As fantasy baseball drafts approach, ESPN experts Tristan H. Cockcroft and Eric Karabell have revealed their ideal first two picks for each draft position in both points-based and rotisserie formats. Shohei Ohtani dominates the first overall pick discussion, with Cockcroft projecting 911 combined points and Karabell calling him the "greatest two-way option ever." The debate centers on whether Ohtani can return to his 2022-2023 dominance after elbow surgery.

For the second pick, Aaron Judge emerges as the clear choice when Ohtani is off the board, having scored the most fantasy points over the past four seasons with 2,176 total. Cockcroft recommends pairing Judge with a top starting pitcher like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, while Karabell suggests Kyle Schwarber for reliable power. The third slot offers different strategies, with Cockcroft favoring Juan Soto for his elite plate discipline and Karabell selecting Bobby Witt Jr. despite his slight 2025 regression.

Later picks focus on building balanced rosters, with Cockcroft targeting Paul Skenes at No. 4 for his historic 1.96 ERA through 55 career starts, while Karabell opts for Jose Ramirez's consistent five-category production. These expert recommendations provide a blueprint for fantasy managers seeking championship-caliber rosters as Opening Day approaches.