Fantasy Baseball 2015: 3-Round Mock Draft, Position-by-Position Rankings

If you're one of those fantasy baseballers who enjoys waiting until a few weeks into spring training to start drafting, then you're going to want to continue down the page.

What's to follow is every fantasy players' dream—an easily digestible, in-depth, position-by-position ranking of every position owners need to fill on draft day.

But wait, there's more. To ensure that everyone maximizes their first three selections, you'll also find a three-round mock draft. Picking between Mike Trout and Miguel Cabrera is easy (don't you dare think Cabrera), but how about picking between Hanley Ramirez and Buster Posey?

You don't have to guess any longer. It's all here.

3-Round Mock Draft

Pick	Player	Pick	Player	Pick	Player
1	Mike Trout	13	Robinson Cano	25	David Price
2	Miguel Cabrera	14	Chris Sale	26	Ian Desmond
3	Paul Goldschmidt	15	Troy Tulowitzki	27	Buster Posey
4	Clayton Kershaw	16	Adam Jones	28	Corey Kluber
5	Jose Abreu	17	Adrian Beltre	29	Yasiel Puig
6	Carlos Gomez	18	Max Scherzer	30	Ryan Braun
7	Giancarlo Stanton	19	Anthony Rendon	31	Jacoby Ellsbury
8	Andrew McCutchen	20	Jose Altuve	32	Bryce Harper
9	Jose Bautista	21	Hanley Ramirez	33	Madison Bumgarner
10	Edwin Encarnacion	22	Freddie Freeman	34	Ian Kinsler
11	Anthony Rizzo	23	Michael Brantley	35	Justin Upton
12	Felix Hernandez	24	Josh Donaldson	36	Stephen Strasburg

Positional Rankings

Note: All positional eligibility decisions are based off ESPN.com's fantasy game.

Catcher

Rank	Player	Team
1	Buster Posey	San Francisco Giants
2	Jonathan Lucroy	Milwaukee Brewers
3	Devin Mesoraco	Cincinnati Reds
4	Yan Gomes	Cleveland Indians
5	Evan Gattis	Houston Astros
6	Salvador Perez	Kansas City Royals
7	Brian McCann	New York Yankees
8	Yadier Molina	St. Louis Cardinals
9	Russell Martin	Toronto Blue Jays
10	Matt Wieters	Baltimore Orioles

The top name in catching is, again, Buster Posey, though that shouldn't be a surprise to you. He has been at the top of the charts at the position for the past several seasons. He's worth a pick in Round 3 given his overall value.

Catcher is no longer the weak position it used to be. Breakouts from 2014 like Yan Gomes, Devin Mesoraco and Russell Martin have added a bit of depth to the top 10.

One particular player to keep an eye on is Matt Wieters. He could climb this list just as easily as he could plummet out of the top 15. He played just 26 games in 2014 before needing Tommy John surgery, so he hasn't seen game action since last May. 

The Baltimore Orioles are easing him into action, and he's not expected to catch in a game until March 17, reports Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun. 

First Base

Rank	Player	Team
1	Miguel Cabrera	Detroit Tigers
2	Paul Goldschmidt	Arizona Diamondbacks
3	Jose Abreu	Chicago White Sox
4	Edwin Encarnacion	Toronto Blue Jays
5	Anthony Rizzo	Chicago Cubs
6	Freddie Freeman	Atlanta Braves
7	Buster Posey	San Francisco Giants
8	Victor Martinez	Detroit Tigers
9	Albert Pujols	St. Louis Cardinals
10	Joey Votto	Cincinnati Reds

First base is where many of your early-round investments are. Miguel Cabrera, Paul Goldschmidt, Jose Abreu, Edwin Encarnacion, Anthony Rizzo, Freddie Freeman and Posey all fall within the above three-round mock.

The most interesting players at the position are the three who round out the list. Victor Martinez, Albert Pujols and Joey Votto are all injury risks to some degree, but the potential reward is enticing.

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

Martinez, who had knee surgery in February, is coming off an absurd season in which he slashed .335/.409/.565 with 32 homers and 103 RBI. But will the knee be a nuisance in the future?

Pujols played 159 games last season after appearing in just 99 contests in 2013, but his numbers were a bit off from what we're used to. Sure, 28 homers, 105 RBI and 37 doubles are nice, but you probably don't want to reach to grab him.

Votto has missed significant time in two of the past three seasons, with a successful 2013 campaign sandwiched in between. When healthy, he's a reliable option for decent power, but his true value lies in his ability to take walks and drive in runs. But it all depends on his health.

Second Base

Rank	Player	Team
1	Robinson Cano	Seattle Mariners
2	Anthony Rendon	Washington Nationals
3	Jose Altuve	Houston Astros
4	Ian Kinsler	Detroit Tigers
5	Dustin Pedroia	Boston Red Sox
6	Jason Kipnis	Cleveland Indians
7	Brian Dozier	Minnesota Twins
8	Kolten Wong	St. Louis Cardinals
9	Chase Utley	Philadelphia Phillies
10	Dee Gordon	Miami Marlins

Outside of the top four second basemen, there are a ton of question marks.

