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MLB Minor League System Rankings – The Middle

By Benjamin Chase

Dec 7, 2016; National Harbor, MD, USA; A general view of stage microphones on day three of the 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2016; National Harbor, MD, USA; A general view of stage microphones on day three of the 2016 Baseball Winter Meetings at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

10. St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals found themselves on the outside looking in on the postseason, which was a very awkward spot to be for sure for their organization. Through plenty of injury and a lack of depth at the top end of the system, the Cardinals may have for the first time found themselves not having the guys needed to fill in.

That doesn’t mean that plenty of guys didn’t offer assistance. Aledmys Diaz had a very solid season when Jhonny Peralta was hurt to start the season and Kolten Wong struggled with the bat. Seung-hwan Oh was a revelation as closer when Trevor Rosenthal, and Matthew Bowman pitched the most relief innings of anyone but Oh as a Rule 5 pick.

The Cardinals have gone about adding to their team in a way that can help that depth issue this offseason, picking up major league ready pitching when they moved Jaime Garcia to Atlanta and signing bullpen help as well as a solid center fielder in Dexter Fowler.

Elite prospects – The Cardinals had a half dozen guys I considered for my top 125, but the first two guys I declined to include could very well end up moving up in a hurry as well, so the system has some very solid pieces overall.

System depth in legit prospects – The Cardinals saw their depth in guys wane last season, and they’ve done an excellent job drafting guys who will be major league ready quickly in last season’s draft as well as acquiring more depth in those guys in trade.

Proximity to majors of legit prospects – Of their top 10 prospects, three made appearances in the major leagues in 2016 and one other reached the upper minors in 2016.

System reputation – The Cardinals have a very good reputation with college arms in developing them quickly and effectively to get guys to the upper minors as at least a fill-in starter for the big league club in a hurry.

The Cardinals have also been known for their development of guys who are “bat-first” players out of college. Many of them are guys like Allen Craig or Matt Carpenter, who can hit at some position, but they just don’t have a definite position. Their work at guys like that has led to a number of players coming up over the years who were less heralded as offensive prospects but producing well at the major league level.

Top 5 Born 1991 or since (age 25 season this year)
1. Carlos Martinez
2. Alex Reyes
3. Stephen Piscotty
4. Randal Grichuk
5. Michael Wacha

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