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Hello RotoBallers! The time has finally come! Baseball draft season is here, and the season is under a month away.
Today, we will be discussing the number one overall pick for standard 5×5 leagues. As indicated by the headline, it's Shohei Ohtani.
Let's get into it! Here is the case for drafting Ohtani as the #1 pick in the draft.
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5×5 Wizard
There is simply too much value to pass up on a player that is successful on both sides of the diamond. Ohtani joined the league four years ago and is already a marquee figure in the game. He's got every intangible in the world and it clearly translates in 5×5 leagues. Want the stats?
| Year | PA | R | HR | RBI | SB | AVG |
| 2022 | 666 | 90 | 34 | 95 | 11 | .273 |
| 2021 | 639 | 103 | 46 | 100 | 26 | .257 |
| 2020 | 175 | 23 | 7 | 24 | 7 | .190 |
| 2019 | 425 | 51 | 18 | 62 | 12 | .286 |
| 2018 | 367 | 59 | 22 | 61 | 10 | .285 |
He's a standout player in almost every category and I would be over the top if he can consistently break 20 steals. His power numbers don't need a keen eye to figure him as one of the most competent hitters in baseball. At the rate Ohtani is going, he'll be hitting 30-plus homers for at least another decade.
It isn't too often that we find two-way stars in the modern era, especially if you factor in all of the maintenance that is required to play all 162 games. For a two-way phenom such as Ohtani, who is only 28, it's safe to say that he isn't too injury prone. How's that for the #1 overall pick?
I figured those numbers were capable of satisfying your first-pick jitters, but I'll give you Ohtani's pitching line if you're not convinced.
Two-Sided Value
| Year | IP | ERA | W | SO | WHIP |
| 2022 | 166 | 2.33 | 15 | 219 | 1.012 |
| 2021 | 130.3 | 3.18 | 9 | 156 | 1.090 |
Ohtani had a major breakthrough on the bump now that he found his sweet spot on the mound. He was a member of the 200-strikeout club and amassed a club-leading 166 innings. If I would tell you that Ohtani finished fourth in Cy Young voting, the stats wouldn't be necessary. Well, I'm letting you know that he finished fourth.
If the 28-year-old continues at this pace, he will certainly obtain a Cy Young at some point down the line. For me, knowing that a player has the capacity to play better than the majority of baseball from both sides of the ball is absolutely wild.
The Case For Sho-Time
Let's wrap this up. We've provided the meat and potatoes, and by simply isolating Ohtani's numbers, you should be enthralled by his athletic abilities. I'll make it simple for you just to put everything into a fantasy perspective.
- Two-way value
- Plays a scarce role
- Endless upside
- Just began his prime
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