How to Dominate Best Ball (Draft Masters) at RTSports.com

If you’re looking to tune up your draft skills before a big draft or just sink some time into a fun but brief draft one evening, I suggest taking a look at RTSports Draft Masters product. It’s best-ball, so draft it and forget it. The leagues are 10 teams and 23 rounds so they won’t crawl into the wee hours. Short benches also make decisions critical at every turn. Here are the key decisions you’ll face if you jump into a draft.

Key decisions:

  • Pitching pace
  • When to take a catcher
  • When to fill OF
  • Bench split
  • Can you draft an RP

Editor’s Note: We also recommend playing the Best Ball Championship to turn $20 into $10,000 – Click here to enter and see draft information.

Pitching Pace

The biggest adjustment you need to make coming into a Draft Masters league is how fast to take starting pitching. It flies off the board much faster than most are accustomed to. You generally want to alternate SPs and bats in some fashion through the first 10 rounds. That pushes hitters down and makes it hard to pass on the values. You can indulge occasionally but staying the course on pitching will allow for even more values in the middle rounds. You also need to keep in mind that you’re looking for 5 bench pitchers. If you want to fill those spots with reasonable talent you need to be on track before the pool dries up.

Catchers

The shorter rosters make catcher value above replacement (VAR) pretty high. Meaning you want a good catcher. This season is a crapshoot at the top of the tier, however. I don’t mind waiting longer than prior seasons at catcher. There are some young names and injury risks that have upside. If I can pair one of them with a boring vet like Wilson Ramos or Jorge Alfaro it works.

Filling OF Spots

Adjusting to three starting OF spots is tricky. The names you’re used to seeing in later rounds feels unnatural. You need to be careful not to fill your outfield too quickly, however. If you happen to start out with one, which I’m fine with if they’re a top 5 OF and pitchers already went, then you really need to put off the second OF you take. By the time you go to fill your third spot you want almost all of your hitter and pitcher starting spots filed. The best solution for OF3 or UTILs is to have a guy with dual eligibility somewhere else. Dylan Moore is a nice 2B/OF combo that has been pushed down.

Bench Split

As mentioned, you want at least 5 bench pitchers. The more the better. Each pitcher rostered gives you another shot at a two-start week. Since you don’t get to make any in-season adjustments you need to have those huge weeks on tap as often as possible. You also want at least one backup at each hitting position. Enter the multi-eligible studs. DJ LeMahieu and Max Muncy are the expensive names. Tommy Edman and Andres Giminez are more affordable and get you the crucial addition of SS. Don’t overlook Dalton Varsho as a catcher with OF eligibility. If you manage to shoot the moon with multiple swiss army knives you can even gamble on a sixth bench pitcher.

Drafting Relievers

Closers tend to get discounted after the first few names in best ball leagues. They can’t get a two-start week and they’re job security is among the thinnest. There’s a point where they can become a value, though. A week with multiple saves and high Ks can stack up with a mediocre two start week. They are much rarer and not guaranteed the same way to start weeks are. If you can find a nice price on a Ryan Pressly or Brad Hand type who will gets solid work on good teams it’s worth consideration. You don’t want more than one or two relievers.

So, play hard and remember to play Best Ball Draft Masters for fun, practice and cash or the Best Ball Championship where you can turn $20 into $10,000!