The Art of Mock Drafting: Understanding the Managers
The first and most important thing you need to understand about any mock draft involving Fred Zinkie is that watching him assemble an initial roster is like witnessing a master chef cinch their apron and sharpen a knife, only to see no actual food preparation. For Fred, the draft is merely the first step on a long journey that ultimately leads to a very different and often championship-winning roster. Fred is a high-motor fantasy manager who will undoubtedly pry away your team’s best players, yet leave you feeling great about the exchange. His combination of ruthlessness and agreeableness is both devastating and endearing. He is a cunning manipulator who sees around corners and likely maintains detailed files on each of his industry colleagues, revealing tendencies and weaknesses. Fred is every fantasy shark’s favorite shark. His teams will look nothing like the squads he drafts in the spring, making it silly to evaluate any Zinkie team in February or March.
Dalton Del Don: The Reluctant Trader
When it comes to Dalton Del Don, the story is quite different. Plenty of wild things can happen when Dalton is in your fantasy league, but a trade involving his squad is not one of them. Dalton has been drafting and managing fantasy rosters for two decades and has yet to find a deal to his liking. This is a reflection of his cautious and often timid approach to life, as well as his absolute conviction in every fantasy pick he makes. Dalton is going to get his guys in a draft and cling tightly to them for the next seven months. If you’ve seen his roster in March, you know exactly what it will look like in September. His teams are a testament to his unwavering faith in his initial selections.
Scott Pianowski and Andy Behrens: The Balanced Managers
Scott Pianowski and I fall somewhere in the middle of the fantasy management spectrum. We are each active on the waiver wire in-season and are certainly willing to trade, though neither of us has reached Fred’s tier in terms of lifetime trade winning percentage. Our rosters will typically remain recognizable as our teams throughout the season, but we are not averse to making adjustments. We will invariably finish among the league leaders in total transactions, but our foundational drafted players are likely to remain on our squads. Our approach is less frenetic than Fred’s but more flexible than Dalton’s, striking a balance that serves our teams well.
The Mock Draft Process: A Test of Patience
Last week, the four of us participated in a 12-team mock exercise, each drafting three rosters via a shared spreadsheet and a massive email thread. This was a nightmare to manage and track, and lesser fantasy experts would have definitely abandoned the project by the second day. But we persisted through 23 grueling rounds. Fred drafted teams "Eric Gagne for the Win," "Matt Stairscase to Heaven," and "Down by the Jason Bay." Dalton drafted teams "Keeping it Clase," "A battle of Witts," and "I’ll be the Judge." Scott drafted teams "Scoreless in Seattle," "Peanut Butter," and "Elly and Ezequiel 25/17." I drafted "Vlad and the Impalers," "Schwarberry Shortcake," and "Things I Hate About Yu." The full results are a testament to our collective dedication and varied management styles.
The Yankees’ Shockwave: Facial Hair and Fantasy Decisions
We’d been drafting for five days and had completed 15 full rounds when, on Friday, the New York Yankees abruptly announced they were amending their ridiculous and anachronistic policy on facial hair. This change threw our draft into disarray. We would have drafted a bearded version of Gerrit Cole earlier than the sixth round, and Anthony Volpe would have been taken well before the 11th if we’d known he wouldn’t look like a toddler. Devin Williams, too, should jump to the top of the relief pitcher ranks now that he is once again allowed to conceal his unfortunate chin. The grooming news hit us like a shockwave after our first 180 picks were already locked in. When we reconvene for the next mock, all Yankees should get a boost, barring any truly regrettable facial hair decisions.
Roster Considerations and Strategic Approaches
As a group, we are not anticipating sophomore season nosedives from last year’s rookie class, with one notable exception. Paul Skenes, Jackson Chourio, and Jackson Merrill were all selected inside the top 25 overall picks, and by three different drafters. Luis Gil, however, was the only breakout rookie from 2024 who hasn’t earned our complete trust moving forward. He went undrafted until Round 17, and his slide continued even after his mustache/beard outlook improved. We are concerned about the good fortune that contributed to his monster season, including a .237 BABIP and 4.36 xFIP. Each of us took a different approach to starting pitchers, with my method being the most conservative. I waited until the 11th round to select a starter, and each of my teams came away with an abundance of pitching upside. We each took a different approach to catchers, with Pianowski being the most disciplined, waiting until Round 21 to choose his three backstops. In one-catcher formats, you can afford to treat this position like the kicker spot on your fantasy football roster, waiting until the closing rounds to land a moderately interesting option.
