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One thing I love about these dynasty startup mocks is how totally bananas they are. In a redraft league, everybody knows the routine. It's all color-by-the-numbers. But how often do you get a chance to build a dynasty team from scratch? If it's for a league with actual staying power, not very. There is no prescribed model, so with every pick, everyone is like, "I don't know. I guess this is right."

In what other context would you see Christian Walker drafted in Round 17? Or Yu Darvish in Round 12? Or -- get this -- Trea Turner in Round 2?

He's 30 now, after all. Might as well fit him for dentures.

Everybody's going on feel, trying to strike that perfect balance between present success and future dominance, with some disregarding one or the other completely.

We'll get into who did what in just a minute, but first, introductions are in order:

1) Daniel Preciado, lucky reader who got to join in
2) Michael Villafana, lucky reader who got to join in
3) Nick Mimikos, Stack Attack podcast (@NMimi)
4) George Kurtz, Sportsgrid (@GeorgeKurtz)
5) R.J. White, CBS Sports (@rjwhite1)
6) Gabe Jenner, Fantasy Aceball
7) Jake Wiener, Prospects1500 (@GatorSosa)  
8) Jake Holland, formerly The Toss Up podcast (@jakebaseball17)
9) Ted Vinson, lucky reader who got to join in
10) Chris Towers, CBS Sports (@CTowersCBS)
11) Scott White, CBS Sports (@CBSScottWhite)
12) Tim Kanak, Fantasy Aceball (@fantasyaceball)

Here are my five takeaways:

