Image credit: Rays No. 1 Prospect Wander Franco (Photo by Tony Farlow)

Farm System Talent Rankings
Last Three Years
Team	2018	2017	2016
Baltimore Orioles	17	27	27
Boston Red Sox	24	14	4
New York Yankees	2	2	17
Tampa Bay Rays	5	11	13
Toronto Blue Jays	7	20	24

Baltimore Orioles Farm System Overview For 2019

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Notable Graduations: C Chance Sisco (3), LHP Tanner Scott (6), OF Cedric Mullins (9), RHP David Hess (15) and 3B Renato Nunez (20 in Athletics system).

Trending: ???? Austin Hays took a giant step back, but Sisco, Scott, Mullins and other youngsters got their feet wet in the big leagues. Trading veterans such as Manny Machado, Kevin Gausman, Zach Britton and Jonathan Schoop kick-started a rebuild, but expect more youth—and more losing—for the foreseeable future.

Strengths: After graduating Cedric Mullins last season, the Orioles still have a number of interesting outfield prospects led by Yusniel Diaz, Austin Hays and possibly Ryan Mountcastle if he switches positions. The pitching depth is better than it has been thanks to a focus on adding well-rounded, successful college arms. The team’s high-end pitching talent is still focused among faraway or injury-prone high school draft picks.

Weaknesses: A new general manager and manager will have to start over with baseball’s worst team. The Orioles’ farm talent is vastly improved from its days as bottom-of-baseball system, but the organization still has fewer elite prospects than most of its division rivals. While there are a number of well-rounded position prospects, the Orioles have few significant power prospects in the full-season minors.

Baltimore Orioles Projected 2022 Lineup

(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Chance Sisco 27
1B Trey Mancini 30
2B Jonathan Villar 31
3B Renato Nunez 28
SS Richie Martin 27
LF Cedric Mullins 27
CF Yusniel Diaz 26
RF Austin Hays 26
DH Ryan Mountcastle 25
SP Dylan Bundy 29
SP DL Hall 23
SP Keegan Akin 27
SP Dean Kremer 26
SP Grayson Rodriguez 22
CL Hunter Harvey 27

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Boston Red Sox Farm System Overview For 2019

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Notable Graduations: RHP Hector Velazquez (20) and LHP Brian Johnson (23).

Trending: ?? Preseason No. 1 Jay Groome had Tommy John surgery, while No. 2 Michael Chavis served an 80-game drug suspension.

Strengths: Even before president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski arrived, prospects had to be difference-makers to crack an always-talented Red Sox lineup. Bobby Dalbec and Michael Chavis aren’t sure bets, but they do have the kind of power potential that gives them potential paths to at-bats in Boston. The Red Sox have several pitchers who could fit into bullpen roles by late 2019 or early 2020.

Weaknesses: The Red Sox are well covered in the outfield already, which is good news for a farm system that is currently lacking in outfield prospects. Boston’s best position prospects (Dalbec, Chavis and Triston Casas) are almost all corner infield bats, leading to some redundancy. Most of the club’s best middle infield prospects are either lower-ceiling, likely utility types or faraway teenagers.

Boston Red Sox Projected 2022 Lineup

(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Christian Vazquez 31
1B Triston Casas 22
2B Michael Chavis 26
3B Rafael Devers 25
SS Xander Bogaerts 29
LF Bobby Dalbec 27
CF Andrew Benintendi 27
RF Mookie Betts 29
DH J.D. Martinez 34
SP Chris Sale 33
SP David Price 36
SP Rick Porcello 33
SP Jay Groome 23
SP Bryan Mata 23
CL Darwinzon Hernandez 25

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New York Yankees Farm System Overview For 2019

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Notable Graduations: SS Gleyber Torres (1), 3B Miguel Andujar (5), RHP Domingo German (16) and 1B Luke Voit (16 in Cardinals system).

Trending: ?? Trades and graduations of high-end prospects such as Torres and Andujar take their toll.

Strengths: The Yankees’ farm system is as deep and diversified as a well-planned investment portfolio. While this system doesn’t have a Top 10 prospect to rely on any more, it has so many talented young pitchers and enough athletic and strong hitters that the team is well-equipped to make trades while retaining a strong core of prospects for the future to continue to build around.

Weaknesses: After graduating Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez in 2017 and Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres in 2018, the Yankees don’t have the elite close-to-majors prospects they have had recently, and most of their closest pitching prospects are back-of-the-rotation types. Most of the team’s best hitting prospects are far from the majors and many carry several significant risk factors.

New York Yankees Projected 2022 Lineup

(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Gary Sanchez 29
1B Luke Voit 31
2B Gleyber Torres 25
3B Miguel Andujar 27
SS Didi Gregorius 32
LF Clint Frazier 27
CF Aaron Hicks 32
RF Aaron Judge 30
DH Giancarlo Stanton 32
SP Luis Severino 28
SP Masahiro Tanaka 33
SP James Paxton 34
SP Jonathan Loaisiga 27
SP Jordan Montgomery 29
CL Aroldis Chapman 34

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Tampa Bay Rays Farm System Overview For 2019

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Notable Graduations: SS Willy Adames (2), 1B Jake Bauers (4), RHP Yonny Chirinos (23), LHP Ryan Yarbrough (26), RHP Diego Castillo (29), 2B Joey Wendle (NR) and RHP Ryne Stanek (NR).

Trending: ?? Outrageous system depth covers—and then some—for myriad prospect graduations.

Strengths: The Rays have one of the best systems in baseball thanks to a well-rounded combination of talent. They have potential impact bats at a variety of positions mixed with a useful combination of pitchers—from mid-rotation types to hard-throwers who likely will end up in the bullpen and the depth to handle attrition. And having a potential star like Wander Franco in the system is a luxury that other teams covet.

Weaknesses: The Rays have a number of upper-level pitchers who are trying to come back from Tommy John surgery, including Brent Honeywell, Anthony Banda and Jose De Leon. The Rays’ emphasis on betting on hitting ability means a number of their best prospects face questions about their defensive value, but that’s a nitpick for an extremely impressive farm system.

Tampa Bay Rays Projected 2022 Lineup

(Listed with 2022 season age)

C Ronaldo Hernandez 24
1B Nate Lowe 26
2B Brandon Lowe 27
SS Willy Adames 26
3B Wander Franco 21
LF Mallex Smith 29
CF Vidal Brujan 24
RF Jesus Sanchez 24
DH Nate Lowe 27
SP Blake Snell 29
SP Brent Honeywell 27
SP Brendan McKay 26
SP Tyler Glasnow 28
SP Ryan Yarbrough 30
CL Shane McClanahan 25

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Toronto Blue Jays Farm System Overview For 2019

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PROSPECT CHAT

Notable Graduations: SS/2B Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (5), SS Richard Urena (9) and LHP Ryan Borucki (10).

Trending: ?? A parade of prospects lines up behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, making the future bright in Toronto.

Strengths: Having the best prospect in baseball is always a great place to start for a farm system, but even beyond Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays have depth and potential impact all around the infield. Several hitters got significantly better in 2018, which has improved the system’s overall depth. After graduating lefty Ryan Borucki last season, the Blue Jays could get impact before long from talented arms like Sean Reid-Foley and Nate Pearson.

Weaknesses: A few of the Blue Jays’ infield prospects may need to move to the outfield eventually because the system is significantly thinner among promising outfielders. Cavan Biggio and Kevin Smith both had breakout seasons, but they still need to prove their newfound success is a sign of a new level of skill and not just a pair of career years.