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Never in a Dynasty league are the stakes higher than in the initial draft. It's your one and only chance to lay the foundation for your team.

And there are a few different ways you could go about it. You could go prospect-heavy, taking your lumps in the short term in the hopes of growing a juggernaut. You could scoop up all the veteran talent that sneaks through, looking to secure a quick championship or two before an inevitable rebuild. Or you could look to strike the perfect balance between the two, giving yourself a chance to contend right away but not at the expense of your future.

Normally, I go for that third option, aiming to avoid any lose-on-purpose scenario. But the way this Dynasty start-up mock played out, I wound up with as many prospects as anybody -- eight in all, including Wyatt Langford and Junior Caminero in Rounds 3 and 4.

But you know what? I still think I'm positioned to contend right away. This being a Head-to-Head points league with a starting lineup featuring only nine hitters, you can afford to take some detours without the talent depleting too terribly. Compare my roster to that of Anthony Kates or Bob Elam, who didn't try for their prospects (everyone needed at least four) until late in the draft, and I think it stacks up well. I'm especially pleased with how my pitching turned out given that I didn't take a pitcher until Round 5.

I've already mentioned two of the people who took part in this mock. Here's everyone:

1) Will Garofalo, "a great Dynasty player" -Frank Stampfl
2) Tim Kanak, Fantasy Aceball (@fantasyaceball)
3) Anthony Kates, SportsEthos (@akfantasybb)
4) Bob Elam, Patton & Company
5) Jesse Severe, Dynasty Sports Life podcast (@dynsportslife)
6) Scott White, CBS Sports (@CBSScottWhite)
7) R.J. White, CBS Sports (@rjwhite1)
8) Martin Sekulski, Pitcher List (@M_Ski22)
9) Jake Holland, formerly The Toss Up podcast (@jakebaseball17)
10) Michael Polidoro, The Can-Am Super Show (@CanAmSuperShow)
11) Dave Funnell, Prospects1500 (@sportz_nutt51)
12) Jake Wiener, Prospects1500 (@GatorSosa)

Of course, prospects aren't the only players who gain value in Dynasty leagues. Any up-and-comer could see a boost while any 30-something could slip. It's how Trea Turner lasted to the middle of Round 3 and why George Kirby (32nd overall), Tarik Skubal (40), Eury Perez (44) and Grayson Rodriguez (47) were all drafted ahead of Luis Castillo (48) and Zack Wheeler (49).

We didn't go as far with avoiding veterans as I've seen in other Dynasty start-up drafts. Freddie Freeman still got his due as the 17th overall pick, and MIke Trout in Round 5 wasn't as discounted as he could have been. But the value of some picks will seem borderilne crazy if you're used to seeing things through a redraft lens, such as Adolis Garcia in Round 9, Nolan Arenado in Round 11 and Paul Goldschmidt in Round 15. Rightly or wrongly, those players weren't seen as having enough of a shelf life to pass up younger talent for them.

Between the emphasis on youth and all the prospects sprinkled in, there are so many picks worth remarking on that I couldn't possibly address them all. This sort of draft is genuinely one of a kind, so if building a Dynasty team from scratch is something that interests you, I encourage you to pore over the results. I did use my Dynasty rankings as a guide, though since they were made with 5x5 Rotisserie leagues in mind, I couldn't follow them to a tee. We'll do a Dynasty startup mock for that scoring format later on.

One last note before I turn you loose: remember that Shane McClanahan (Pick 104), Brandon Woodruff (124), Sandy Alcantara (125), Jacob deGrom (157) and Dustin May (304) still have Dynasty value even though they're expected to miss most, if not all, of 2024 due to injury. The same goes for Drew Rasmussen, though he went undrafted here.

