# Shohei Ohtani Isn’t the No. 1 Pick?! Inside the First 2027 Fantasy Draft

An episode of [Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1486883874), 20 Aug 2026, 1 h 02 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6818a1a4eb737caf8ca41879/e/6a877c54f9fe22a209128aa3/media.mp3

Shohei Ohtani isn't the No. 1 pick in the first major 2027 fantasy baseball draft. So who went ahead of him? Ryan Bloomfield of Baseball HQ and Bubba and the Bloom joins DVR to break down the Meatball Draft and give us an incredibly early look at the 2027 fantasy baseball rankings, ADP, breakouts, bargains and potential first-round picks. Pete Crow-Armstrong steals the No. 1 spot in the Meatball Draft. PCA's combination of power and speed has pushed him all the way to the top of this early 2027 fantasy baseball draft board, ahead of Ohtani and the rest of baseball's biggest fantasy stars. The guys discuss how much weight to give a breakout season and when fantasy managers should trust a young player enough to pay a first-round price. Then there's Paul Skenes. One of baseball's biggest pitching stars falls all the way to the fifth round amid questions about his recent performance and health. Plus, Edwin Díaz falls to Round 11, Gavin Williams continues his rise, Zach Neto becomes a potential buy-low candidate and position eligibility creates some unexpected complications. The guys break down how pitching risk, injuries and the final weeks of the 2026 MLB season could completely reshape this draft board by next spring. Before looking ahead to 2027, DVR and Mac break down the latest chaos in the American League playoff race, including Pete Alonso's apparent go-ahead home run against the Yankees that was ruled foul. With seven teams separated by only 2.5 games around the final AL Wild Card race, virtually nobody has been able to separate from the pack. Plus, the Tigers' recent struggles, the Twins' surprising playoff position and one extremely important question: what is the greatest baseball video game of all time? #ShoheiOhtani #FantasyBaseball #MLB #FantasyBaseball2027 #PeteCrowArmstrong #PaulSkenes #Baseball #RatesAndBarrels Like, Subscribe and drop us a comment! First Pitch Arizona: https://www.baseballhq.com/pricing/first-pitch-arizona-2026 Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social Follow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.social e-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.com Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFe Subscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrels Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris Contributor: Ryan Bloomfield Executive Producer: McEnroe Francis Editor: McEnroe Francis 00:00 The First Look at 2027 Fantasy Baseball 02:11 Pete Alonso’s Controversial Foul Ball 04:03 The AL Wild Card Race Is a Mess 05:20 Twins, Tigers & the Crowded AL Playoff Picture 08:10 Pirates Walk Off the Tigers 11:22 What’s the Greatest Baseball Video Game Ever? 14:57 Inside the First 2027 Fantasy Baseball Draft 17:15 How Do You Draft for 2027 This Early? 19:56 Ohtani, Judge & the Top of the 2027 Draft Board 21:05 Jordan Walker & Konnor Griffin Make Huge Leaps 23:56 Proven Stars vs. Breakout Players 25:15 Buying Low on Vlad Jr., Acuña, Raleigh & Marte 29:56 Does Draft Position Really Matter? 32:04 Where Are the Top Starting Pitchers? 33:57 Why Drafting Pitchers Early Is So Risky 38:44 Finding the Next Breakout Fantasy Ace 43:18 How Far Should Paul Skenes Fall? 45:52 Is Edwin Díaz a Massive 2027 Bargain? 49:14 José Ramírez & Corbin Carroll Value 50:08 Gavin Williams’ Rise 52:09 Is Zach Neto a 2027 Bounce-Back? 54:36 Late-Round Values & Position Eligibility Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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