Image credit: Forrest Whitley (Photo by Bill Mitchell)

Farm System Talent Rankings
Last Three Years
Team	2018	2017	2016
Houston Astros	10	3	2
Los Angeles Angels	14	29	30
Oakland Athletics	18	17	18
Seattle Mariners	30	23	28
Texas Rangers	23	22	7

Houston Astros Farm System Overview For 2019

SEE THE ASTROS TOP 10 MLB PROSPECTS

NOTABLE GRADUATIONS: 3B/1B J.D. Davis (11), 1B A.J. Reed (22), C Max Stassi (NR)

TRENDING: ???? Even though young players like Kyle Tucker, Josh James and Framber Valdez made their big league debuts in 2018, all of the Astros’ top young talent retains prospect eligibility for 2019.

STRENGTHS: Even after trades to help the big league club, the Astros retain a core of nearly-ready pitching prospects. Forrest Whitley, Josh James, J.B. Bukauskas, Corbin Martin and Framber Valdez all have experience at Double-A or higher. Outfielder Kyle Tucker and outfielder/first baseman Yordan Alvarez give the club a pair of viable options to fill at-bats lost by free agents Evan Gattis, Marwin Gonzalez and Brian McCann.

WEAKNESSES: The Astros still have a young major league infield led by Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman, but the system has few infielders in the full-season minors who project as even big league backups. Catching is also a weakness. Garrett Stubbs is the only backstop with a full-season club who projects as a useful big leaguer.

Astros Projected 2022 Lineup
(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Garrett Stubbs 27
1B Yordan Alvarez 25
2B Jose Altuve 32
SS Carlos Correa 27
3B Alex Bregman 28
LF Derek Fisher 28
CF George Springer 32
RF Kyle Tucker 25
DH Seth Beer 25
SP Gerrit Cole 31
SP Forrest Whitley 24
SP Justin Verlander 39
SP Josh James 29
SP Corbin Martin 26
RP Roberto Osuna 27

SEE THE ASTROS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

Los Angeles Angels Farm System Overview For 2019

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NOTABLE GRADUATIONS: RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani (1), RHP Jaime Barria (6), 3B Taylor Ward (19), 2B/3B David Fletcher (27), RHP Felix Pena (NR), RHP Justin Anderson (NR)

TRENDING: ?? Rookie of the Year Ohtani highlights a deep first-year class in which Barria and Fletcher could contribute to the Angels’ next playoff team.

STRENGTHS: After years of shaky rookie classes, the Angels are percolating a group of prospects who could impact the big league team. Seven of the organization’s Top 10 Prospects finished 2018 at Double-A or Triple-A, including rapid risers Jo Adell, Griffin Canning, Jose Suarez, Jahmai Jones, Matt Thaiss, Luis Rengifo and Ty Buttrey. Prospects like Adell, Marsh and 2018 first-rounder Jordyn Adams are supreme athletes.

WEAKNESSES: Jones or Rengifo could be the answer to the Angels’ second base woes, but if they’re not, the system lacks depth in terms of skilled infielders who can hit. That creates an unsettled future on the dirt, where shortstop Andrelton Simmons is under contract through 2020. They system lacks depth at catcher, like most organizations.

PROJECTED 2022 LINEUP
(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Jack Kruger 27
1B Matt Thaiss 27
2B Jahmai Jones 24
3B Taylor Ward 28
SS Andrelton Simmons 32
LF Jo Adell 23
CF Mike Trout 30
RF Brandon Marsh 24
DH Justin Upton 34
SP Shohei Ohtani 27
SP Tyler Skaggs 30
SP Griffin Canning 26
SP Jose Suarez 24
SP Jaime Barria 25
RP Keynan Middleton 28

SEE THE ANGELS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

Oakland Athletics Farm System Overview For 2019

SEE THE ATHLETICS TOP 10 MLB PROSPECTS

NOTABLE GRADUATIONS: 2B Franklin Barreto (2), OF Dustin Fowler (4), RHP Frankie Montas (21), OF Ramon Laureano (29), OF Nick Martini (NR)

TRENDING: ????Barreto and Fowler received all the preseason praise, but Laureano made the biggest impact.

STRENGTHS: The system is poised to deliver two impact lefthanded starters (Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk) and
a regular catcher (Sean Murphy), which have been weak spots in recent seasons. Five of the organization’s Top 10 Prospects are outfielders—including recent first-rounders Austin Beck and Kyler Murray—which could settle the picture in Oakland.