  1. As with our other dynasty startup mock, the one for Head-to-Head points scoring, we were collectively pretty passive in selecting prospects. The first two, Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson, went in Round 3, sure, but they're basically guaranteed opening day jobs. The next one, Jordan Walker, didn't go until Round 6. I ended up taking the most (10), including four with my first nine picks, but I still think I put together a competitive team considering. What I'm saying is no one went all-in on prospects, punting for the first couple of years in the hope of long-lasting dominance. Normally, someone does.
  2. On the other hand, a couple of teams gave virtually no thought to longevity, instead taking advantage of all the discounted veterans in the hopes of making an early splash. The most notable of them was George Kurtz, who drafted the minimum five prospects, one being the 29-year-old Masataka Yoshida, and four coming in his final five picks. Fifteen of the 23 players in his starting lineup, including 11 of the 14 hitters, are 30 or older, some much older. It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for him. If it does with a championship, great. If not, things could get painful by Year 3.
  3. Or maybe not. I was struck by the caliber of prospects who went entirely undrafted, including the Pirates' Henry Davis (the top overall pick two years ago), the White Sox's Colson Montgomery and the Guardians' George Valera, for starters. If things aren't shaping up for George, he could still pivot to something more balanced. There's also no telling whether those of us who invested more in prospects will be able to hold onto them all once attrition kicks in.
  4. As much as I've emphasized position scarcity in conventional drafts this year, I'm not so concerned with it in dynasty. True, I passed up Trea Turner for Rafael Devers late in Round 1 (and wound up getting Turner anyway), but I ended up with two third basemen and two shortstops after my first six picks. I didn't draft a major-league outfielder until Round 10 (Adolis Garcia) or a second baseman until Round 16 (Ketel Marte, though with some hope that Miguel Vargas (Round 9) picks up eligibility there soon). It's fine. I think it's more important to stockpile surplus talent in a dynasty league than to make sure all your holes are filled. I did prioritize the outfield with my prospect picks, at least. Hopefully, Jackson Chourio, Zac Veen, Druw Jones and Sal Frelick can lock things down for a long time.
  5. I mentioned some of the old players who went much later than usual in this draft, and I'm sure you can find many more. Some of the injured players who went much earlier (thinking beyond 2023, of course) include Bryce Harper (Round 3), Walker Buehler (14), Shane Baz (15) and Trevor Story (15). 
Round By Round
Round 1
Pos Team Player
1 Devin Milligan
2 Jeremy Olenek
3 Scott White
4 Doc Eisenhauer
5 Steve Giangaspro
6 Zac Morain
7 Anthony Kates
8 Chris Mitchell
9 Daniel Labude
10 Drew Klein
11 Brian Labude
12 Frank Stampfl
Round 2
Pos Team Player
13 Frank Stampfl
14 Brian Labude
15 Drew Klein
16 Daniel Labude
17 Chris Mitchell
18 Anthony Kates
19 Zac Morain
20 Steve Giangaspro
21 Doc Eisenhauer
22 Scott White
23 Jeremy Olenek
24 Devin Milligan
Round 3
Pos Team Player
25 Devin Milligan
26 Jeremy Olenek
27 Scott White
28 Doc Eisenhauer
29 Steve Giangaspro
30 Zac Morain
31 Anthony Kates
32 Chris Mitchell
33 Daniel Labude
34 Drew Klein
35 Brian Labude
36 Frank Stampfl
Round 4
Pos Team Player
37 Frank Stampfl
38 Brian Labude
39 Drew Klein
40 Daniel Labude
41 Chris Mitchell
42 Anthony Kates
43 Zac Morain
44 Steve Giangaspro
45 Doc Eisenhauer
46 Scott White
47 Jeremy Olenek
48 Devin Milligan
Round 5
Pos Team Player
49 Devin Milligan
50 Jeremy Olenek
51 Scott White
52 Doc Eisenhauer
53 Steve Giangaspro
54 Zac Morain
55 Anthony Kates
56 Chris Mitchell
57 Daniel Labude
58 Drew Klein
59 Brian Labude
60 Frank Stampfl
Round 6
Pos Team Player
61 Frank Stampfl
62 Brian Labude
63 Drew Klein
64 Daniel Labude
65 Chris Mitchell
66 Anthony Kates
67 Zac Morain
68 Steve Giangaspro
69 Doc Eisenhauer
70 Scott White
71 Jeremy Olenek
