Fantasy Baseball 10-Team Categories Mock Draft with First Pick: Shohei Ohtani, Jackson Chourio, Dylan Cease, Devin Williams, Cal Raleigh and More

It’s time for my fourth fantasy baseball mock draft of the season!

We’ve already done three mocks - 10 teams, 12 teams and 14 teams - and will go back to 10 teams in this mock. I’m using the FantasyPros mock draft simulator again.

I’m taking the first pick in this one. The roster setup is as follows: one catcher, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, third baseman, three outfielders, one utility, five starting pitchers, two relief pitchers, two pitchers (SP or RP) and five bench spots. Scoring is 5x5 categories again.

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Round 1 - Shohei Ohtani

The whole point behind doing a mock from the No. 1 spot is to show everyone what a roster would be like if you got Ohtani up top.

The two-way star is going to be the top fantasy player in 2025, unless he deals with injuries or falls off in a massive way. He’s a no-doubter No. 1 pick and now the goal is to start building a strong nucleus around him.

Rounds 2/3 - Jackson Chourio and Freddie Freeman

With my second pick, I took a bit of a gamble on Chourio. I have him as a top-10 fantasy outfielder for 2025, and if he builds on a good rookie season, he could be a big-time steal, even this early in a fantasy draft.

He’s a well-rounded fantasy hitter and could finish as one of the top fantasy hitters in the game if he takes the next step as an MLB player. After getting the elite and versatile Ohtani in round 1, I love the idea of gambling on a high-upside player like Chourio with the next pick or two.

Freeman was my next pick, and is another very safe fantasy draft option. He’s getting up there in age, but continues to deliver every season. 

He’s my No. 2 fantasy first baseman for this coming season, and should post huge numbers in a loaded Dodgers’ lineup. He’s got a very high floor, and his ceiling is extremely high. The only thing that could probably ruin his fantasy season is an extended absence.

Rounds 4/5 - Dylan Cease and Cole Ragans

I doubled up on pitchers here in rounds 4 and 5. They rank eighth and ninth on my top-10 list for the season.

Cease is coming off his best season as a pro and is in his prime, so I expect another monster season from him. He posted a good earned run average and also struck out a ton of batters.

If he can pitch all season and log close to 200 innings, Cease could contend for the top fantasy pitcher spot. 

Ragans was a top-10 fantasy finisher last season, and I think he has a bigger season upcoming. He posted similar numbers to Cease, just with a better ERA and one less strikeout. 

At just 27 years old, I think Ragans hasn’t come near his peak yet, and this season could separate him from being a great fantasy option to an elite one. If he takes that leap, my fantasy team is likely destined for the championship.

Rounds 6/7 - Devin Williams and Josh Hader

I doubled up again in rounds 6 and 7, just with closers this time. The two former Brewers rank No. 2 and 3 on my top-10 list for 2025.

Williams is now on a better team in New York, and should continue being a top-end fantasy closer because of his low ERA. He’s not quite as big a strikeout guy as some other closers, but a low ERA and a bunch of saves will do the trick for me.

Hader is a strikeout machine and is looking for a bounceback season after posting a 2.80 ERA last season. Even if he doesn’t lower his ERA all that much, his strikeout work makes him a top-end fantasy closing option, and someone I can rely on all season.

Rounds 8/9 - Shota Imanaga and Mark Vientos

I grabbed Imanaga in round 8 and Vientos in round 9. Vientos is my No. 7 fantasy 3B for the season, even though he’ll likely be playing first base.

I really like Imanaga’s value this season. He showed some good things in his first season, and if he takes a step forward this season, he’s destined for big, big things.

Vientos is not only a top-10 fantasy player at his position (whether that’s third or first), but I think he’s got the potential to be a major draft steal. He’s going to likely slot into the middle of the Mets’ order and be hitting behind Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto - sign me up for that!

Rounds 10/11 - Felix Bautista and Cal Raleigh

I got another closer in Bautista in the 10th round before grabbing a catcher in Raleigh in the 11th round.

Bautista is a bit of a gamble with him coming off injury, but if he reverts back to being a lockdown closer, I have another big steal on my hands.

Raleigh was my No. 4 fantasy catcher, so to get him in round 11 is a big win in my book. He plays nearly every day, and if he stays healthy for the full season, he’s likely to remain a top-end fantasy catcher for 2025.

Rounds 12/13 - Ezequiel Tovar and Cody Bellinger

Tovar and Bellinger were my picks in rounds 12 and 13, respectively.

Tovar is a player I really like going into 2025, and I think he’s a great value pick later in drafts. He should hold down my shortstop position the entire season.

Bellinger has had some inconsistent results over the past few seasons, but there’s enough production to take him for a starting outfield slot. I think his fantasy value will be higher as a member of the Yankees.

Rounds 14/15 - Ian Happ and Jared Jones

I landed Happ in round 14 and Jones in round 15.

Happ was a need with only two outfielders to this point. He wasn’t a reach, and if anything, I think I got a good deal with him here. Happ will get a ton of at-bats at the top of the Cubs’ lineup and is set up for a good amount of fantasy success.

Jones got overwhelmed in the headlines when Paul Skenes made his debut, but Jones was also pretty good as a rookie. His 4.14 ERA is a little high, but if he can get in a full season of starts and keep averaging at least one strikeout per inning, Jones will be a solid fantasy option every start.

Rounds 16/17 - Nathan Eovaldi and Pete Fairbanks

Eovaldi is a bit of a safer pick in round 16. He’s likely to have an ERA between 3.50-4.00 again, but cover a lot of innings and rack up a fair share of strikeouts. He’s a nice option to have every turn through the rotation.

In round 17, I made Fairbanks my fourth reliever. I usually overlook the position, but I overdid things this time around, and I really like the final result. 

Rounds 18/19 - Luis Arraez and Brandon Woodruff

In round 18, Arraez was chosen to be my starting second baseman, while also having first base eligibility. He was good in his time with the Padres last season and is a nice boost to my average and OBP figures.

Woodruff was a bit of a gamble here, but this late in a draft, it’s well worth it if he comes back strong. I could have an ace in round 19, but at the very least, he should be rosterable all season (if he’s healthy).

Rounds 20/21 - MacKenzie Gore and Adolis Garcia

I got another pitcher in Gore in round 20. He’s improved in his first three seasons, and if the trend continues, I have another season-long keeper on my roster.

Garcia is a backup outfielder, or utility player, in round 21. He adds some more thump to my team, and could become a trade chip if he starts the season strong, or gets hot at any point.

Rounds 22/23 - Jose Berrios and Austin Wells

I landed my final pitcher in round 22 with Berrios. Like Eovaldi, Berrios is a pretty safe pick. He can eat innings, post a few strikeouts and a mid-3 ERA and I’d be thrilled.

Wells was my final pick in round 23, and he is there just as insurance in case something happens to Raleigh. Like Garcia, Wells could be a trade chip for my team.

Final Thoughts

This felt like my best mock draft so far, and the draft simulator agreed. I got an A+ rating, with a score of 99/100 - the next-closest team was at a 92.

I had the top overall ranks in starters, bench, hitters and overall, while being third for pitching. I am projected as the top finisher in runs, home runs, RBIs, saves and ERA.

Getting Ohtani first is like a cheat code, and makes it hard not to like your final product. I’d be thrilled if this was my team going into the season, and would only think that injuries could derail my season.