Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft: 17th Round

One pitcher fantasy baseball owners need to pay attention to is A’s youngster Gio Gonzalez. This kid is primed for a strong season in 2011, and if he should fall past the fifteen round at your draft, it is worth grabbing him fast.

17th Round Results

193. Drew Storen – RP: The Nationals won’t be a winning team in 2011, but Drew Storen is a closer with upside. Now that Matt Capps is gone to the Twins, look for Storen to be the full time closer. By next season Storen could be a top fourteen closer.

194. Jair Jurrjens – SP: Jair Jurrjens came into last season with a tired arm from pitching an increased amount of innings the year before. Look for Jurrjens to get back on track and that makes him a nice value pick in this area of the draft.

195. Magglio Ordonez – OF: The Tigers lost a key bat when Magglio Ordonez went down last summer. Ordonez doesn’t have much power but his ADP is cheep for what he can give your team in batting average and steady production.

196. Ryan Franklin – RP: The Cardinals won’t do down without a fight after losing Adam Wainwright for the season. Ryan Franklin won’t be a top closer taken, but he is a respectable option to help your team.

197. Rajai Davis – OF: The Blue Jays acquired a solid leadoff man when they got Rajai Davis from the A’s. Now that Davis is in a better offense, he should be a threat to score close to 100 runs and will steal up to 50 stolen bases. Simply put, Davis is a great value if you’re looking for a highered gun at the stolen base category.

198. Brad Lidge – RP: Who the heck knows what Brad Lidge is going to do from year to year. Maybe Lidge will post another earn run average over five this season, or he could go out and dominate from start to finish. One thing is for sure that the Phillies are committed to giving Lidge the baseball in the ninth and that makes him a worthy closer to have.

199. Yadier Molina – C: Yadier Molina isn’t going to give you great production for fantasy baseball, but he can provide you production until you find a better player. Look to options like J.P. Arencibia as a better value catcher to take before to select Molina.

200. Marco Scutaro – SS: If there was ever a player who was worth cutting right after selecting him, it must be Marco Scutaro in a mixed league format. Seriously, if you’re taking Scutaro as even a utility starter, your team is already hurting before opening day.

This pick was probably more an auto draft selection than one you will see at your draft. Then again, their are always a few fantasy owners in every league that make a few head scratching picks as you get deep into a draft, so you never know.

201. Andres Torres – OF: The Giants were fortunate that career minor league outfielder Andres Torres stepped up and played great in the leadoff position last year. I do believe Torres can have success again, but the odds suggest he may not repeat.

If he struggles early on it will be easy to scrap him off your team, so take a chance on him around this time if you like.

202. Jose Lopez – 2B: I’m a little concerned about Jose Lopez getting regular work this season, but I can’t argue his selection at this point. Lopez could bounce back with a change to the Rockies, but if he should struggle early, you will need to look elsewhere.

203. Javier Vazquez – SP: Don’t be surprised if Javier Vazquez produces a quiet, solid season for the Marlins down in Florida. Vazquez won’t have to deal with big market pressure and can focus on getting the job done. This is a nice veteran arm for the Marlins to have and his fantasy value is low.

204. Gio Gonzalez – SP: Talk about a pitcher that is going to see his ADP jump from this year to next year. Gio Gonzalez should go no later than the 12th round in all fantasy leagues, but it seems many aren’t paying attention to him because he’s in Oakland.

Gonzalez will have a strong season and has the best strikeout upside of anyone on the A’s staff. If he should fall past the 15th round, jump on Gonzalez right away.

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