Organization Talent Rankings

As we continue our offseason prospect rankings, we line up the minor league talent in every organization from 1-30.

The Baseball America annual organization talent rankings reflect the total worth of each farm system’s prospects, where all players who haven’t exceeded 130 at-bats, 50 innings or 30 relief appearances in the major leagues are eligible. The rankings are a product of BA editors, and John Manuel, J.J. Cooper and Matt Eddy wrote the capsules for each team.

1. LOS ANGELES DODGERS

State of the System: Incredibly impressive. Los Angeles’ ownership group never balks at cutting a big check and the Dodgers’ farm system is deeper for it. Not every big-money international signing has paid off–Erisbel Arruebarrena’s $25 million deal was a nearly immediate bust–but Los Angeles’ spending spree has added significant depth to a system that was already outstanding especially with Kenta Maeda stepping into the rotation. Righthander Yasiel Sierra and outfielder Yusniel Diaz couldn’t crack the Dodgers’ Top 10 but would be cornerstone prospects in some other systems. No other team can match Los Angeles’ 1-2 punch of Corey Seager and Julio Urias and the Dodgers have an excellent mix of big league-ready impact talent, role players and promising prospects at the lower levels of the system.

Best-Stocked Position: Center field. Joc Pederson just arrived in L.A., Cody Bellinger can play first base or center field, Alex Verdugo also roams center field and trade pickup Trayce Thompson is a versatile fourth outfielder who can play all three spots including center. Even Diaz is a potential center fielder although most scouts see him eventually sliding to a corner. The logjam in center field should sort itself out because most of these players have the bats and versatility to play elsewhere if needed.

Breakout Candidate: Righthander Yadier Alvarez is a high-risk, high-reward signing. Signed out of Cuba for $32 million (counting the MLB overage tax) Alvarez has a 92-98 mph fastball and flashes an above-average slider. Alvarez gets to that velocity easily thanks to a very loose, quick arm but the 20-year-old has almost no track record (he never played in Serie Nacional or in a top international tournament for Cuba) and a history of wildness. If the Dodgers can tame the wildness, there’s a lot of potential to work with.

— J.J. Cooper

2. HOUSTON ASTROS

State Of The System: Deep and strong. Logically, the Astros’ farm system should have taken a step back. In its 2015 playoff push and its offseason retooling, Houston traded away Top 100 Prospect Brett Phillips as well as catcher Jacob Nottingham, righthanders Mark Appel, Vince Velasquez, Thomas Eshleman, Mike Foltynewicz, Andrew Thurman and Adrian Houser, lefthander Josh Hader, outfielder Domingo Santana and third baseman Rio Ruiz. The Astros have traded away 10 members of their 2015 Top 30 and Carlos Correa, Lance McCullers and Preston Tucker graduated to the big leagues. But even with that massive flood of talent leaving the farm system, Houston still has one of the best farm systems in the game, thanks to a very deep 2015 draft (led by Alex Bregman, Daz Cameron and Kyle Tucker), a long list of productive hitters (A.J. Reed, Jon Kemmer, Tyler White and more) and excellent pitching depth.

Best-Stocked Position: Righthanded starters. Even with the trades of six significant righthanders, the Astros have righthanded starters up and down the farm system. Michael Feliz made his big league debut in 2015, Joe Musgrove and Francis Martes both made it to Double-A and David Paulino and Albert Abreu aren’t all that far behind. Houston has so many hard-throwing righthanders that it will be able to use a number of them to bulk up the bullpen over the next few years.

Breakout Candidate: Abreu is ready for his full-season debut with the kind of excellent stuff (93-96 mph fastball and quality changeup) that gives him a chance to move quickly. Abreu is yet another righthander with a fast arm and already some idea of how to use it.

— J.J. Cooper

3. ATLANTA BRAVES

State of the System: Atlanta has revolutionized its farm system, with more than half of its Top 30 prospects (17 of 30) acquired via trades. The franchise’s tear-down was designed to emphasize high-ceiling talent, which the Braves got, but part of the price was accepting some risk. The risks include raw arms (Touki Toussaint, Kolby Allard, Max Fried) and bats such as 30-plus Hector Olivera, but the acquisition of 2015 No. 1 pick Dansby Swanson gave them a high-ceiling, high-floor building block.

Best-Stocked Position: Atlanta has strength in numbers among lefthanders. Sean Newcomb has front-of-the-rotation stuff if he can harness his control. Allard and Fried have to shake off some rust but are expected to be healthy in 2016. Manny Banuelos should lose his rookie eligibility in ’16 while the Braves take the wraps off teenager Ricardo Sanchez, who’d be the No. 1 prospect in his previous organization, the Angels.