Dustin Pedroia, Jason Kipnis, Brian Dozier and Dee Gordon are no guarantees for consistent production given their inconsistent numbers in the past few seasons. Pedroia and Kipnis slumped last year and are looking to rebound, whereas Dozier and Gordon had strong seasons but don't have favorable histories.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

One player to watch closely is Kolten Wong. He had a great October for the St. Louis Cardinals, recording seven extra-base hits (three home runs). After an inconsistent regular season, he shone bright when it mattered.

Wong told Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: 

"

October did a lot for me. It cleared my conscience of what happened (the pickoff) in the World Series. It gave me assurance that I can play at this level. And it gave me confidence knowing that if I just play the way I’m capable of playing, I should be here for a long time, helping this team win and get back to October every year.

"

He has an outside shot at a 20-20 campaign.

Third Base

Rank	Player	Team
1	Adrian Beltre	Texas Rangers
2	Josh Donaldson	Toronto Blue Jays
3	Anthony Rendon	Washington Nationals
4	Evan Longoria	Tampa Bay Rays
5	Kyle Seager	Seattle Mariners
6	Todd Frazier	Cincinnati Reds
7	Nolan Arenado	Colorado Rockies
8	Carlos Santana	Cleveland Indians
9	Pablo Sandoval	Boston Red Sox
10	Manny Machado	Baltimore Orioles

Adrian Beltre, Josh Donaldson and Anthony Rendon are early-round targets, with Evan Longoria, Kyle Seager and Todd Frazier the obvious next tier at third base.

One player with a chance at really taking a leap in these rankings is Nolan Arenado. In just 111 games last season, he ranked sixth at the position in home runs (18), 12th in RBI (61) and third in doubles (34). It'll be just his third season in the bigs for the 23-year-old in 2015, meaning there's still room for some natural progression.

Couple that with a healthy season (and with the fact that he plays 81 games at Coors Field), and Arenado could crack the top five at some point during the year.

Shortstop

Rank	Player	Team
1	Troy Tulowitzki	Colorado Rockies
2	Ian Desmond	Washington Nationals
3	Hanley Ramirez	Boston Red Sox
4	Jose Reyes	Toronto Blue Jays
5	Alexei Ramirez	Chicago White Sox
6	Starlin Castro	Chicago Cubs
7	Jimmy Rollins	Los Angeles Dodgers
8	Ben Zobrist	Oakland Athletics
9	Elvis Andrus	Texas Rangers
10	Xander Bogaerts	Boston Red Sox

Troy Tulowitzki nabs the top spot because of his incredible full-season potential, but past owners have certainly been disappointed given his injury history. Not many people would blame you for skipping that risk and going with a more reliable bet like Ian Desmond or Hanley Ramirez, who still retains shortstop eligibility despite the news that he will be an outfielder for the Boston Red Sox.

Ramirez is in line for a big year. A corner outfield job should help to keep him fresh, especially with the limited amount of ground he'll have to cover in left field with the Green Monster looming over him. The wall should also help the right-handed slugger improve his power numbers across the board.

And he's already gearing up for the long ball:

"

Hanley Ramirez has added all of the muscle http://t.co/zxnjrHxTED pic.twitter.com/SGS2kbHuGz

— Marc Normandin (@Marc_Normandin) March 5, 2015"

Han-Ram appears to be in phenomenal shape, and that's something potential owners should take notice of.

Outfield

Rank	Player	Team
1	Mike Trout	Los Angeles Angels
2	Carlos Gomez	Milwaukee Brewers
3	Giancarlo Stanton	Miami Marlins
4	Andrew McCutchen	Pittsburgh Pirates
5	Jose Bautista	Toronto Blue Jays
6	Adam Jones	Baltimore Orioles
7	Michael Brantley	Cleveland Indians
8	Yasiel Puig	Los Angeles Dodgers
9	Ryan Braun	Milwaukee Brewers
10	Jacoby Ellsbury	New York Yankees
11	Bryce Harper	Washington Nationals
12	Justin Upton	San Diego Padres
13	Corey Dickerson	Colorado Rockies
14	Starling Marte	Pittsburgh Pirates
15	Carlos Gonzalez	Colorado Rockies
16	Nelson Cruz	Seattle Mariners
17	Yoenis Cespedes	Detroit Tigers
18	Matt Kemp	San Diego Padres
19	Kole Calhoun	Los Angeles Angels
20	George Springer	Houston Astros
21	Matt Holliday	St. Louis Cardinals
22	Christian Yelich	Miami Marlins
23	Jason Heyward	St. Louis Cardinals
24	Jay Bruce	Cincinnati Reds
25	Brett Gardner	New York Yankees

The outfield rankings took a hit on Thursday when the San Francisco Giants announced a big injury to star Hunter Pence:

Someone who would have ranked within the first 15 outfielders off the board will now be a useful player to stash and wait until some time in May when he's ready to return.