72 Devin Milligan
Round 7
Pos Team Player
73 Devin Milligan
74 Jeremy Olenek
75 Scott White
76 Doc Eisenhauer
77 Steve Giangaspro
78 Zac Morain
79 Anthony Kates
80 Chris Mitchell
81 Daniel Labude
82 Drew Klein
83 Brian Labude
84 Frank Stampfl
Round 8
Pos Team Player
85 Frank Stampfl
86 Brian Labude
87 Drew Klein
88 Daniel Labude
89 Chris Mitchell
90 Anthony Kates
91 Zac Morain
92 Steve Giangaspro
93 Doc Eisenhauer
94 Scott White
95 Jeremy Olenek
96 Devin Milligan
Round 9
Pos Team Player
97 Devin Milligan
98 Jeremy Olenek
99 Scott White
100 Doc Eisenhauer
101 Steve Giangaspro
102 Zac Morain
103 Anthony Kates
104 Chris Mitchell
105 Daniel Labude
106 Drew Klein
107 Brian Labude
108 Frank Stampfl
Round 10
Pos Team Player
109 Frank Stampfl
110 Brian Labude
111 Drew Klein
112 Daniel Labude
113 Chris Mitchell
114 Anthony Kates
115 Zac Morain
116 Steve Giangaspro
117 Doc Eisenhauer
118 Scott White
119 Jeremy Olenek
120 Devin Milligan
Round 11
Pos Team Player
121 Devin Milligan
122 Jeremy Olenek
123 Scott White
124 Doc Eisenhauer
125 Steve Giangaspro
126 Zac Morain
127 Anthony Kates
128 Chris Mitchell
129 Daniel Labude
130 Drew Klein
131 Brian Labude
132 Frank Stampfl
Round 12
Pos Team Player
133 Frank Stampfl
134 Brian Labude
135 Drew Klein
136 Daniel Labude
137 Chris Mitchell
138 Anthony Kates
139 Zac Morain
140 Steve Giangaspro
141 Doc Eisenhauer
142 Scott White
143 Jeremy Olenek
144 Devin Milligan
Round 13
Pos Team Player
145 Devin Milligan
146 Jeremy Olenek
147 Scott White
148 Doc Eisenhauer
149 Steve Giangaspro
150 Zac Morain
151 Anthony Kates
152 Chris Mitchell
153 Daniel Labude
154 Drew Klein
155 Brian Labude
156 Frank Stampfl
Round 14
Pos Team Player
157 Frank Stampfl
158 Brian Labude
159 Drew Klein
160 Daniel Labude
161 Chris Mitchell
162 Anthony Kates
163 Zac Morain
164 Steve Giangaspro
165 Doc Eisenhauer
166 Scott White
167 Jeremy Olenek
168 Devin Milligan
Round 15
Pos Team Player
169 Devin Milligan
170 Jeremy Olenek
171 Scott White
172 Doc Eisenhauer
173 Steve Giangaspro
174 Zac Morain
175 Anthony Kates
176 Chris Mitchell
177 Daniel Labude
178 Drew Klein
179 Brian Labude
180 Frank Stampfl
Round 16
Pos Team Player
181 Frank Stampfl
182 Brian Labude
183 Drew Klein
184 Daniel Labude
185 Chris Mitchell
186 Anthony Kates
187 Zac Morain
188 Steve Giangaspro
189 Doc Eisenhauer
190 Scott White
191 Jeremy Olenek
192 Devin Milligan
Round 17
Pos Team Player
193 Devin Milligan
194 Jeremy Olenek
195 Scott White
196 Doc Eisenhauer
197 Steve Giangaspro
198 Zac Morain
199 Anthony Kates
200 Chris Mitchell
201 Daniel Labude
202 Drew Klein
203 Brian Labude
204 Frank Stampfl
Round 18
Pos Team Player
205 Frank Stampfl
206 Brian Labude
207 Drew Klein
208 Daniel Labude
209 Chris Mitchell
210 Anthony Kates
211 Zac Morain
212 Steve Giangaspro
213 Doc Eisenhauer
214 Scott White
215 Jeremy Olenek
216 Devin Milligan
Round 19
Pos Team Player
217 Devin Milligan
218 Jeremy Olenek
219 Scott White
220 Doc Eisenhauer
221 Steve Giangaspro
222 Zac Morain
223 Anthony Kates
224 Chris Mitchell
225 Daniel Labude
226 Drew Klein
227 Brian Labude
228 Frank Stampfl
Round 20
Pos Team Player
229 Frank Stampfl
230 Brian Labude
231 Drew Klein
232 Daniel Labude
233 Chris Mitchell
234 Anthony Kates
235 Zac Morain
236 Steve Giangaspro
237 Doc Eisenhauer
238 Scott White
239 Jeremy Olenek
240 Devin Milligan
Round 21
Pos Team Player
241 Devin Milligan
242 Jeremy Olenek
243 Scott White
244 Doc Eisenhauer
245 Steve Giangaspro
246 Zac Morain
247 Anthony Kates
248 Chris Mitchell
249 Daniel Labude
250 Drew Klein
251 Brian Labude
252 Frank Stampfl
Round 22
Pos Team Player
253 Frank Stampfl
254 Brian Labude
255 Drew Klein
256 Daniel Labude
257 Chris Mitchell
258 Anthony Kates
259 Zac Morain
260 Steve Giangaspro
261 Doc Eisenhauer
262 Scott White
263 Jeremy Olenek
264 Devin Milligan
Round 23
Pos Team Player
265 Devin Milligan
266 Jeremy Olenek
267 Scott White
268 Doc Eisenhauer
269 Steve Giangaspro
270 Zac Morain
271 Anthony Kates
272 Chris Mitchell
273 Daniel Labude
274 Drew Klein
275 Brian Labude
276 Frank Stampfl
Round 24
Pos Team Player
277 Frank Stampfl
278 Brian Labude
279 Drew Klein
280 Daniel Labude
281 Chris Mitchell
282 Anthony Kates
