2017 RotoGraphs Staff Picks

by
March 31, 2017

You know the drill! The criteria for each “award,” so to speak, precede each table. Pitchers first, then hitters. Here are last year’s picks, by the way.

* * *

Pitchers


Sleeper: Within picks #201-300 overall, per NFBC ADP
Deep Sleeper: 301-400
Undrafted: Outside top 400
Rookie/sophomore: Best hitter – <50 IP / 50+ IP previous season
Steal: Best value pick; outside top 200
SP Bust: Worst value pick; limit to top 100
RP Bust: Whoever, man

Pitchers
ROTOGRAPHER Sleeper Deep Sleeper Undrafted Rookie Sophomore Steal SP Bust RP Bust
Al Melchior Shoemaker Hellickson Corbin Cotton Matz Nola Arrieta Osuna
Alex Chamberlain Shoemaker Ty. Anderson Phelps Gsellman Maeda Nola D. Duffy Watson
Andrew Perpetua J. Ross Liriano S. Miller Cotton Fulmer Gsellman Maeda Allen
Ben Duronio Foltynewicz W. Peralta Duffey Gsellman Guerra Eickhoff Scherzer E. Diaz
Ben Kaspick Nola Chen Phelps De Leon Oh Richards Hamels Watson
Birchwood Bros. McHugh Wood Boyd Cotton Maeda D. Norris Hamels Oh
Brad Johnson Corbin M. Montgomery Morton Gsellman E> Diaz Reed D. Duffy W. Davis
Brandon Warne E. Rodriguez Ty. Anderson Bradley Gsellman Matz Eickhoff Hendricks Kimbrel
Brice Russ Ray T. Ross B. Anderson Cotton Matz Capps C-Mart Allen
Jeff Zimmerman Ray Berrios Morton Hader Urias Pineda DeGrom W. Davis
Josh Shepardson Shoemaker Liriano W. Peralta Cotton Maeda Gsellman Arrieta Robertson
Justin Mason Desclafani Skaggs B. Anderson Cotton Fulmer Richards Price W. Davis
Justin Vibber S. Gray Wood Morton De Leon Urias Nola Arrieta K-Rod
Mike Podhorzer Walker S. Miller Hutchison Cotton Maeda Nola C-Mart K-Rod
Paul Sporer Walker Cobb S. Miller Cotton Fulmer Wacha Hendricks Davis
Rylan Edwards Richards Skaggs Phelps Cotton J. Gray Nola Strasburg Familia
Scott Strandberg Shoemaker Liriano S. Miller Cotton J. Gray Pomeranz Price Robertson
Trey Baughn Bundy Foltynewicz Green Hader J. Gray Lynn D. Duffy Ramos

Note: The table scrolls laterally. Make sure you view the columns getting cut off to the right.

* * *

Hitters

Sleeper: 201-300
Deep Sleeper: 301-400
Undrafted: Outside top 400
Rookie/sophomore: Best hitter – <130 PA / 130+ PA previous season
Steal: Best value pick; outside top 200
Bust: Worst value pick; limit to top 100

Hitters
ROTOGRAPHER Sleeper Deep Sleeper Undrafted Rookie Sophomore Steal Bust
Al Melchior Do. Santana Haniger Joyce Benintendi C. Seager Napoli Myers
Alex Chamberlain Bell A. Dickerson Park Benintendi C. Seager V-Mart Stanton
Andrew Perpetua Rupp Conforto D. Herrera Benintendi T. Turner Duda Encarnacion
Ben Duronio Cron Tilson Adams Benintendi T. Turner Bird Myers
Ben Kaspick D. Peralta Duda J. Peralta Benintendi Bregman Puig Segura
Birchwood Bros. Do. Santana Revere DeShields Haniger T. Turner Bird T. Frazier
Brad Johnson Brantley Owings Altherr Swanson Story Schimpf Dozier
Brandon Warne Kepler Panik E. Rosario Benintendi C. Seager Puig Desmond
Brice Russ Heyward Schmipf K. Vargas Benintendi T. Turner Reyes Schwarber
Jeff Zimmerman V-Mart Haniger Saladino Bellinger C. Seager J. Dyson T. Turner
Josh Shepardson Joseph Panik Park Benintendi T. Turner Pence Contreras
Justin Mason Semien Haniger Vargas Zimmer T. Turner Forsythe Kipnis
Justin Vibber Do. Santana A. Dickerson Park Benintendi T. Turner Bird Cespedes
Mike Podhorzer Moustakas Gordon Saladino Benintendi T. Turner V-Mart Myers
Paul Sporer Grichuk Panik Parra Brinson T. Turner Bird Schwarber
Rylan Edwards Castellanos Conforto Joyce Benintendi Bregman Bird Stanton
Scott Strandberg Joseph Choo Vogelbach Benintendi T. Turner V-Mart Odor
Trey Baughn T. Murphy J. Polanco H.S. Kim Swanson Mazara Choo D. Murphy

* * *

Comments

As curator of these fine picks, I also solicited comments from writers about their (or others’) picks. Presented below, without edit:

Comments
Your Name Player Name Category Comment
Paul Sporer Schwarber Bust This is for leagues where he doesn’t have C-eligibility which is most
Justin Mason Price Bust Might be unfair to pick him, but it was that or bank on Strasburg breaking down again.
Justin Mason Schwarber/ Stanton Bust Love both these picks, but went with Kipnis just to be different
Andrew Perpetua Maeda Bust I feel the league will adjust to his curveball and use of the inside half, he’ll regress to league average, K% drop a lot, 3.75-3.9 ERA.
Andrew Perpetua Encarnacion Bust Very afraid of his batted ball profile, seems to be hitting more pop ups with age. I fear a dramatic drop in HR/FB and AVG.
Mike Podhorzer Aa. Sanchez Bust (not chosen) Dying to choose Sanchez as SP bust inside top 100, but current ADP is 103.56 and I’m a stickler for the rules
Alex Chamberlain Hendricks Bust I’ll speak on behalf of everyone who chose him: None of us think he’ll be bad. He’s good. You’re just overpaying for a Cy Young candidacy you probably won’t see again.





 

Two-time FSWA award winner, including 2018 Baseball Writer of the Year, and 8-time award finalist. Featured in Lindy's magazine (2018, 2019), Rotowire magazine (2021), and Baseball Prospectus (2022, 2023). Biased toward a nicely rolled baseball pant.

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Brad
7 years ago

Sooooo…. you guys know Folty isn’t a rookie, right?

0
Alex Chamberlainmember
7 years ago
Reply to  Brad

It was my job to vet all these picks, so that’s on me. Wow, he’s not even close to being a rook.

3
Alex Chamberlainmember
7 years ago
Reply to  Brad

Oh man, so this was 1000% my fault: I replaced Jharel Cotton’s name with Folty while ctrl+H’ing the crap out of the spreadsheet. Fixed now. I’m an idiot!!!!!

2
Brad
7 years ago
Reply to  Alex Chamberlain

Effin’ A, Cotton. Effin’ A.

9
deanlwwhite
7 years ago
Reply to  Brad

Just watched Cotton on The Ocho

1
808Snake
7 years ago
Reply to  deanlwwhite

It going to be really hard to see with that blindfold on

1