There are few surprises in the outfield breakdown, though some might be surprised to see young left fielder Corey Dickerson at No. 13. The 25-year-old broke out in 2014, finishing 20th among outfielders in triples (six), 10th in home runs (24) and 17th in RBI (76) while slashing .312/.364/.567. And he did all that in just 131 games.

With another 20 games under his belt, Dickerson could skyrocket into the top 10 as soon as this season. Coors Field will help him (as it will help Arenado, Tulowitzki and any other valuable Colorado Rockies player), but owners shouldn't feel guilty about taking advantage of that.

Designated Hitter

Rank	Player	Team
1	Miguel Cabrera	Detroit Tigers
2	Jose Abreu	Chicago White Sox
3	Edwin Encarnacion	Toronto Blue Jays
4	Victor Martinez	Detroit Tigers
5	Nelson Cruz	Seattle Mariners
6	David Ortiz	Boston Red Sox
7	Yoenis Cespedes	Detroit Tigers
8	Albert Pujols	Los Angeles Angels
9	Chris Carter	Houston Astros
10	Carlos Santana	Cleveland Indians

Designated hitter (or utility) is a position that can obviously be filled by any batter. A few players are only DHs though, as far as fantasy is concerned. These players often hurt the flexibility of a roster, but their power numbers are valuable.

David Ortiz and Chris Carter are virtual locks for 30 homers and at least 85 RBI, though Carter will strike out close to 200 times. Ortiz should keep his total below 100.

Big Papi isn't a slugger you want to reach for because of his lack of eligibility at first base, but should he fall into your lap in Round 6 or 7, don't hesitate to steal him.

Starting Pitcher

Rank	Player	Team
1	Clayton Kershaw	Los Angeles Dodgers
2	Felix Hernandez	Seattle Mariners
3	Chris Sale	Chicago White Sox
4	Max Scherzer	Washington Nationals
5	David Price	Detroit Tigers
6	Corey Kluber	Cleveland Indians
7	Madison Bumgarner	San Francisco Giants
8	Johnny Cueto	Cincinnati Reds
9	Stephen Strasburg	Washington Nationals
10	Jon Lester	Chicago Cubs
11	Zack Greinke	Los Angels Dodgers
12	Jordan Zimmermann	Washington Nationals
13	Yu Darvish	Texas Rangers
14	Cole Hamels	Philadelphia Phillies
15	Julio Teheran	Atlanta Braves
16	Adam Wainwright	St. Louis Cardinals
17	Jeff Samardzija	Chicago White Sox
18	Sonny Gray	Oakland Athletics
19	Alex Cobb	Tampa Bay Rays
20	James Shields	San Diego Padres
21	Matt Harvey	New York Mets
22	Gerrit Cole	Pittsburgh Pirates
23	Gio Gonzalez	Washington Nationals
24	Tyson Ross	San Diego Padres
25	Garrett Richards	Los Angeles Angels

As the game continues its shift away from hitters, the wealth of pitching available is going to increase. That's why the above mock features just eight pitchers out of the first 36 picks. Hitting is at a premium, and owners should not reach for arms.

It's not a bad idea to ensure yourself a top-10 starter, but waiting until Round 3 or 4 to take your first hurler won't kill your team. Setting yourself up with an outfielder or two and then an infielder will go a long way in ensuring your long-term success.

Pitchers like Gerrit Cole, Tyson Ross, Alex Cobb and Garrett Richards can provide you similar production to bigger names like James Shields, Gio Gonzalez and Jeff Samardzija, even though they rank slightly lower on the totem pole. Don't be afraid to go for the lesser-known commodities.

Relief Pitcher

Rank	Player	Team
1	Aroldis Chapman	Cincinnati Reds
2	Craig Kimbrel	Atlanta Braves
3	Greg Holland	Kansas City Royals
4	Trevor Rosenthal	St. Louis Cardinals
5	Carlos Carrasco	Cleveland Indians
6	Kenley Jansen	Los Angeles Dodgers
7	David Robertson	Chicago White Sox
8	Mark Melancon	Pittsburgh Pirates
9	Alex Wood	Atlanta Braves
10	Huston Street	Los Angeles Angels

The "Big Three" of closers is still made up of Aroldis Chapman, Craig Kimbrel and Greg Holland. The hurlers are good bets to provide 40 saves, a high number of strikeouts and very few baserunners—the three keys to dominant fantasy relievers.

But interesting options in this top 10 are Carlos Carrasco and Alex Wood, two starters who are also still eligible relievers. Every fantasy owner knows the value of starts as opposed to saves, as more innings equals more points. Plus, the potential to rack up strikeouts obviously increases.

Carrasco is a far better option than Wood. He ended his 2014 season with a ridiculous 1.70 ERA after the All-Star break. Look for the 27-year-old to regress, but not enough to warrant passing on him.

Take him (as a reliever) before you take Kenley Jansen, David Robertson and Mark Melancon. It'll be a bold move that pays dividends in the end.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn