With Opening Day less than a week away, some of us are ready to draft our fantasy baseball teams now that spring training is coming to a close and we have a better idea who has a shot at making an impact at the MLB level.
This is typically the best time to draft because it's much easier to avoid injuries and/or players getting demoted to the minors (if you're in a keeper league looking to draft prospects that could start the year off in the MLB).
It's important to focus on the first few rounds of the draft in building the foundation of your team. If you're not in a keeper league, the first rounds of the draft are most crucial because you're constructing your team from scratch. Be sure to make smart moves, or else it could be a disappointing 2016 season for you.
Check out ESPN's and Yahoo's rankings for the top-five players at their position:
*We did the top-10 outfielders and starting pitchers because teams have to draft at least three of them.
First Basemen (ESPN) | First Basemen (Yahoo) |
Paul Goldschmidt, ARI | Paul Goldschmidt, ARI |
Edwin Encarnacion, TOR | Miguel Cabrera, DET |
Jose Abreu, CWS | Anthony Rizzo, CHC |
Miguel Cabrera, DET | Edwin Encarnacion, TOR |
Anthony Rizzo, CHC | Jose Abreu, CWS |
Second Basemen (ESPN) | Second Basemen (Yahoo) |
Jose Altuve, HOU | Jose Altuve, HOU |
Dee Gordon, MIA | Dee Gordon, MIA |
Robinson Cano, SEA | Robinson Cano, SEA |
Brian Dozier, MIN | Matt Carpenter, STL |
Ian Kinsler, DET | Jason Kipnis, CLE |
Third Basemen (ESPN) | Third Basemen (Yahoo) |
Josh Donaldson, TOR | Josh Donaldson, TOR |
Nolan Arenado, COL | Manny Macahdo, BAL |
Manny Machado, BAL | Nolan Arenado, COL |
Kris Bryant, CHC | Kris Bryant, CHC |
Todd Frazier, CIN | Miguel Sano, MIN |
Shortstops (ESPN) | Shortstops (Yahoo) |
Carlos Correa, HOU | Manny Machado, BAL* |
Troy Tulowitzki, TOR | Carlos Correa, HOU |
Xander Bogaerts, BOS | Xander Bogaerts, BOS |
Corey Seager, LAD | Troy Tulowitzki, TOR |
Francisco Lindor, CLE | Corey Seager, LAD |
*Apparently Manny Machado has shortstop eligibility in some leagues
Outfielders (ESPN) | Outfielders (Yahoo) |
Mike Trout, LAA | Mike Trout, LAA |
Bryce Harper, WAS | Bryce Harper, WAS |
Andrew McCutchen, PIT | Andrew McCutchen, PIT |
Giancarlo Stanton, MIA | Giancarlo Stanton, MIA |
Jose Bautista, TOR | Kris Bryant, CHC |
A.J. Pollock, ARI | Jose Bautista, TOR |
Chris Davis, BAL | Mookie Betts, BOS |
Mookie Betts, BOS | A.J. Pollock, ARI |
J.D. Martinez, DET | George Springer, HOU |
Starling Marte, PIT | Charlie Blackmon, COL |
Catchers (ESPN) | Catchers (Yahoo) |
Buster Posey, SF | Buster Posey, SF |
Kyle Schwarber, CHC | Kyle Schwarber, CHC |
Jonathan Lucroy, MIL | Jonathan Lucroy, MIL |
Brian McCann, NYY | Russell Martin, TOR |
Russell Martin, TOR | Salvador Perez, KC |
Starting Pitchers (ESPN) | Starting Pitchers (Yahoo) |
Clayton Kershaw, LAD | Clayton Kershaw, LAD |
Max Scherzer, WAS | Max Scherzer, WAS |
Chris Sale, CWS | Chris Sale, CWS |
Jake Arrieta, CHC | Jake Arrieta, CHC |
Madison Bumgarner, SF | Madison Bumgarner, SF |
David Price, BOS | Jose Fernandez, MIA |
Matt Harvey, NYM | Matt Harvey, NYM |
Gerrit Cole, PIT | Jacob deGrom, NYM |
Corey Kluber, CLE | Stephen Strasburg, WAS |
Jacob deGrom, NYM | Noah Syndergaard, NYM |
Relief Pitchers (ESPN) | Relief Pitchers (Yahoo) |
Kenley Jansen, LAD | Wade Davis, KC |
Wade Davis, KC | Craig Kimbrel, BOS |
Craig Kimbrel, BOS | Kenley Jansen, LAD |
Cody Allen, CLE | Jeurys Familia, NYM |
Ken Giles, HOU | Mark Melancon, PIT |
That's a good start for your draft in terms of balancing your team early on. However, you can view the top 300 players on both ESPN and Yahoo to better prepare for the later rounds.
Spoiler alert: Mike Trout is the No 1 ranked overall player on both sites.