283 Zac Morain
284 Steve Giangaspro
285 Doc Eisenhauer
286 Scott White
287 Jeremy Olenek
288 Devin Milligan
Round 25
Pos Team Player
289 Devin Milligan
290 Jeremy Olenek
291 Scott White
292 Doc Eisenhauer
293 Steve Giangaspro
294 Zac Morain
295 Anthony Kates
296 Chris Mitchell
297 Daniel Labude
298 Drew Klein
299 Brian Labude
300 Frank Stampfl
Round 26
Pos Team Player
301 Frank Stampfl
302 Brian Labude
303 Drew Klein
304 Daniel Labude
305 Chris Mitchell
306 Anthony Kates
307 Zac Morain
308 Steve Giangaspro
309 Doc Eisenhauer
310 Scott White
311 Jeremy Olenek
312 Devin Milligan
Round 27
Pos Team Player
313 Devin Milligan
314 Jeremy Olenek
315 Scott White
316 Doc Eisenhauer
317 Steve Giangaspro
318 Zac Morain
319 Anthony Kates
320 Chris Mitchell
321 Daniel Labude
322 Drew Klein
323 Brian Labude
324 Frank Stampfl
Round 28
Pos Team Player
325 Frank Stampfl
326 Brian Labude
327 Drew Klein
328 Daniel Labude
329 Chris Mitchell
330 Anthony Kates
331 Zac Morain
332 Steve Giangaspro
333 Doc Eisenhauer
334 Scott White
335 Jeremy Olenek
336 Devin Milligan
Round 29
Pos Team Player
337 Devin Milligan
338 Jeremy Olenek
339 Scott White
340 Doc Eisenhauer
341 Steve Giangaspro
342 Zac Morain
343 Anthony Kates
344 Chris Mitchell
345 Daniel Labude
346 Drew Klein
347 Brian Labude
348 Frank Stampfl
Round 30
Pos Team Player
349 Frank Stampfl
350 Brian Labude
351 Drew Klein
352 Daniel Labude
353 Chris Mitchell
354 Anthony Kates
355 Zac Morain
356 Steve Giangaspro
357 Doc Eisenhauer
358 Scott White
359 Jeremy Olenek
360 Devin Milligan
Team by Team
Devin Milligan
Rd Pk Player
1 1
2 24
3 25
4 48
5 49
6 72
7 73
8 96
9 97
10 120
11 121
12 144
13 145
14 168
15 169
16 192
17 193
18 216
19 217
20 240
21 241
22 264
23 265
24 288
25 289
26 312
27 313
28 336
29 337
30 360
Jeremy Olenek
Rd Pk Player
1 2
2 23
3 26
4 47
5 50
6 71
7 74
8 95
9 98
10 119
11 122
12 143
13 146
14 167
15 170
16 191
17 194
18 215
19 218
20 239
21 242
22 263
23 266
24 287
25 290
26 311
27 314
28 335
29 338
30 359
Scott White
Rd Pk Player
1 3
2 22
3 27
4 46
5 51
6 70
7 75
8 94
9 99
10 118
11 123
12 142
13 147
14 166
15 171
16 190
17 195
18 214
19 219
20 238
21 243
22 262
23 267
24 286
25 291
26 310
27 315
28 334
29 339
30 358
Doc Eisenhauer
Rd Pk Player
1 4
2 21
3 28
4 45
5 52
6 69
7 76
8 93
9 100
10 117
11 124
12 141
13 148
14 165
15 172
16 189
17 196
18 213
19 220
20 237
21 244
22 261
23 268
24 285
25 292
26 309
27 316
28 333
29 340
30 357
Steve Giangaspro
Rd Pk Player
1 5
2 20
3 29
4 44
5 53
6 68
7 77
8 92
9 101
10 116
11 125
12 140
13 149
14 164
15 173
16 188
17 197
18 212
19 221
20 236
21 245
22 260
23 269
24 284
25 293
26 308
27 317
28 332
29 341
30 356
Zac Morain
Rd Pk Player
1 6
2 19
3 30
4 43
5 54
6 67
7 78
8 91
9 102
10 115
11 126
12 139
13 150
14 163
15 174
16 187
17 198
18 211
19 222
20 235
21 246
22 259
23 270
24 283
25 294
26 307
27 318
28 331
29 342
30 355
Anthony Kates
Rd Pk Player
1 7
2 18
3 31
4 42
5 55
6 66
7 79
8 90
9 103
10 114
11 127
12 138
13 151
14 162
15 175
16 186
17 199
18 210
19 223
20 234
21 247
22 258
23 271
24 282
25 295
26 306
27 319
28 330
29 343
30 354
Chris Mitchell
Rd Pk Player
1 8
2 17
3 32
4 41
5 56
6 65
7 80
8 89
9 104
10 113
11 128
12 137
13 152
14 161
15 176
16 185
17 200
18 209
19 224
20 233
21 248
22 257
23 272
24 281
25 296
26 305
27 320
28 329
29 344
30 353
Daniel Labude
Rd Pk Player
1 9
2 16
3 33
4 40
5 57
6 64
7 81
8 88
9 105
10 112
11 129
12 136
13 153
14 160
15 177
16 184
17 201
18 208
19 225
20 232
21 249
22 256
23 273
24 280
25 297
26 304
27 321
28 328
29 345
30 352
Drew Klein
Rd Pk Player
1 10
2 15
3 34
4 39
5 58
6 63
7 82
8 87
9 106
10 111
11 130
12 135
13 154
14 159
15 178
16 183
17 202
18 207
19 226
20 231
21 250
22 255
23 274
24 279
25 298
26 303
27 322
28 327
29 346
30 351
Brian Labude
Rd Pk Player
1 11
2 14
3 35
4 38
5 59
6 62
7 83
8 86
9 107
10 110
11 131
12 134
13 155
14 158
15 179
16 182
17 203
18 206
19 227
20 230
21 251
22 254
23 275
24 278
25 299
26 302
27 323
28 326
29 347
30 350
Frank Stampfl
Rd Pk Player
1 12
2 13
3 36
4 37
5 60
6 61
7 84
8 85
9 108
10 109
11 132
12 133
13 156
14 157
15 180
16 181
17 204
18 205
19 228
20 229
21 252
22 253
23 276
24 277
25 300
26 301
27 324
28 325
29 348
30 349