Ranking all 30 farm systems
Many have come at the king. So far, they¡¯ve still all missed.
The Orioles retain the top spot in the MLB Pipeline Farm System Rankings for the fourth consecutive time between preseason and midseason lists. Since Pipeline began ranking systems in 2015, only one other organization has claimed No. 1 four times in a row, and that was the Padres (2018 pre/mid, 2019 pre/mid). Baltimore and San Diego are also now tied with the most No. 1 rankings with four each; the Rays (three) are the only other club with more than one.
The baseball world caught sight of what¡¯s coming to Charm City last year, when Adley Rutschman became AL Rookie of the Year runner-up and new No. 1 overall prospect Gunnar Henderson debuted in August. The result: a 31-win increase over 2021. There¡¯s lots more where those two came from as the club attempts to return to the postseason for the first time since 2016.
The Dodgers claim the No. 2 spot for a second straight rankings, while the D-backs leapfrog over the Guardians and Reds into the Top 3.
Our complete rankings are below. They're based on long-term Major League value, including factors such as potential impact talent, depth, proximity to the big leagues and balance between position players and pitchers as well as ceilings and floors.
1. Baltimore Orioles
2022 midseason rank: 1
2022 preseason rank: 1
2021 midseason rank: 1
2021 preseason rank: 5
This makes four in a row in the top spot for the Orioles, and they keep things going even when guys graduate. Sure, Gunnar Henderson will be off prospect lists soon enough, but an MLB-leading eight total guys in the Top 100 helps cushion that blow -- and they have more who could land on that list soon. Beyond the elite-level guys, this system is still really deep, and the young talent is reaching Baltimore and starting to make some exciting things happen in the AL East. More ?
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
2022 midseason rank: 2
2022 preseason rank: 5
2021 midseason rank: 16
2021 preseason rank: 14
Since the Braves of the 1990s and early 2000s, no organization has sustained winning in the Majors with developing talent in the Minors like the Dodgers have. Not only do they have a bevy of Top 100 Prospects ready to produce in the big leagues this season, they also have several Top 100 candidates percolating at lower levels, including catcher Dalton Rushing, right-handers Nick Nastrini and Nick Frasso and outfielder Josue De Paula. More ?
3. Arizona Diamondbacks
2022 midseason rank: 5
2022 preseason rank: 4
2021 midseason rank: 9
2021 preseason rank: 9
This marks the first time Arizona has cracked the top three of an MLB Pipeline Farm System Ranking, and that lofty placement is bolstered by having three of the game¡¯s Top 15 overall prospects. The No. 1 Orioles are the only other organization that can make a similar claim. Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Drey Jameson give the club three ready (or near-ready) rotation options. Even when they and NL Rookie of the Year Award candidate Carroll graduate during the D-backs¡¯ darkhorse run toward a playoff spot, young bats like Lawlar, Jones and Deyvision De Los Santos should keep the system afloat with exciting ceilings. More ?
4. Cleveland Guardians
2022 midseason rank: 3
2022 preseason rank: 12
2021 midseason rank: 13
2021 preseason rank: 13
The Guardians have nine winning seasons and six playoff berths in the last decade, in large part because of their ability to find and develop young talent. They have a knack for helping strike-throwers improve their stuff and for collecting hitters with advanced bat-to-ball skills. Several of their best prospects are on the verge of the Majors, including the first six Top 100 guys above as well as left-hander Logan Allen, infielder Gabriel Arias and outfielder Will Brennan. More ?
5. Cincinnati Reds
2022 midseason rank: 4
2022 preseason rank: 15
2021 midseason rank: 10
2021 preseason rank: 20
Not only are the Reds adding talent via the Draft (Collier was their first-rounder a year ago as the most recent addition to the Top 100), but the trades they made at the Trade Deadline brought in heaps of talent, from two of the Top 100 guys listed above (Marte and Arroyo), to some really intriguing players like Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. And any system that starts with Elly De La Cruz is one worth watching. More ?
6. Tampa Bay Rays
2022 midseason rank: 8
2022 preseason rank: 3
2021 midseason rank: 6
2021 preseason rank: 1
Even after graduating Shane Baz, Josh Lowe and Vidal Bruj¨¢n among others in 2022, the Rays continue to develop potential stars that emerge into the Top 100, as 2021 picks Williams and Manzardo did last year. Junior Caminero, who was acquired as a complex-level player in a minor deal much like Mead before him, is knocking on the door of the Top 100 himself. (Next up in that mold: Santiago Suarez.) Later Draft picks brought on by Major League success might keep the Rays from jumping back into the No. 1 overall spot soon, but their track record of developing the prospects they do have should keep them close to the Top 5 for a while longer. More ?
