injury, the 27-year-old smacked 22 homers in only 458 plate appearances in 2013. His batting average could be .275 or .235, but 25 home runs and 70-plus runs and RBI are attainable.

Round 20

Steven Senne/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	286	Alexander Guerrero	2B
Nick Shlain	287	Jon Niese	SP
David Kerr	288	Peter Bourjos	OF
Johnny S.	289	DJ LeMahieu	2B
Michael Pichan	290	Nick Castellanos	3B
Shawn L.	291	Kelly Johnson	2B/3B/OF
Rodric Richenberg	292	Hank Conger	C
Tom G.	293	A.J. Ellis	C
Tim Heaney	294	Dan Straily	SP
Mark O.	295	Nick Franklin	2B
Byron T.	296	Dayan Viciedo	OF
Tyler K.	297	Mike Morse	OF
Tony Mauriello	298	Denard Span	OF
Jason Catania	299	John Lackey	SP
Andrew Miller	300	Luke Gregerson	RP

Analysis

My Pick: John Lackey, SP

Here is more proof that quality starting pitchers can be had very, very late. Heck, even I don't trust the 35-year-old Lackey to stay healthy and/or repeat his comeback-campaign success (3.52 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 7.7 K/9 in 2013), but at pick No. 299 overall, I'm perfectly OK with giving him a chance.

Round 21

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	301	Joaquin Benoit	RP
Jason Catania	302	Jose Quintana	SP
Tony Mauriello	303	Tyson Ross	SP
Tyler K.	304	Alex Wood	SP
Byron T.	305	Jose Iglesias	3B/SS
Mark O.	306	Mike Moustakas	3B
Tim Heaney	307	Angel Pagan	OF
Tom G.	308	John Axford	RP
Rodric Richenberg	309	Jake Peavy	SP
Shawn L.	310	Oscar Taveras	OF
Michael Pichan	311	Josmil Pinto	C
Johnny S.	312	Mark Melancon	RP
David Kerr	313	Ervin Santana	SP
Nick Shlain	314	Dillon Gee	SP
Howard Bender	315	Carlos Quentin	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Jose Quintana, SP

This 25-year-old might have had the best season you didn't hear a lick about last year: 3.51 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 164 strikeouts over 200 innings. How often do you find such numbers from someone picked in Round 21?

Round 22

Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Howard Bender	316	Tim Hudson	SP
Nick Shlain	317	James Loney	1B
David Kerr	318	Wade Miley	SP
Johnny S.	319	Chris Denorfia	OF
Michael Pichan	320	Felix Doubront	SP
Shawn L.	321	Chris Perez	RP
Rodric Richenberg	322	Jhoulys Chacin	SP
Tom G.	323	Dioner Navarro	C
Tim Heaney	324	Yordano Ventura	SP
Mark O.	325	Jaime Garcia	SP
Byron T.	326	Rajai Davis	OF
Tyler K.	327	Al Alburquerque	RP
Tony Mauriello	328	Ryan Cook	RP
Jason Catania	329	Joakim Soria	RP
Andrew Miller	330	Gerardo Parra	OF

Analysis

My Pick: Joakim Soria, RP

In MLB, there are 30 teams, so in a fantasy league with 15 teams, basic arithmetic says that each owner should have two closers. Of course, it doesn't all break down quite so neatly, but I figured that between Feliz and Soria, I have the Rangers final three outs locked up. That should help cover my bases by ensuring that, along with Papelbon, I have a realistic shot at 60 saves—enough to keep me at least in the middle of the pack in that category.

Round 23

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

OWNER	PICK	PLAYER	POSITION(S)
Andrew Miller	331	Hector Santiago	SP
Jason Catania	332	Andre Ethier	OF
Tony Mauriello	333	Eric Young Jr.	OF
Tyler K.	334	Wily Peralta	SP
Byron T.	335	Jackie Bradley Jr.	OF
Mark O.	336	Tyler Skaggs	SP
Tim Heaney	337	A.J. Pollock	OF
Tom G.	338	LaTroy Hawkins	RP
Rodric RichenbergS	339	Kyle Lohse	SP
Shawn L.	340	Travis Wood	SP
Michael Pichan	341	Brandon Morrow	SP
Johnny S.	342	Jose Tabata	OF
David Kerr	343	John Jaso	C
Nick Shlain	344	Ryan Doumit	C/OF
Howard Bender	345	Brian Roberts	2B

