And if you aren't a great player, well, you're no brother of mine!...
I was thinking how in no way, last year, would we consider the Contreras Brothers even close in comparison. Willson had already made his bones playing with the Cubs and drafted as a top five Catcher. William? Barely draftable in DC's.
Fast forward a year and they are being taken together in drafts. In one DC, drafted consecutively. In another, Willson taken near the turn and William on the way back.
It's kinda cool. They are not only brothers in real life but fantasy also.
In fantasy, there are a lot of Bros.
At the same Catcher spot as the Contreras Bros, there is another pair of fantasy brothers.
Sal Perez and Adley Rutschman. Once one is picked, the other is sure to follow closely.
For the month of February in Draft Champions, Rutschman's ADP 69, Perez, 72.
At First Base, two brothers from the NL West are close.
CJ Cron and Christian Walker had great seasons last year. This combo is almost always drafted close together.
Cron has park effect on his side. Walker, age and health.
Unsurprisingly, the ADP for Walker and Cron is 135 and 136.
Second Base is kinda weird. These players are nothing alike. Except bad health last year.
Brandon Lowe and Jonathan India were brutal to their owners last year.
But this is a new season and both of them are being drafted mostly in the 12th round this year.
I think it's too high for both of them, but what do I know.
ADP for Lowe is 173 and for India, 175
Third Base is easy. Everybody knows. Devers and Riley. Riley and Devers. Both have been taken very close together somewhere in the top half of round two. And they should be. Third Base is a tough nut this year. These two fantasy bros. crack that nut.
Riley 20, Devers 22.
The next pairing of bros. at Shortstop is hilarious. They are brothers from another mother.
First, we have Tommy Edman. Edman is a diminutive player, mostly drafted for his speed. He has positionality at second base and will score a goodly amount of runs while maintaining a good average as well. A little boring. A pick that doesn't make you puff out your chest.
Then, we have Oneil Cruz. Cruz is a beast. He could lead the league in Home Runs and Stolen Bases if staying healthy for 160 games.
Really, he could, that's the type of ceiling this kid has. If Edman and Cruz were in a bar, Cruz would have girls hanging off him while Edman sits at a table drinking a beer alone.
Yet here, they look alike, Cruz ADP is 71, Edman's 73.
Outfield spots bring out how last year means little.
Aaron Judge was everything last year. He set a new home run record (screw you, Bonds) and was an everyday must-see tv for baseball fans.
No player has had a season like Judge since the steroid era.
Yet, it's new year and Judge's year last year doesn't even rate him a number one pick in most drafts.
In fact, he is being drafted alongside a player who has played in less games than Judge has home runs.
Julio Rodriguez.
Oneil Cruz has the tools to be a monster, yes, but Julio Rodriguez is fully ready to display those skills.
Even at the beginning of the season when Julio wasn't hitting, he was stealing bases.
Then, then he started hitting. The man can mash. And we know Judge will too. They make baseball fun.
ADP is Judge 4, Julio 5.
Starting Pitcher is Cole and Burnes. These two go one and two as starters in almost every draft. If we had twin brothers, it would be these two.
ADP...Burnes 14, Cole 17
And like Cole and Burnes, Closer has the same 1-2 punch. Edwin Diaz and Emmanuel Clase are inseparable.
I don't think I have seen any two players picked in consecutive picks more than Diaz and Clase this year.
A funny thing has happened over the course of time during the draft season however.
Both have dropped in ADP.
Both were going near the top of the second round. now, it is the middle or even the end of the second round.
Will that change for large drafts in March? Should be interesting.
Diaz 23, Clase 27.