With three first-year-player drafts behind me and one underway as I kind, fantasy baseball is formally again within the Itch family. I lined my Razz 30 draft in Quantity one and can share the outcomes of two 15-team league drafts on this article.
I’ll begin with the Ditka Sausage Razznasty League, a every day lineups league that’s been going for about seven years. I’ve made some good strikes on this league and simply as many dangerous ones as a result of I really feel the race towards time most acutely right here, which means the crunch to maximise my every day lineup drives plenty of my choice making. I say all this to clarify partly why I didn’t decide till the fourth spherical on this draft. I did nonetheless have my third spherical decide (3.43), however I moved again a couple of spots so as to add a fourth-rounder in 2026 and slide up from 5.67 to five.61 within the fifth spherical this yr.
4.50 Nationals LHP Jose Ferrer
Ferrer dominated down the stretch (1.42 ERA, 0.83 WHIP over his remaining 25.1 innings) and elbowed his method into the late-innings image. Competing for saves just isn’t a brand new growth within the arc of Ferrer’s minor league profession, however he’s nonetheless a low-strikeout unknown for our sport, and he may effectively keep that method. Then again, and Colin Poche may assist with this, Ferrer has the instruments to turn into a knockout nearer only a tick under the Emmanuel Clase stage regardless of the shortage of dominant strikeout numbers as a result of his stuff is so robust to sq. up even contained in the strike zone.
4.58 Nationals RHP Jorge Lopez
Throughout his finest stretch of the season, Lopez recorded a 0.76 ERA in 23.2 innings spanning a bit greater than two months. That’s not an inexpensive expectation for a full season, in fact, but it surely stands to purpose that Lopez has been studying to be a late-inning reliever since changing to the bullpen full time in 2022. Groups commerce for this man each season, however no person may prime $3 million? Positive, that claims one thing about his perceived worth across the sport, but it surely additionally makes him the best paid member of this nickel and dime aid corps.
5.61 Free Agent RHP David Robertson
This might be a zero any day now, or it might be the most affordable nearer on the board. Robertson turned down his $7 million possibility, so he’s been ready for higher than that to return alongside. Hassle is, he’s 40 years outdated, and most groups try to hoard and acquire from luxurious tax offenders who’re floating the league. I made a listing of groups I assumed he’d shut for if signed: Rangers, White Sox, Tigers, Marlins, Phillies, Nationals, Brewers, and Rockies. I additionally listed the Orioles, Reds and Phillies as query marks as a result of well being or efficiency may create a window early. I’m certain I’m lacking a crew or two, however the level is he’s a fifth-round flier so massive whoop. Anticipating nearer alternatives over the low season is a worthwhile enterprise in dynasty leagues.
5.64 Padres LHP Kyle Hart
Hart signed with San Diego throughout the fourth spherical of this draft, which was prolonged a bit by a crew timing out on an eight-hour clock on back-to-back days. Hart comes again to the states after profitable the Korean equal of the Cy Younger Award, and whereas it appears like a stretch that he’ll simply soar proper in as a fantasy possibility at 32 years outdated, however crazier issues have occurred, and San Diego is a pleasant place to pitch.
And now a league through which I do have a first-round decide:
1.5 Angels 2B Christian Moore
Moore ought to get pleasure from his fair proportion of enjoying time over the subsequent few seasons, however this isn’t only a proximity play. Moore has simple, all-fields energy and the pace to steal bases on the power of his plus baseball acumen. Second basemen like him don’t come alongside yearly.
2.20 Royals LHP Kris Bubic
Within the phrases of John Bender: “Hey Ahab, seize all my Bubic?”
I actually am grabbing as a lot as I can this draft season to see what Bubic can do as a starter after honing his craft out of the bullpen. He options 83rd percentile extension and a plus changeup that works towards each proper and left-handed hitters if solely he’d throw it a bit greater than the 16 % he did in 2024.
If I’m choosing a Reynaldo Lopez slash Seth Lugo kind relief-to-starter breakout in 2025, Bubic sits comfortably atop that record. I get the Clay Holmes factor and no disrespect supposed there, however Bubic pitches for a very good crew in a pitchers’ park in a weak division.
3.35 Rangers RHP Chris Martin
I noticed sparks when Martin was on the board right here regardless of being the one veteran possibility in Texas, now that Jon Grey is reportedly ticketed for the rotation. Grey stated no person from the group approached him about closing, so maybe Martin has been the answer for fairly some time. His 1.13 WHIP final season is the best he’s posted since 2021, however his strikeout-minus-walk fee remained elite at 26.1 %.
4.50 Free Agent RHP David Robertson
Large cash massive cash no whammies no whammies!
5.65 Diamondbacks OF Pavin Smith
One quirk of this league is it has zero minor league spots. You may roster as many as you’d like, however you don’t need to, so main league depth has extra worth on this league than most. With out the prospect eligibility crunch that forces dynasty groups to chop massive leaguers, groups simply maintain them, making a strong-side platoon bat like Pavin Smith an honest possibility ultimately sport. I’ve Michael Conforto, Kerry Carpenter, Ryan O’Hearn and Trevor Larnach on this crew, so I’m enjoying a harmful sport within the outfield and would like to consolidate a few these guys.
Thanks for studying!