Analysis

My Pick: Andre Ethier, OF

With Matt Kemp's recovery taking forever after he's undergone about 14 surgical procedures in the past two years (OK, maybe I'm exaggerating—but only a bit), I'm betting that Ethier sees plenty of playing time in center for a very deep Dodgers lineup. Of course, he could also be traded, which would give him a clearer path toward producing his usual .270-.280 average with homers in the mid-teens and sufficient totals in both runs and RBI. Having him as my utility player won't hurt and just might help.

Team Evaluation

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

POSITION	PLAYER	ROUND
C	Matt Wieters	9
C	Yasmani Grandal	18
1B	Eric Hosmer	4
2B	Chase Utley	10
3B	Pablo Sandoval	7
SS	Elvis Andrus	5
CI	Mark Teixeira	12
MI	Jhonny Peralta	11
OF	Mike Trout	1
OF	Shin-Soo Choo	3
OF	Josh Hamilton	6
OF	Nelson Cruz	13
OF	Colby Rasmus	19
UT	Andre Ethier	23
P	Yu Darvish	2
P	Shelby Miller	8
P	Jonathan Papelbon	14
P	Yovani Gallardo	15
P	Chris Tillman	16
P	Neftali Feliz	17
P	John Lackey	20
P	Jose Quintana	21
P	Joakim Soria	22

Analysis

Strengths

The strongest aspect of my team is unquestionably my outfield, headed by my top-two position player picks in Trout and Choo. If Hamilton can get and stay healthy enough to make amends for a brutal 2013, then this group will do damage, particularly with 25-homer threats Cruz and Rasmus in the OF4 and OF5 spots.

There's also quite a lot of stolen-base potential, what with Trout, Andrus, Choo and Hosmer likely to be above-average in the category for their respective positions, and with Utley capable of chipping in 10-15, too.

On the pitching side, strikeouts should be easy to come by, thanks to Darvish and his 225-250 or so at the top, along with a likely 170-plus from Miller and perhaps one or two of Gallardo, Tillman, Lackey and/or Quintana. Even if those last four fall short of that mark, they all should reach 150 as long as they make most of their starts.

Weaknesses

The most glaring problem? Injury issues. Rostering hitters like Utley, Sandoval, Teixeira, Hamilton and Cruz, as well as arms like Feliz, Lackey and Soria, is putting a lot of faith in their ability to ward off the DL this season, at least for extended periods.

That concern is bound to come with the territory when you go after proven players coming off rough seasons due to injury, which isn't a bad approach for unearthing value in a draft, as long as a few of them return to form. For example, imagine how much better my infield will look if Teixeira cracks the back end of the top-10 1Bs or if Sandoval pushes his way near the top-five 3Bs. Both are possible, but even just one happening would be a big lift.

If I were to consider potential trades in the near future, I'd likely be looking to boost the front of my rotation by obtaining another starter to fit in with Miller as an SP2/SP3 and push everyone else down a notch. Given my numerous bounce-back candidates on offense, I'd imagine that once one or two of those prove they are again back on the map, that would help with such an acquisition.

Best Players Who Weren't Drafted

To finish up, here's a brief batch of players I considered picking over the final few rounds but never pulled the trigger on—and neither did anyone else: Adam Dunn, 1B; Justin Smoak, 1B; Kolten Wong, 2B; Dan Uggla, 2B; Dustin Ackley, 2B; Matt Davidson, 3B; Derek Jeter, SS; Chris Owings, SS; Josh Willingham, OF; Ryan Ludwick, OF; Nate Schierholtz, OF; Matt Joyce, OF; Raul Ibanez; OF; Martin Perez, SP; Alexi Ogando, SP; Brett Anderson, SP; Tyler Clippard, RP; Jordan Walden, RP; and Carlos Martinez, RP.

Are you surprised to see any of those names going undrafted? And which of my draft picks do you like/dislike the most? Where would you have made a different choice along the way? Let me know in the comments section.

To read some of the other writers' takes on this particular mock draft, you can find Howard Bender's here and David Kerr's here.

To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11