There are a few reasons why I am writing this guide about MLB best ball. Drafting best ball teams is insanely fun and how I like to spend my free time. Also, baseball can seem intimidating looking at it from the outside with all the different projection models and fancy statistics. Never heard of the stat wRC+? Me neither. MLB best ball really isn’t complicated and after reading this guide, you’ll be ready to give it a try. Even though I’ve played NFL best ball for years, last year was my first taste of MLB best ball. I drafted 30 teams on DraftKings, advancing 11 of them to the playoffs using generic best ball strategy beating the normal advance rate of 16.67%. I plan to do quite a bit more volume this season, these items are the beginning of my research and strategy.
 

Never set a lineup

Just like the NFL, you draft a best ball team before the season begins and after each week, the system optimizes your team’s score for the week. You never have to set a lineup and no adds/drops. There are multiple sites offering these contests (Drafters, DraftKings and Underdog); both in tournament and cash league formats. 
 

Tournaments

Drafters tournament is a cumulative season long competition where every team is competing against one another from the opening pitch. DraftKings and Underdog tournaments have a regular season against the other 11 teams in your draft room, then advancing teams play through three rounds of playoffs. The majority of the prize pool is dispersed in the finals.
 

Scoring

Each site has their own specific scoring system and DraftKings does not have a flex in the starting lineup.

• • Drafters Starting Lineup
    • Pitcher – 3
    • Infielder – 3
    • Outfielder – 3
    • Flex (I/O) – 1
  • DraftKings Starting Lineup
    • Pitcher – 3
    • Infielder – 3
    • Outfielder – 3
  • Underdog Starting Lineup
    • Pitcher – 3
    • Infielder – 3
    • Outfielder – 3
    • Flex (I/O) – 1

 

Roster size

On DraftKings and Underdog each snake draft is 20 rounds in total with 12 teams being drafted, 240 players will be drafted. On Drafters each snake draft is 20 rounds in total with 10 teams being drafted, 200 players will be drafted.
 

Three positions

Rosters are divided into three positions: Pitcher, Infielder and Outfielder. This means you don’t have to have a knowledge base on whether Rafael Devers plays shortstop or third base; the system will show you they are an infielder. From a draft capital allocation perspective, MLB is simpler than the NFL which has four positions to balance.
 

Capital allocation

Draft capital allocation and positional allocation are extremely important. If you’ve played NFL best ball before this concept will completely translate. A few examples:

• Robust OF – If you draft three outfielders to begin, you likely want less total outfielders on your team, allocating more roster spots to the other positions. Maybe you end with a 7-7-6 build (7 Pitchers, 7 Infielders and 6 Outfielders). 
• Hero Pitcher – Maybe you take a pitcher in round 2 then don’t draft another until round 10. Then you hammer the position.
• Zero IF – Infielder is commonly the deepest position, allowing you to benefit by waiting on the position. Each MLB team starts 5 infielders and 3 outfielders each game, which contributes to this.

The more draft capital you place into a draft pick, the more you are counting on them to score the requisite amount of points to make your lineup each week. The positions you place less draft capital into, draft a higher volume of players. A minimum of six and maximum of eight players at each position is a safe general rule.

 

Be different

The larger the tournament, the more drafting different combinations of players may be helpful. If there are 84,000 entries in the tournament, that means there will be 84,000 teams with Mookie Betts (this is a good outfielder’s name). How is your team going to be set up to beat the other 83,999. By embracing uncertainty we can gain advantages in tournaments.

This logic is most important on Drafters with the cumulative scoring competition as you will be facing all the other teams all season long. It is also wise to consider drafting players in the last few rounds that are not drafted 100% of the time to get different than your competition. The player being drafted 100% of the time in the 19th round is likely projected to score more points than a player being drafted 30% of the time. The market is drafting with certainty that this will almost always occur. With all sports we know nothing is certain and in the slates where the 30% drafted player scores more points you are able to potentially gain raw points that most of the field missed.

On DraftKings and Underdog, draft hitting prospects who may begin the year in minor leagues and have an opportunity to be called up early enough to make an impact. They wont project well in season long projections, thus their cost will be understated. Come the playoffs, who cares when they joined the big leagues.

 

MLB season

The 2024 MLB season begins March 20th in South Korea. Underdog’s season will begin on March 28th. DraftKings and Underdog both have three playoff rounds: DraftKings (Dates TBD) Underdog (7/29/2024 – 8/11/2024, 8/12/2024 – 8/25/2024, 8/26/2024 – 9/8/2024). Review the amount of games played for teams these rounds and target players in batter friendly ballparks (Coors Field, Fenway Park, Great American Ball Park). 

 

Rankings

Ready to draft some teams? No player takes are necessary.  We have rankings available to help you in your draft rooms.