Welcome to 2023.

Yeah, we're a few weeks into it, but with NFL season intruding more and more on the winter lull, it's possible you haven't mentally transitioned to Fantasy Baseball yet, even with our full rankings coming out earlier in the week. Our latest 12-team 5x5 Rotisserie mock, then, might be your first look at how the player pool and our collective approach to it has changed.

If I could sum it up with one observation, it's this: only one starting pitcher (Corbin Burnes) was selected in the first 23 picks. It took until the final pick of Round 2 for the second (Gerrit Cole) to go off the board, with a third (Sandy Alcantara) immediately following. The wait would be even longer if I had my say.

That's because the changing offensive environment, which became most pronounced in 2022 with the increased use of deadened baseballs and humidors, has realigned scarcities such that quality pitchers are now more plentiful than quality hitters -- and certainly more volatile, as has always been true of pitchers.

The hitters scarcities are all the more apparent at particular positions, which should make position scarcity a bigger factor in drafts than it's been in years. It would seem this savvy group of drafters got the memo:

No ad available

1) Jake Wiener, Prospects1500 (@GatorSosa)
2) Raymond Atherton (@RaymondAtherton)
3) Brant Chesser, Baseball HQ (@BrantChesser)
4) Zach Steinhorn, Creativesports (@zachsteinhorn)
5) Doug Kirchhofer, lucky reader who got to join in
6) Doug Roe, defending Podcast League champ
7) Phil Ponebshek, Patton & Company
8) Kayla Walz, former Podcast League participant
9) Chris Towers, CBS Sports (@CTowersCBS)
10) Scott White, CBS Sports (@CBSScottWhite)
11) Nathan JudahExpress & Star (@NathanJudah)
12) Corey Pieper, The Heater Podcast (@copieps)

For instance, third base may seem plentiful at the top with names like Jose Ramirez, Rafael Devers, Manny Machado, Austin Riley and Bobby Witt (as ordered by my rankings), but all five were gone 18 picks into the draft. My selection of Rafael Devers at 15 kicked off a run of four straight, which is not something that typically happens so early in the draft, when most people are simply looking to get the best player they can. But we all knew that none of that group would make it back to us in Round 3, and in fact, neither did my fallback option, Nolan Arenado, who was picked 27th overall. The next third baseman to go off the board was Alex Bregman a full four rounds later.

If you listen to the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast, you know that my top priority this year is to draft one of Jose Altuve and Marcus Semien, with Ozzie Albies as a failsafe. But that's easier said than done, particular among drafters who recognize how few sure things second base has to offer. Pulling the trigger in Round 2 would be a reach, given the quality of bats still available at other positions, but waiting until Round 4 isn't giving second base the priority I say it deserves. Turns out that in this draft, none of the three in question made it even to 10th pick in Round 3, forcing me to settle for Andres Gimenez as my second baseman in Round 8. It could work out fine if he picks up where he left off last year, but I have doubts.

Then there's the outfield, where the drop-off after 30 players or so is particularly steep. It's an especially big problem in a five-outfielder league like this one, and my failure to address it early tied my hands in Rounds 11 and 12, forcing me to take Hunter Renfroe and Mitch Haniger when I liked the values at first base and pitcher more.

No ad available

In particular, I would have liked to draft a second reliever there. That's the fourth position where new scarcities are driving up the cost, specifically in a scoring format that puts saves in high demand. The top two closers, Edwin Diaz and Emmanuel Clase, at least lasted until Round 4. In 15-team Rotisserie leagues, they're more like second-rounders. I prefer to grab a reliever from the second tier, meaning some of the last who seem positioned to get every one of their team's saves. It includes names like Raisel Iglesias, Jordan Romano, Ryan Pressly, Kenley Jansen and the one who I actually drafted in Round 7, Felix Bautista.

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