With spring training winding down and everyone gearing up for the big Opening Night on Easter Sunday, the Mock Draft Army has concluded its work for the 2015 fantasy baseball season. It was a hell of a ride with so many participants from all over. We had all the major sites represented at some point or another and one of the most dedicated group of readers and listeners eager to put their drafting skills to the test. As a result, we have an ADP that, in my opinion, is one of the best out there. Heck, if and old-school fantasy warrior like Todd Zola is using it in his calculations and endorsing its use during his speaking tour with Baseball HQ’s First Pitch Seminars, then there has to be some serious value in it.

From a personal standpoint, I have to say that the experience exceeded all of my expectations. My own draft skills have heightened, the data is stronger than ever and not only did we have to open up multiple draft rooms every Thursday night, but there’s already an eager group waiting for the upcoming fantasy football season.  For that, I thank you all.

To help wrap things up, we’re going to take a look at the final ADP numbers in the latest trend report. After 26 mixed league drafts and a handful of both AL and NL only, the numbers match up well with the NFBC ADP totals and can be used in conjunction with any set of rankings to help you along. If you still have drafts to do, this should definitely be of some help.

So before we look at the overall numbers, let’s start off with some risers and fallers and then look at a few names who made their first appearances late in the spring.

Risers

Kris Bryant, 3B CHC (+10.6%) – The legend grows and he still hasn’t played a single game in the majors. But oh baby! What a spring! Before being sent down to the minors – a move everyone fully expected – Bryant hit .429 (17-for-40) with nine home runs, 15 RBI and 14 runs scored over a 14-game span. Sure, he struck out 35-percent of the time but that’s something he can focus on while he’s waiting for his late-April call-up. The power is huge, the hype is huge and only time will tell as to whether the lovers or the haters are right about his impending rookie debut.

Ian Kinsler, 2B DET (+8.4%) – They say position scarcity is just a myth and while that may be true, it is not an accepted believe in all cases. Second base isn’t exactly brimming with amazing talent, but there are certainly some quality guys to be had late in your drafts. But still there are many who stand by building their middle infield early and Kinsler is one of the top names in the position’s rankings. He’s certainly worth acknowledging as a to-five second baseman, but is his production worth passing over the arrays of stronger-hitting outfielders?

Garrett Richards, SP LAA (+7.5%) – Whether he starts the season on-time or not is seemingly irrelevant at this point, because even if he doesn’t, he’s expected to return sometime in mid-April. He’ll miss one turn in the rotation, possibly two, but that won’t make much of a difference in the overall. The problem was a knee injury, not an elbow or a shoulder, so that’s definitely a plus. If he can return to even close to his 2014 form, he’ll be a huge addition to anyone’s fantasy rotation. If you still have time to draft, grab him at the appropriate time. He should be worth the pick.

Fallers

Let’s just bypass the obvious ones. We know anyone with season-ending surgery like Yu Darvish, Zack Wheeler and Marcus Stroman is falling. Add to that the likes of Alex Cobb, Chris Sale, Hunter Pence, Kenley Jansen and Denard Span. They aren’t out for the year, but even the loss of a month is expected to take its toll on their draft appeal. I would, however, like to discuss….

Anthony Rendon, 2B/3B WAS (-7.9%) – Oh how the mighty have fallen. What was originally perceived as a bruised knee that would simply be a day-to-day thing, is now a sprained MCL and a trip to the disabled list. That has sent Rendon from mid-to-late first-round pick to late second/early third-rounder. Not a huge drop, but significant enough that, if you believe he will be back in April and this injury won’t nag him the entire season, he could prove to be a nice steal by the guy who grabbed Mike Trout with the No. 1 overall pick. For me, though, there’s just something about this injury that makes me feel like it could be an issue in the long-run. Maybe it’s a flare-up, maybe he needs extra rest, I’m not sure. But there’s just something about it that I don’t trust.

Jedd Gyorko, 2B SD (-5.1%) – He’s batting .275 (14-for-51) with one home run this spring, but with 18 strikeouts, he’s making folks awfully nervous. Gyorko burst onto the scene with 23 home runs during his rookie season in 2013, but came up short with his follow-up thanks to injuries limiting him to just 111 games. With a healthy season, he has a great chance to improve on his numbers and find a happy medium between the numbers of his first two seasons. Just don’t expect a strong batting average unless he dramatically cuts down the strikeouts.

Wilin Rosario, C COL (-4.1%) – The Rockies have some serious issues to work out here right now. With Rosario’s defense lacking, the team has been using Nick Hundley as the primary backstop with Mike McKenry backing him up. Rosario has been logging time at first base. But what about Justin Morneau? Manager Walt Weiss says that he’s got two catchers in McKenry and Hundley and Rosario is a guy stuck in the middle – half catcher and half first base. With the uncertainty surrounding his at-bats, fantasy owners are jumping ship.

New Faces

Micah Johnson, 2B CHW – While he hasn’t been named the starting second baseman for the White Sox, the general consensus is that he has outplayed both Carlos Sanchez and Emilio Bonifacio this spring and deserves the nod. From a fantasy standpoint, if a strong batting average can be maintained he could be a beast in the stolen base department. The Pale Hose are looking to run more and Johnson could be a big part of that. Considering where he’s going in recent drafts, the risk is pretty minimal. At worst, he doesn’t earn the job and has to win it during the regular season.

Daniel Norris, SP TOR – After posting a 3.28 ERA with a 29:5 K:BB over 24 2/3 innings this spring, Norris was officially named the Blue Jays’ fifth starter. He’s posted a double-digit K/9 at each level in the minors and that number has risen as he’s climbed the ranks. He’s going to have to watch the fly balls in Toronto if he wants to keep those ratios in check, but there’s no denying the talent.

Jace Peterson, 2B ATL – Similarly to Micah Johnson, Peterson hasn’t been named the starting second baseman, but every indication seems to point in that direction. He’s got a strong glove and great speed on the bases. If the Braves use him atop the order, then Freddie Freeman just might have someone to drive in.