Breakout Candidate: Righty Lucas Sims, the team’s first-round pick in 2012, struggled after being hurt in a May bus accident at high Class A Carolina, but he recovered to throw very well in the Arizona Fall League, rekindling his front-of-the-rotation hopes.

— John Manuel

4. BOSTON RED SOX

State of the System: Three last-place finishes in four years have led the Red Sox to go younger, graduating potential star talents such as Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Henry Owens and Eduardo Rodriguez. That’s thinned the system’s depth, but Boston’s impact talent rivals any system’s, led by international signees Yoan Moncada, Rafael Devers and Anderson Espinoza and 2015 first-rounder Andrew Benintendi.

Best-Stocked Position: Betts was a second baseman forced to move by the presence of Dustin Pedroia in Boston. The same likely will happen to Moncada, and Mauricio Dubon and Wendell Rijo provide intriguing skillsets as well.

Breakout Candidate: Righthander Travis Lakins, the hardest thrower Boston drafted in 2015, didn’t pitch much in his pro debut (two innings) after throwing 96 innings in the spring for Ohio State. Fresh this spring, he could hit the ground running with his low-to-mid-90s fastball, potentially plus curve and athletic delivery.

— John Manuel

5. WASHINGTON NATIONALS

State of the System: The Nats have maintained an inventory of potential impact prospects while contending at the big league level, with power pitchers including No. 1 prospect Lucas Giolito. International signings such as Wilmer Difo, Anderson Franco, Reynaldo Lopez and Victor Robles all rank among the system’s top prospects, while trade pickup Trea Turner is poised for a key role in Washington in 2016.

Best-Stocked Position: While the big league rotation in good shape, the Nats have minor league options, starting with Giolito and fellow Tommy John surgery alumnus Erick Fedde. Lopez, A.J. Cole and Austin Voth all have some starter traits, with Cole most ready to fill in for a big league injury.

Breakout Candidate: Arizona prep product Blake Perkins is adding switch-hitting to his skillset, which also includes lean athleticism, plus speed and strong defensive chops for his age and experience level. If his bat clicks, he could be a fast mover.

— John Manuel

6. COLORADO ROCKIES

State of the System: Colorado hasn’t won for a while, so it has been able to stock up on high draft picks. Injuries have slowed several of their top prospects, further consolidating talent in the minors. The Rockies added prospects by trading Troy Tulowitzki and have been more aggressive drafting high-ceiling prep players the last two drafts, armed with extra picks.

Best-Stocked Position: The Rockies must figure out how to develop homegrown pitching, and one approach is volume. Gray, trade pickup Jeff Hoffman, Antonio Senzatela and 2015 picks Mike Nikorak and Peter Lambert are the best of the bunch, as the Rockies have variety and depth in their righthanded arms.

Breakout Candidate: Righthander German Marquez, picked up from the Rays in the Corey Dickerson trade, popped some 97 mph readings late in the season for high Class A Charlotte and has shown signed of two above-average off speed pitches as well. He’s still learning his craft, but he’s ready for Double-A, adding to the Rockies’ pitching depth.

— John Manuel

7. TEXAS RANGERS

State of the System: After bottoming out in 2014, the Rangers both won the AL West in 2015 and had an aggressive draft with the No. 4 overall pick and a generous bonus pool. While top prospect Joey Gallo had a rough season, he remains one of the minors’ top powerplants, while outfielders Lewis Brinson and Nomar Mazara took giant steps forward. The return of Jurickson Profar, once the game’s top prospect, from two years of shoulder issues could provide a surprise bonus.

Best-Stocked Position: Texas struggled with its big league outfielders in 2015, but reinforcements are on the way. Brinson finished the year in Triple-A, Mazara has one of the minors’ more polished bats, and there’s much more beyond them. Speedsters Eric Jenkins and Leodys Taveras both have first-division regular upside in center field, and there’s hope for versatile Ryan Cordell, who may wind up on a corner.

Breakout Candidate: Juco product Brett Martin gives the Rangers a rangy-bodied lefthander with downhill plane to his potentially plus fastball. He’ll be challenged to keep the ball in the ballpark at high Class A High Desert.

— John Manuel

8. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

State of the System: The Phillies may have waited a year longer than they should have, but their rebuild has gone well to this point. They extracted five players from the Rangers in the Cole Hamels trade, adding depth arms in other deals. But the system’s strength is potential impact hitters they’ve drafted, such as top prospect J.P. Crawford, catcher Andrew Knapp and 2015 first-rounder Cornelius Randolph.

Best-Stocked Position: Few systems have two catchers in their Top 10s like the Phillies do, as Knapp took a major step forward last season with his switch-hitting power potential. Jorge Alfaro, acquired from the Rangers, has louder tools but lacks polish, particularly as a receiver, and was hurt for much of 2015. Deivi Grullon has fine catch-and-throw skills but needs time for his bat to develop.