Round By Round
Round 1
Pos Team Player
1 Derek Blake
2 Raymond Atherton
3 Chris Mitchell
4 Jake Holland
5 Chris Rossi
6 George Kurtz
7 Anthony Kates
8 Matt Morris
9 Scott White
10 Jeremy Olenek
11 Tim Kanak
12 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 2
Pos Team Player
13 Doc Eisenhauer
14 Tim Kanak
15 Jeremy Olenek
16 Scott White
17 Matt Morris
18 Anthony Kates
19 George Kurtz
20 Chris Rossi
21 Jake Holland
22 Chris Mitchell
23 Raymond Atherton
24 Derek Blake
Round 3
Pos Team Player
25 Derek Blake
26 Raymond Atherton
27 Chris Mitchell
28 Jake Holland
29 Chris Rossi
30 George Kurtz
31 Anthony Kates
32 Matt Morris
33 Scott White
34 Jeremy Olenek
35 Tim Kanak
36 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 4
Pos Team Player
37 Doc Eisenhauer
38 Tim Kanak
39 Jeremy Olenek
40 Scott White
41 Matt Morris
42 Anthony Kates
43 George Kurtz
44 Chris Rossi
45 Jake Holland
46 Chris Mitchell
47 Raymond Atherton
48 Derek Blake
Round 5
Pos Team Player
49 Derek Blake
50 Raymond Atherton
51 Chris Mitchell
52 Jake Holland
53 Chris Rossi
54 George Kurtz
55 Anthony Kates
56 Matt Morris
57 Scott White
58 Jeremy Olenek
59 Tim Kanak
60 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 6
Pos Team Player
61 Doc Eisenhauer
62 Tim Kanak
63 Jeremy Olenek
64 Scott White
65 Matt Morris
66 Anthony Kates
67 George Kurtz
68 Chris Rossi
69 Jake Holland
70 Chris Mitchell
71 Raymond Atherton
72 Derek Blake
Round 7
Pos Team Player
73 Derek Blake
74 Raymond Atherton
75 Chris Mitchell
76 Jake Holland
77 Chris Rossi
78 George Kurtz
79 Anthony Kates
80 Matt Morris
81 Scott White
82 Jeremy Olenek
83 Tim Kanak
84 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 8
Pos Team Player
85 Doc Eisenhauer
86 Tim Kanak
87 Jeremy Olenek
88 Scott White
89 Matt Morris
90 Anthony Kates
91 George Kurtz
92 Chris Rossi
93 Jake Holland
94 Chris Mitchell
95 Raymond Atherton
96 Derek Blake
Round 9
Pos Team Player
97 Derek Blake
98 Raymond Atherton
99 Chris Mitchell
100 Jake Holland
101 Chris Rossi
102 George Kurtz
103 Anthony Kates
104 Matt Morris
105 Scott White
106 Jeremy Olenek
107 Tim Kanak
108 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 10
Pos Team Player
109 Doc Eisenhauer
110 Tim Kanak
111 Jeremy Olenek
112 Scott White
113 Matt Morris
114 Anthony Kates
115 George Kurtz
116 Chris Rossi
117 Jake Holland
118 Chris Mitchell
119 Raymond Atherton
120 Derek Blake
Round 11
Pos Team Player
121 Derek Blake
122 Raymond Atherton
123 Chris Mitchell
124 Jake Holland
125 Chris Rossi
126 George Kurtz
127 Anthony Kates
128 Matt Morris
129 Scott White
130 Jeremy Olenek
131 Tim Kanak
132 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 12
Pos Team Player
133 Doc Eisenhauer
134 Tim Kanak
135 Jeremy Olenek
136 Scott White
137 Matt Morris
138 Anthony Kates
139 George Kurtz
140 Chris Rossi
141 Jake Holland
142 Chris Mitchell
143 Raymond Atherton
144 Derek Blake
Round 13
Pos Team Player
145 Derek Blake
146 Raymond Atherton
147 Chris Mitchell
148 Jake Holland
149 Chris Rossi
150 George Kurtz
151 Anthony Kates
152 Matt Morris
153 Scott White
154 Jeremy Olenek
155 Tim Kanak
156 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 14
Pos Team Player
157 Doc Eisenhauer
158 Tim Kanak
159 Jeremy Olenek
160 Scott White
161 Matt Morris
162 Anthony Kates
163 George Kurtz
164 Chris Rossi
165 Jake Holland
166 Chris Mitchell
167 Raymond Atherton
168 Derek Blake
Round 15
Pos Team Player
169 Derek Blake
170 Raymond Atherton
171 Chris Mitchell
172 Jake Holland
173 Chris Rossi
174 George Kurtz
175 Anthony Kates
176 Matt Morris
177 Scott White
