shota-imanaga.jpg

We're just a week away from opening day now, and you may be wondering what more there is to say. Well, before you go pencils down, let's take one more look at the Head-to-Head points format for 2026.

After all, the past few days have brought a great deal of clarity. We know now that Chase Burns will indeed make the Reds opening day roster, though perhaps with some limitations on his workload early on. We know that Matt McLain is projected to hit second for the Reds after a spring performance that recalls his massive 2023 campaign. We know that Seiya Suzuki's knee is basically OK but that it might still keep him out for the start of the season. We know that Cade Horton is coming off an incredible start that revealed more swing-and-miss ability (10 strikeouts on 21 whiffs) than he demonstrated as a rookie. We know that Shota Imanaga just ran a 56 percent whiff rate against a close approximation of the Angels' opening day lineup and has maintained velocities 1-2 mph higher than a year ago.

We know a lot of things about the Reds and Cubs, basically, but we know other things as well. We know that Kevin McGonigle is giving the Tigers every excuse to put him on the opening day roster, that Sean Manaea and Bailey Ober continue to run several miles per hour below their already low velocity thresholds, that Shane McClanahan still has something to offer even after two Tommy John surgeries, that Kodai Senga has a new delivery and new velocity to match, that Josh H. Smith, the Rangers' intended starter at second base, is swinging with more intent this spring and delivering surprising power as a result, and that the only thing faster than the ball off Jac Caglianone's bat is the way he's moving up draft boards.

I point out these specific things -- for the Reds, Cubs and otherwise -- because I think their influence on this draft is apparent. You can do a Ctrl-F search and judge for yourself.

Of course, this draft featured oddities irrespective of the headlines. Bryan Woo in Round 2 was a new one to me. Daniel Palencia (133) ahead of Devin Williams (137) was a first as well. The fact that Colt Keith was drafted at all, much less in Round 13, definitely threw me for a loop. Shoot, I ended up drafting three shortstops because Francisco Lindor's and Jeremy Pena's status for opening day remains up in the air. (That's one thing we still don't know.) I'm not too broken up about getting C.J. Abrams in Round 14, though. Those who've been following along know that shortstops, catchers and relief pitchers can come at incredible discounts in smaller-lineup leagues such as this one. There just aren't enough openings for all of them.

Those kinds of oddities, though, can happen in any singular draft, which is why there's more emphasis on ADP review these days. But ADP can't capture a moment in time like a mock draft can, and at this moment in time, heading into the biggest draft weekend of the year, we're seeing something of a shakeup.

Here's who took part in this draft:

1) Scott White, CBS Sports (@CBSScottWhite)
2) B_Don, Razzball (@RazzBDon)
3) Phil Ponebshek, Patton & Company
4) Michael Rippe, TGFBI participant (@MichaelRippe)
5) George Kurtz, Sportsgrid (@GeorgeKurtz)
6) Dave Buonocore, Head-to-Head points enthusiast
7) Phil Wombacher, Mock Draft Megastream participant
8) Chris Towers, CBS Sports (@CTowersCBS)
9) Jesse Severe, Dynasty Sports Life (@dynsportslife)
10) Peter Clement, avid listener and smart guy
11) Nick Fox, NBC Sports (@CT_FOX)
12) Britton Allan, Pallazo Podcast (@BrittonAllan)