2014 Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft, Round 1

            Here are the first ten players No Credentials picked in our fourth annual mock draft. If you missed the preview of this mock, click here.

 



1-1 = Miguel Cabrera, 1B-3B, Detroit Tigers

2014 Projection = .328 AVG, 44 HRs, 127 RBIs, 103 Rs, 3 SBs
            He’s taken over Albert Pujols’ place as best hitter in the game, and with the addition of Ian Kinsler, could have even more RBI opportunities this year. Keeper league owners do need to keep in mind that Cabrera will be playing at first this year, so he’s not a long term option at third anymore.

1-2 = Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2014 Projection = .303 AVG, 27 HRs, 87 RBIs, 118 Rs, 39 SBs
            Unquestionably the most valuable player in keeper league drafts or auctions, we dropped Trout below Miggy because of the lower RBI potential. I could be talked into moving Trout up to first if I knew he was going to hit third in the Angels lineup and still get the green light to run. Regardless, he’s the best option on the board if you’re looking for good to elite production in the standard hitting categories.

1-3 = Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks

2014 Projection = .299 AVG, 34 HRs, 117 RBIs, 102 Rs, 16 SBs
            Goldschmidt’s 2013 stat line reminds me of an old school Jeff Bagwell year from the mid-90s. I’d be willing to wager on him eclipsing 40 dingers this year, and if you took him first in your fantasy draft, you wouldn’t be totally crazy.

1-4 = Robinson Cano, 2B, Seattle Mariners

2014 Projection = .315 AVG, 23 HRs, 104 RBIs, 97 Rs, 7 SBs
            I’ve gone back and forth on this several times since Cano signed with Seattle (and still might change my opinion multiple times before the season starts), but ultimately I don’t think Cano will experience a dramatic drop off in production. One needs to remember that it was a not a typically stacked Yankees offense last year that Cano was hitting in the middle of. With increased production from some of Seattle’s younger players (I’m looking at you Justin Smoak), Cano could actually find himself in a better situation to produce.

1-5 = Chris Davis, 1B, Baltimore Orioles

2014 Projection = .282 AVG, 47 HRs, 127 RBIs, 98 Rs, 3 SBs
            While it would be foolish to guaruantee that Davis will exceed last year’s home run total, his advanced metrics say he shouldn’t experience any significant regression. A few of his dingers from last year might morph into doubles, but I’ll still sign off on him delivering elite power numbers hitting in the middle of a solid Orioles lineup.

1-6 = Bryce Harper, OF, Washington Nationals

2014 Projection = .288 AVG, 28 HRs, 80 RBIs, 88 Rs, 16 SBs
            This feels like a slight reach (mostly because it is), but sooner rather than later Harper is going to deliver a hammer of the god’s fantasy season. The percentages say all three of the next outfielders will have better seasons, but none of them have the ceiling Harper has.

1-7 = Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Colorado Rockies

2014 Projection = .300 AVG, 33 HRs, 88 RBIs, 88 Rs, 24 SBs
            I’ve written a paragraph in Cargo’s player write-up the previous three years about how I don’t like to draft players like him because of their high strikeout totals and low walk rates. Well, all Gonzalez has done is produce elite fantasy numbers year in and year out. It’s time to award him for consistency.

1-8 = Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

2014 Projection = .315 AVG, 30 HRs, 93 RBIs, 102 Rs, 24 SBs
            The centerpiece of an up and coming Pirates team, ultimately the lack of firepower in the Pirates lineup is what has us ranking McCutchen so low (both ESPN and Yahoo have him ranked in the top-5). If you have the chance to draft him with the eighth pick, you should be ecstatic.

1-9 = Ryan Braun, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

2014 Projection = .273 AVG, 30 HRs, 98 RBIs, 89 Rs, 18 SBs
            Ryan Braun is an asshole, which normally isn’t a favorable character trait, but in this case it is. Most players dealing with fan backlash from being caught doping crumble (Rafael Palmeiro, a TECMO Super Baseball favorite, is a prime example), but Braun already dealt with this in 2012. All he did that year was win the NL MVP. It won’t be shocking if he drops into the second round in numerous fantasy leagues, but there’s still a fair chance he delivers top-5 value at the end of the season.

1-10 = Clayton Kershaw, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
2014 Projection = 20 Ws, 235 Ks, 2.77 ERA, 1.05 WHIP
            Kershaw has separated himself as the most dominant starting pitcher in the game, and pitching on a loaded Dodgers roster, there is no reason that any other pitcher should come off the board before him. Somewhere around the end of the first or early second round is where I’d be comfortable taking him.