Excellent work on the rookie draft recap.
Indeed alot of the top prospects take 2-3 years development time. Over a 3-4 year span, the rookies you draft will start to gel, and then your team becomes perrenial contenders.
When you cut to 27 players, it is so hard to drop that rookie who hasn't gelled yet, vs. keeping that useful vet. I picked up Vernon Wells in C11 in a free agent draft after he had been cut by his initial owner. This is where the free agent pool can help you. Of course, I had to use an early FA pick to get Wells (to insure I got him), and still had to wait a couple years for him to be the star he currently is.
I picked up Aramiz Ramirez with a FA 1 after he was cut by his initial owner...and he's only now paying dividends.
Definitely pitchers are risky. I drafted Joey Hamilton as a rookie #1...and he was useful for a few years...then gone. Sometimes it's worth the risk (Like Prior)...but it's a gamble.