7. Texas Rangers
2022 midseason rank: 6
2022 preseason rank: 9
2021 midseason rank: 11
2021 preseason rank: 21
The Rangers have developed just two homegrown All-Stars since 2004 (Joey Gallo and Martin P¨¦rez), forcing them to rely on free-agent signings to rejuvenate the big league club. That should be about to change, with Jung a prime Rookie of the Year candidate, Carter headlining a deep crop of outfielders and White and Leiter fronting perhaps the best group of pitching prospects the franchise has ever had. More ?
8. Pittsburgh Pirates
2022 midseason rank: 7
2022 preseason rank: 7
2021 midseason rank: 4
2021 preseason rank: 8
This is five in a row for the Pirates in terms of Top 10 placement on this list, and the system still has a really interesting blend of high-end talent and depth at all levels. Much of the talent is pooling at the upper levels, and the time is coming where all this potential will have to start turning into performance -- and wins -- in Pittsburgh. The good news is that there is the talent, much of which should get the opportunity to impact the big league club this year, to make that happen. More ?
9. St. Louis Cardinals
2022 midseason rank: 13
2022 preseason rank: 16
2021 midseason rank: 21
2021 preseason rank: 17
The Cardinals' rise into the Top 10 for the first time ever is directly tied to the rise of its 2020 Draft contingent. Four members of that class (Walker, Winn, Hence, Burleson) have climbed into the Top 100, and 2021 fifth-rounder Graceffo joined them, solidifying St. Louis¡¯ reputation as a master drafter and developer. The international group lags a little behind, but Top 11 prospects Jonathan Mejia and Leornardo Bernal give hope for future breakouts. More ?
10. Washington Nationals
2022 midseason rank: 15
2022 preseason rank: 23
2021 midseason rank: 20
2021 preseason rank: 30
The Washington farm system needed to get better after the Juan Soto trade, and adding two Top 100 talents in Wood and Hassell certainly helped. The former¡¯s launch into becoming one of the toolsiest outfield prospects in the Minors further fueled the Nats¡¯ move into the Top 10 for the first time since the 2016 midseason list. Another five-tool talent in Cristhian Vaquero and fireballer Jarlin Susana await their opportunities to jump into the Top 100 in 2023, and the No. 2 overall pick in July should fortify the group even more. More ?
11. New York Mets
2022 midseason rank: 14
2022 preseason rank: 20
2021 midseason rank: 22
2021 preseason rank: 19
The Mets may have been aggressive this offseason, but that aggression was largely utilized on the free-agent market, allowing New York to keep its prospect nucleus intact. ?lvarez and Baty are primed to be Major League contributors with their loud offensive profiles in 2023, but last year¡¯s deep Draft class, headlined by Parada and Jett Williams in the first round, should keep the pipeline stocked once they graduate. More ?
12. Chicago Cubs
2022 midseason rank: 10
2022 preseason rank: 18
2021 midseason rank: 18
2021 preseason rank: 22
All three of the Cubs' Top 100 Prospects are outfielders, but the greatest strength of the system may be its pitching depth. Adding Cade Horton and Jackson Ferris via the Draft and Hayden Wesneski and Ben Brown via trades last summer may yield 80 percent of Chicago's future rotation. International shortstops Cristian Hernandez and Derniche Valdez have two of the highest ceilings among Cubs farmhands but will need time to develop. More ?
13. New York Yankees
2022 midseason rank: 12
2022 preseason rank: 13
2021 midseason rank: 19
2021 preseason rank: 18
Most of the Yankees' best prospects are position players who should arrive in New York during the next couple of seasons. Their ability to sign and develop pitchers provides constant trade fodder and they have as many arms (18) on their Top 30 list as any organization, led by right-handers Drew Thorpe, Will Warren and Richard Fitts from the last two Drafts. More ?
14. Colorado Rockies
2022 midseason rank: 9
2022 preseason rank: 24
2021 midseason rank: 26
2021 preseason rank: 27
This has become a sneaky strong system that belongs in the upper half of these rankings. It¡¯s still hitting-heavy, both in terms of top-tier talent and depth, but there are some intriguing arms in the team's Top 30 that could catapult the organization up this list if they take steps forward this year. The Rockies have used a nice blend of the Draft and international signings in one of the most purely homegrown systems in the game. More ?
