Dynasty League Rookie Drafts ADPs

HOT PROSPECTS 1 At Prospect361.com, we host four 15-team Dynasty Leagues. Each league is a rotisserie format with 23 starters, seven bench slots, and 20 minor leaguers. Not including players on the DL, there are a total of 750 players owned across all teams.

Last Monday, February 18th, we conducted our annual 10-round Rookie Draft where owners can select any player not owned in the Player Pool. The eligibility rule is simple – a player must be signed by a Major League organization. Therefore, players still in college, high school or playing outside the US are not eligible. To make the player pool richer, a player MAY not be added by a Dynasty League owner after last year’s draft commenced. This ensures that players selected in the June draft, as well as players signed as part of the July J2 signing period, are all eligible.

The results of the drafts were interesting in that there was no real pattern. Yusei Kikuchi was drafted number one overall in two drafts, number two in a third but fell all the way to the number nine slot in the final draft. Nick Madrigal was the most consistent player taken – number one overall in one draft and third in the other three.

Remember, these drafts are not limited to first-year players or even minor leaguers. If they are available in the player pool, they can be drafted. In fact, Jazz Chisholm somehow was available in one league and was taken number one overall in that league. I took Nathan Eovaldi at 1:13 in one draft because I needed a pitcher and I’m in my window to win now. These selections do skew the drafts results. But for the most part, the players taken early in the draft are last year’s June draftees or recently signed J2 players.

Later this week, I will publish a list of really young players I targeted in the drafts – some I got, and some I didn’t.

Enjoy the list and please click on the baseball card to visit our partner amazon.com to explore additional information on each player.

1. Nick Madrigal (CHW, 2B, 2.50 ADP)

I honestly thought that Kikuchi would go number one overall, but the selection of Madrigal is controversial. While he has an elite hit tool with plus speed, there is no power. While the speed and the ability to get on-base are fantasy friendly, his lack of power might limit his upside as a Major Leaguer.

2. Yusei Kikuchi (Sea, LHP, 3.25 ADP)

While I’m not the biggest fan of Kikuchi, he was the safe pick at number two. He’s Major League ready and will play in a good pitcher’s environment. However, the upside for me is only a number three starter and with a history of Japanese pitchers arm injuries, you do worry.

3. Casey Mize (Det, RHP, 4.00 ADP)

He was the number one overall pick in last June’s draft and while I don’t generally like drafting pitchers high in a Rookie Draft, I too Mize number two in one of the drafts. He’s got a quality arsenal with an upside of a number two starter who should move quickly. Sure, he might blow out, but at some point, you have to get on the pitcher-train as they are half of our team in the game.

4. Nolan Gorman (Stl, 3B, 5.00 ADP)

I knew that Gorman would go high but I did not have him this high on my pref list. Sure, he has double-plus raw power but it will come with a ton of strikeouts and batting average pressure. As opposed to Joey Gallo, he also doesn’t walk a ton.

5. Victor Victor Mesa (Mia, OF, 5.50 ADP)

When Victor Victor was signed two months ago, I thought he would go 1:1 in our rookie drafts. However, while the speed is plus, there became a lot of concern about his hit-tool and lack of power that whispers of a fourth outfielder stated to emerge. Clearly, owners were worried about this, so he fell.

6. Jonathan India (Cin, 3B, 6.75 ADP)

India is a solid pick and those who selected him should feel good about the selection. He has solid power with a little bit of speed that will play half his games in a premium ballpark.

7. Jarred Kelenic (Sea, OF, 7.75 ADP)

I had Kelenic very high on my pref list but unfortunately, I didn’t get him on any of my teams. He’s a great athlete with great makeup and a chance to develop into a premier outfielder.

8. Trevor Larnach (Min, OF 8.25 ADP)

This one surprised me. I like Larnach but see him more as a solid major league regular – not a guy with star potential. At a single-digit selection, I’m looking for a star. He has good power with the ability to hit but is a 30-grade runner with questions about where he will play defensively.

9. Joey Bart (SF, C, 11.25 ADP)

Since our Leagues are two-catcher leagues, I thought Bart would go higher – surely higher than Larnach. However, he fell to an ADP of 11 and I believe there was good value for those who grabbed him.

10. Travis Swaggerty (Pit, OF, 11.75 ADP)

I had Swaggerty high on my pref list but with an asterisk – he’s a Pirate. Let’s face it, they have an inconsistent history of developing prospects and Swaggerty is by no means a sure thing. The talent is there but he needs some development.

11. Nico Hoerner (CHC, SS, 14.00 ADP)

I’m assuming Hoerner rose due to his participation and solid performance in the AFL last fall. He’s a solid player but really doesn’t have the speed and power to make him all that fantasy-friendly.

12. Jordan Groshans (Tor, 3B, 14.75 ADP)

Groshans is a solid pick at the back of the first round. He can hit with a little bit of power and if you are comparing him to Larnach, is more athletic with a chance to maybe even steal of few bases.

13. Alec Bohm (PHI, 3B, 15.00 ADP)

Based on where Bohm was selected in the MLB Draft (3), you can argue that owners got a huge bargain. As we’ve written before, let’s just hope his poor showing in his debut was just due to fatigue and adjustment and not something more disconcerting.

14. Marco Luciano (SF, OF, 17.25 ADP)

I really wanted Luciano on my teams, but when he went number five overall in one draft, I knew others had the same idea. I thought I could get him in the third round but had to snag him in the second to finally land him on one league. If you throw out pick number five as a reach, he went pick 20-22 in the others. FOMO – Fear of Missing Out is definitely at play here.