MLB Farm System Ranks Show the Haves and Have-Nots

As MLB farm system ranks come out, they are showing a clear division.

In December, Call to the Pen contributor Benjamin Chase looked at the farm systems in MLB and ranked them from 1-30. He also noted something very distinct – that there were seven elite systems, seven notably rough systems, and 16 teams that were fairly fluid in the middle.

Those rankings were such:
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves
3. New York Yankees
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. San Diego Padres
6. Chicago White Sox
7. Los Angeles Dodgers
8. Houston Astros
9. Toronto Blue Jays
10. St. Louis Cardinals
11. Pittsburgh Pirates
12. Texas Rangers
13. Colorado Rockies
14. Tampa Bay Rays
15. Chicago Cubs
16. Cleveland Indians
17. Minnesota Twins
18. Cincinnati Reds
19. Seattle Mariners
20. Boston Red Sox
21. New York Mets
22. Washington Nationals
23. Oakland Athletics
24. Detroit Tigers
25. Kansas City Royals
26. San Francisco Giants
27. Miami Marlins
28. Baltimore Orioles
29. Arizona Diamondbacks
30. Los Angeles Angels

With the draft, graduations of top prospects and trades, those rankings have changed, but what hasn’t changed is that there is still a distinct separation with the top group of teams, the bottom group of teams and then a very muddled group in the middle.

This seeming “haves” and “have-nots” aspect of the minor leagues currently has really defined the focus of many teams. Some really have put their chips all on the table for the “now” because their farm system will not allow for a replenishment of the team in the near future. Other teams have been less willing to make a “big move” to help their MLB team win because they know they have such depth and talent in the minor leagues that they do not want to simply be taken advantage of due to their depth.

While this list won’t have a complete re-ranking of the entire 30 (that will come this offseason!), we will explore the elite teams, the middle group and the bottom bunch. We’ll start with the elite group.