15. Milwaukee Brewers
2022 midseason rank: 19
2022 preseason rank: 25
2021 midseason rank: 25
2021 preseason rank: 28
Outfielders! Get your outfielders, here! All four of Milwaukee¡¯s top prospects, including likely Opening Day center fielder Garrett Mitchell, spend their days on the grass. All eyes will be on Chourio as he attempts to follow up last year¡¯s breakout with another strong season that could cement him as a future superstar. The group is much, much lighter on arms, but keep an eye on 2022 second-rounder Jacob Misiorowski, who is loved by analysts for his mid-90s fastball and above-average slider. More ?
16. Boston Red Sox
2022 midseason rank: 11
2022 preseason rank: 14
2021 midseason rank: 12
2021 preseason rank: 24
The Red Sox have an exciting group of Top 100 Prospects. Mayer, Casas and Rafaela all could be starting in Boston by mid-2024, while Bleis is a potential five-tool center fielder who's further away. But there's not a lot of depth behind them, especially in terms of pitching. Boston's two best mound prospects are right-hander Bryan Mata, who had Tommy John surgery in 2021, and left-hander Brandon Walter, who missed half of last season with a bulging disc in his back. More ?
17. San Francisco Giants
2022 midseason rank: 18
2022 preseason rank: 11
2021 midseason rank: 8
2021 preseason rank: 11
Harrison and Luciano remained two of the best young prospects in the game, but otherwise the Giants' system saw a lot of upheaval in 2022. On the positive side, outfielders Grant McCray and Vaun Brown had 20-homer/40-steal seasons, slick-fielding third baseman Casey Schmitt began hitting for power and right-handers Landen Roupp and Keaton Winn took huge steps forward. On the negative side, former first-round picks Heliot Ramos, Hunter Bishop, Patrick Bailey and Will Bednar all dropped out of our San Francisco Top 10 after difficult seasons. More ?
18. Miami Marlins
2022 midseason rank: 16
2022 preseason rank: 6
2021 midseason rank: 3
2021 preseason rank: 4
The Marlins' strength in both the Majors and Minors is young pitching, and reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara has taken P¨¦rez under his wing this spring. Dax Fulton is another potential frontline starter, and Meyer, Jake Eder and Sixto S¨¢nchez could be as well if they can bounce back from injuries. Miami needs Berry, the No. 6 overall pick last July, to reverse its recent lack of success with first-round position players. More ?
19. Minnesota Twins
2022 preseason rank: 23
2022 preseason rank: 19
2021 midseason rank: 18
2021 preseason rank: 22
We¡¯re all looking forward to a healthy Royce Lewis graduating from prospect status, none more so than Lewis himself. He¡¯s been supplanted atop the list by Lee, their first-rounder in 2022, a super-advanced hitter out of college who might not be a prospect for very long. And Rodriguez has as much upside as anyone in the system. Things have thinned out some due to some trades to help them compete in the big leagues, but the Twins still know how to develop their own talent with the best of them. More ?
20. Toronto Blue Jays
2022 midseason rank: 20
2022 preseason rank: 21
2021 midseason rank: 14
2021 preseason rank: 7
Top 100 prospects: Ricky Tiedemann, LHP (No. 32)
Sure, the Jays claim only one Top 100 prospect, but the fact that it¡¯s Tiedemann -- a 2021 third-rounder who climbed three levels and has become our No. 2 LHP prospect -- earns Toronto some development points. There¡¯s some good depth here too with 2022 first-rounder Brandon Barriera, lightning arm Yosver Zulueta, former Top 100 prospect Orelvis Martinez and power-hitting utilityman Addison Barger lurking in the Top 10. The longer list of interesting names gives this group the nod over others with more Top 100 prospects below. More ?
21. Philadelphia Phillies
2022 midseason rank: 25
2022 preseason rank: 26
2021 midseason rank: 27
2021 preseason rank: 23
Painter¡¯s elbow issue this spring puts a little bit of a cloud over the system, but if he returns to health, the 1-2 punch of him and Abel is an exciting pitching tandem, with Griff McGarry not far behind them. If the super-young hitters in this system, many at the lower rungs, perform well this year, the Phillies could have some upward mobility on this list More ?
22. Oakland Athletics
2022 midseason rank: 17
2022 preseason rank: 22
2021 midseason rank: 28
2021 preseason rank: 26
The overhaul in Oakland has been drastic, with a full-on rebuilding process ongoing as we speak. All of the trades -- the most recent one sending Sean Murphy to the Braves during the offseason -- have brought in huge volumes of prospects. It¡¯s more depth than high-end guys, but many of the new prospects will get the chance to show return on investment in Oakland this year. More ?
