Keep or Kut - Pete (@PeteBBaseball) and Chad (@ChadYoung) do a little mock draft, but with a twist. Rather than drafting to build the best team, this draft is focused on keeper value. In this eight-round draft, players are taken with their current NFBC ADP attached with Chad and Pete trying to identify players who will be good keepers for 2023. The result is a combination of sleepers, breakouts, and other players who we expect to cost a lot more in 2023 than they do in 2022. Draft them now and you'll be thrilled to keep them next year.
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Timestamps:
2:09 - The rules for the draft
5:34 - With the first overall pick, Pete bets on a bounceback from Alex Bregman, whose current ADP may be an overcorrection.
8:34 - Chad looks for a breakout with his first pick, taking Alejandro Kirk and his elite batted balls and solid plate discipline.
10:59 - Fantasy managers seem to be waiting for Jorge Polanco to prove his 2019 and 2021 are legit, but Chad is happy to take him with his second pick.
13:23 - Another MI off the board, as Pete grabs Gleyber Torres (still just 25 years old) with his second pick.
17:35 - More youth for Pete, as he fills first base with Alex Kirilloff, who underperformed his 2022 xStats.
19:57 - Finishing up the third, Chad takes Andrew Vaughn, who was solid if not spectacular despite making the leap from A-ball all the way to MLB.
23:36 - Kirilloff vs. Vaughn: Who ya got?
24:47 - Chad adds some power with Rhys Hoskins, who showed improvement in 2021 and could be primed for a breakout.
29:28 - Will Smith slots in behind the plate for Pete - could he be C1 this year?
34:38 - Pete just can't quit Brendan Rodgers, but there are real reasons for optimism.
38:19 - Fresh off a strong finish (pre-injury), Blake Snell is Chad's pick at SP.
41:17 - Chad finishes off his pitching staff with Ken Giles, who was elite when we last saw him and has a path to saves.
44:47 - Pete goes deep into ADP to take Trevor Larnach. Larnach is risky, but he's also basically free.
49:08 - At the other end of the spectrum, Sandy Alcantara is far from free, but there's still room for him to be a great keeper at this cost.
52:12 - He's been freed from Tropicana Field, but Willy Adames still comes cheap enough that Chad sees a lot of keeper value.
55:28 - Chad's last pick is Alec Bohm, whose 70 grade hit tool is too good to keep performing so poorly.
58:30 - Pete finishes up with Devin Williams, who may not be a closer immediately, but has elite skills and could be a big win for a patient manager.
1:01:44 - LIGHTNING ROUND! Chad and Pete offer quick thoughts on players who weren't taken in the draft, but could have been: Carson Kelly, Chris Taylor, Oneil Cruz, Trent Grisham, Frankie Montas, Camilo Doval, Trey Mancini