WEAKNESSES: With Matt Olson and Matt Chapman established on the infield corners in Oakland, the organization won’t be looking for replacements soon. That’s good because the farm system is not well stocked at first base or third base. The system’s most promising righthanded starting pitchers—James Kaprielian, Grant Holmes, Daulton Jefferies—are long on promise but short on health and results in recent seasons.

Athletics Projected 2022 Lineup

(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Sean Murphy 27
1B Matt Olson 28
2B Franklin Barreto 26
3B Matt Chapman 29
SS Jorge Mateo 27
LF Ramon Laureano 27
CF Kyler Murray 24
RF Austin Beck 23
DH Stephen Piscotty 31
SP Jesus Luzardo 24
SP A.J. Puk 27
SP Sean Manaea 30
SP Grant Holmes 26
SP Jharel Cotton 30
CL Lou Trivino 30

SEE THE ATHLETICS TOP 10 MLB PROSPECTS

Seattle Mariners Farm System Overview For 2019

SEE THE MARINERS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Note, the Mariners projected lineup and Top 10 prospects were done before this week’s slew of Seattle trades.

NOTABLE GRADUATIONS: RHP Chasen Bradford (NR)

TRENDING: ????An old Mariners team received little help from their bottom-ranked farm system.

STRENGTHS: The system is rail thin after a bevy of trades stripped talent to the bone. Recent first-round picks Kyle Lewis, Evan White and Logan Gilbert could be productive regulars in two or three years. The Mariners have been active on the international market with some potential high-end prospects entering the system, but they are all many years away from Seattle.

WEAKNESSES: The quality and depth of the system as a whole is a weakness, but drilling down reveals a dearth of high-end talent at the upper levels. First baseman Evan White has first-division potential, as does outfielder Kyle Lewis if he continues making progress from knee surgery. Others who are nearly big league ready—outfielder Braden Bishop and relievers Matt Festa and Wyatt Mills—profile as contributors.

PROJECTED 2022 LINEUP
(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Omar Narvaez 30
1B Evan White 26
2B Dee Gordon 34
3B Kyle Seager 34
SS J.P. Crawford 27
LF Jarred Kelenic 23
CF Mallex Smith 29
RF Mitch Haniger 31
DH Kyle Lewis 26
SP Justus Sheffield 26
SP Yusei Kikuchi 32
SP Logan Gilbert 25
SP Marco Gonzales 30
SP Sam Carlson 23
CL Edwin Diaz 27

SEE THE MARINERS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

Texas Rangers Farm System Overview For 2019

SEE THE RANGERS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

NOTABLE GRADUATIONS: OF Willie Calhoun (1), 1B Ronald Guzman (6), OF/2B Drew Robinson (14), C/3B Isiah Kiner-Falefa (NR), RHP Ariel Jurado (NR)

TRENDING: ????With a farm system short on proximity value, the Rangers might have to make do with this rookie class as they wait for their next prospect wave.

SYSTEM STRENGTHS: Between Julio Pablo Martinez, Leody Taveras and Bubba Thompson, the Rangers have a trio of center fielders among their Top 10 Prospects. They also have a growing stockpile of pitching prospects at the lower levels from recent drafts, led by top prospect Hans Crouse and 2018 first-rounder Cole Winn. The addition of Taylor Hearn via trade, a big year from Jonathan Hernandez and the return of Joe Palumbo helps bolster their upper-level pitching.

SYSTEM WEAKNESSES: The Rangers don’t have any prospects likely to crack the top 50 overall prospects in the game. They are generally thin on position prospects, with a lack of pure hitters in the organization, and the position players they do have all come with considerable risk.

PROJECTED 2022 LINEUP
(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Isiah Kiner-Falefa 27
1B Ronald Guzman 27
2B Rougned Odor 28
3B Anderson Tejeda 24
SS Elvis Andrus 33
LF Joey Gallo 28
CF Julio Pablo Martinez 26
RF Nomar Mazara 27
DH Willie Calhoun 27
SP Hans Crouse 23
SP Cole Winn 22
SP Jonathan Hernandez 25
SP Taylor Hearn 27
SP Joe Palumbo 27
CL C.D. Pelham 27