178 Jeremy Olenek
179 Tim Kanak
180 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 16
Pos Team Player
181 Doc Eisenhauer
182 Tim Kanak
183 Jeremy Olenek
184 Scott White
185 Matt Morris
186 Anthony Kates
187 George Kurtz
188 Chris Rossi
189 Jake Holland
190 Chris Mitchell
191 Raymond Atherton
192 Derek Blake
Round 17
Pos Team Player
193 Derek Blake
194 Raymond Atherton
195 Chris Mitchell
196 Jake Holland
197 Chris Rossi
198 George Kurtz
199 Anthony Kates
200 Matt Morris
201 Scott White
202 Jeremy Olenek
203 Tim Kanak
204 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 18
Pos Team Player
205 Doc Eisenhauer
206 Tim Kanak
207 Jeremy Olenek
208 Scott White
209 Matt Morris
210 Anthony Kates
211 George Kurtz
212 Chris Rossi
213 Jake Holland
214 Chris Mitchell
215 Raymond Atherton
216 Derek Blake
Round 19
Pos Team Player
217 Derek Blake
218 Raymond Atherton
219 Chris Mitchell
220 Jake Holland
221 Chris Rossi
222 George Kurtz
223 Anthony Kates
224 Matt Morris
225 Scott White
226 Jeremy Olenek
227 Tim Kanak
228 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 20
Pos Team Player
229 Doc Eisenhauer
230 Tim Kanak
231 Jeremy Olenek
232 Scott White
233 Matt Morris
234 Anthony Kates
235 George Kurtz
236 Chris Rossi
237 Jake Holland
238 Chris Mitchell
239 Raymond Atherton
240 Derek Blake
Round 21
Pos Team Player
241 Derek Blake
242 Raymond Atherton
243 Chris Mitchell
244 Jake Holland
245 Chris Rossi
246 George Kurtz
247 Anthony Kates
248 Matt Morris
249 Scott White
250 Jeremy Olenek
251 Tim Kanak
252 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 22
Pos Team Player
253 Doc Eisenhauer
254 Tim Kanak
255 Jeremy Olenek
256 Scott White
257 Matt Morris
258 Anthony Kates
259 George Kurtz
260 Chris Rossi
261 Jake Holland
262 Chris Mitchell
263 Raymond Atherton
264 Derek Blake
Round 23
Pos Team Player
265 Derek Blake
266 Raymond Atherton
267 Chris Mitchell
268 Jake Holland
269 Chris Rossi
270 George Kurtz
271 Anthony Kates
272 Matt Morris
273 Scott White
274 Jeremy Olenek
275 Tim Kanak
276 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 24
Pos Team Player
277 Doc Eisenhauer
278 Tim Kanak
279 Jeremy Olenek
280 Scott White
281 Matt Morris
282 Anthony Kates
283 George Kurtz
284 Chris Rossi
285 Jake Holland
286 Chris Mitchell
287 Raymond Atherton
288 Derek Blake
Round 25
Pos Team Player
289 Derek Blake
290 Raymond Atherton
291 Chris Mitchell
292 Jake Holland
293 Chris Rossi
294 George Kurtz
295 Anthony Kates
296 Matt Morris
297 Scott White
298 Jeremy Olenek
299 Tim Kanak
300 Doc Eisenhauer
Round 26
Pos Team Player
301 Doc Eisenhauer
302 Tim Kanak
303 Jeremy Olenek
304 Scott White
305 Matt Morris
306 Anthony Kates
307 George Kurtz
308 Chris Rossi
309 Jake Holland
310 Chris Mitchell
311 Raymond Atherton
312 Derek Blake
Team by Team
Derek Blake
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
Raymond Atherton
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
Chris Mitchell
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
Jake Holland
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
Chris Rossi
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
George Kurtz
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
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
Matt Morris
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
Scott White
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
Jeremy Olenek
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
Tim Kanak
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
Doc Eisenhauer
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