23. San Diego Padres
2022 midseason rank: 28
2022 preseason rank: 17
2021 midseason rank: 17
2021 preseason rank: 6
The running story on the Padres is that they emptied their farm system for Juan Soto, and this group certainly is shallower and has a lower ceiling than this time last year. What¡¯s also true: Merrill has impressed nearly every evaluator he¡¯s played in front of over the last 12 months, pushing him into the Top 20 overall, and the international signing of Ethan Salas in January gave San Diego another potential big talent at a premium position and a push away from the cellar of the rankings. More ?
24. Seattle Mariners
2022 midseason rank: 24
2022 preseason rank: 2
2021 midseason rank: 2
2021 preseason rank: 3
On the positive side, the Mariners¡¯ big league roster is young, and after Seattle made the postseason last year, there are definitely higher expectations in 2023. The down side? The system has thinned out with graduations and the Luis Castillo deal at last year¡¯s Trade Deadline. Look for Ford to take a big step forward and join the top of the Top 100 and Miller to help out in Seattle, with the 2022 Draft class helping to fill in some depth, led by a future Top 100 guy in Cole Young. More ?
25. Detroit Tigers
2022 midseason rank: 22
2022 preseason rank: 10
2021 midseason rank: 7
2021 preseason rank: 2
The Tigers opened last year with a pair of Top five overall prospects in Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene. Both have since graduated, and those who remain lack the exciting ceilings that pair possessed in the Minors. The news got tougher when top prospect Jobe suffered a back injury that will keep him out for much of 2023. That said, Detroit is at its deepest on the infield, with seven of its top 11 prospects on the dirt, including Jung and Colt Keith, who is knocking on the door of the Top 100 himself. More ?
26. Chicago White Sox
2022 midseason rank: 26
2022 preseason rank: 30
2021 midseason rank: 30
2021 preseason rank: 16
While the White Sox still have a ways to go to restock their system, they're making progress. They've added their two best position prospects (Montgomery, Colas) and five of their six best pitching prospects (left-hander Noah Schultz and right-handers Sean Burke, Peyton Pallette, Jonathan Cannon and Norge Vera) since the start of 2021. Chicago taps the Cuban market as well as any organization, with three players from the island in its big league lineup and six on its Top 30 Prospects list, led by Colas and third baseman Bryan Ramos. More ?
27. Houston Astros
2022 midseason rank: 30
2022 preseason rank: 29
2021 midseason rank: 29
2021 preseason rank: 29
Top 100 Prospects: Hunter Brown, RHP (No. 43)
The Astros haven't ranked higher than 28th since we started ranking all 30 farm systems in 2020, but that hasn't precluded them from making three playoff appearances and winning two American League West titles, two pennants and one World Series in the last three years. Houston seems to produce a Rookie of the Year Award candidate every season, and Brown and catcher Yainer Diaz could continue that trend in 2023. More ?
28. Los Angeles Angels
2022 midseason rank: 30
2022 preseason rank: 28
2021 midseason rank: 24
2021 preseason rank: 25
Adding O¡¯Hoppe at the Deadline and Neto in the Draft gives the Angels more top-of-the-list excitement than they¡¯ve had in a while. There¡¯s still a long way to go here, but there is some obvious pitching depth, courtesy of that all-pitching Draft in 2021. A good amount of those arms were pushed aggressively to the upper levels in 2022, with largely positive results. More ?
29. Kansas City Royals
2022 midseason rank: 21
2022 preseason rank: 8
2021 midseason rank: 5
2021 preseason rank: 10
Top 100 prospects: Gavin Cross, OF (No. 62)
¡°As it stands, that Major League readiness is a point in the system¡¯s favor, but once so many lose prospect status, expect a steep drop.¡± That¡¯s what we wrote in the 2022 midseason rankings, and the Royals have dropped eight spots as more graduations rolled in, with Maikel Garcia, Nick Loftin and Drew Waters not far behind. Top 2022 pick Cross should at least lead the group for a while as he enters his first full season, and 2021 prep selections Ben Kudrna, Frank Mozzicato and Carter Jensen could jump with more experience in their second extended campaigns. More ?
30. Atlanta Braves
2022 midseason rank: 27
2022 preseason rank: 27
2021 midseason rank: 23
2021 preseason rank: 15
Top 100 Prospects: None
Winning and maintaining a strong system is hard! The Braves have used their system to make trades and bring help to the big leagues via the homegrown route. And even though the system is thinned out, with no Top 100 guys, the Braves always manage to find help from within every year. More ?