Breakout Candidate: Outfielders Dylan Cozens and Aaron Brown have big bodies, big power potential and holes in their games. Both should play corner spots in Double-A Reading, which could lead to a spike in home runs. Cozens’ edge in experience makes him the better bet as long as he’s healthy after missing the Arizona Fall League with a forearm strain.

— John Manuel

9. MILWAUKEE BREWERS

State of the System: In full rebuild mode, Milwaukee has traded big leaguers for prospects while putting together consecutive intriguing drafts, buoyed by extra picks. Together with an improved international program that found top prospect Orlando Arcia, and the Brewers have one of the game’s better farm systems.

Best-Stocked Position: The Brewers traded Carlos Gomez in 2015 and have several future center field options in the minors, led by 2015 first-round pick Trent Clark. Brett Phillips, acquired from Houston in the Gomez deal, had a strong ’15 and has reached Double-A. Tyrone Taylor (the system’s No. 1 prospect entering ’15) and 2014 supplemental first-rounder Monte Harrison have upside and athleticism.

Breakout Candidate: Lefthander Josh Hader, traded twice, has electric stuff and a unique low-slot delivery. That could make him a star as a kind of lesser Chris Sale, but also could lead to him being an impactful reliever.

— John Manuel

10. MINNESOTA TWINS

State Of The System: The future is now. After two years in the top trio of farm systems, Minnesota slides a few spots this year but that’s understandable as Miguel Sano, Trevor May, Eddie Rosario and J.R. Graham all graduated to the big leagues. Sano immediately became one of the best players in the Twins’ lineup and Rosario made a quick impact as well. But even with those graduations, a system with Byron Buxton, Jose Berrios, Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco and Byung-ho Park still has a lot of big league-ready prospects. Minnesota took a big step forward in 2015, consolidating those gains in 2016 looks a little easier.

Best-Stocked Position: Center field. The Twins’ talent is spread rather evenly around the diamond, but the combination of Buxton and Kepler gives Minnesota two viable center field options that are set to begin the season in Minnesota (Buxton) and Triple-A Rochester (Kepler), respectively. Rosario can slide over to center field in a pinch as well. The Buxton/Kepler one-two combo made it easier for the Twins to send Aaron Hicks to the Yankees in an offseason deal that netted catcher John Ryan Murphy.

Breakout Candidate: Righthander J.T. Chargois has missed a lot of time with injuries, most notably an elbow injury that wiped out his 2013 and 2014 seasons. But when Chargois returned, he dominated with a 95-100 mph fastball and a slider and changeup he mixed and matched expertly. Chargois could help the big league club at some point in 2016.

— J.J. Cooper

11. PITTSBURGH PIRATES

State of the System: While making three playoff trips in a row, the Pirates have managed to maintain a strong farm system at the same time, with an emphasis on middle-of-the-diamond athletes and raw, high school power arms. They’ve had more success developing hitters of late but have a potential homegrown complement to Gerrit Cole in 6-foot-7 righty Tyler Glasnow.

Best-Stocked Position: Considering the Pirates have used first-round picks on shortstops the last two seasons, it only makes sense that shortstop ranks first here. Cole Tucker (expected to miss much of 2016 after labrum surgery) and Kevin Newman are top 10 prospects, with Adam Frazier coming off a strong 2015 campaign and looking like a solid future utility infield option.

Breakout Candidate: Converted from outfield, where he played at Fresno State, Jordan Luplow made a nice transition to third base last season. He’s got power the organization covets and a solid plate approach to go with it as he heads to high Class A Bradenton.

— John Manuel

12. CINCINNATI REDS

State of the System: Deep. Cincinnati’s much-needed rebuild reached full speed this offseason with trades of lefthander Aroldis Chapman and third baseman Todd Frazier on the heels of the midseason Johnny Cueto deal. The return for Chapman was especially modest, but Cincinnati does have one of the deepest collections of pitching prospects in the minors. The position player depth is significantly thinner as most of the team’s top position prospects—Jesse Winker, Alex Blandino and Jose Peraza—project as solid regulars rather than future impact bats.

Best-Stocked Position: Starting pitching. Few teams come close to the number of close-to-the-majors pitching prospects that the Reds have. Cincinnati fielded an all-rookie rotation in the second half of the season and has Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, Nick Travieso and Amir Garrett slated to start the year in Double-A or higher.

Breakout Candidate: Catcher Jake Turnbull will need quite a while to refine his skills—he’s an 18-year-old Australian who is unlikely to reach full season ball until 2017. But Turnbull has a lot of savvy for his age, especially considering his lack of experience, and he has a well-rounded set of tools.

— J.J. Cooper

13. TAMPA BAY RAYS

State of the System: Tampa’s ever-active pro scouting department is getting a hand from amateur scouting after the 2015 breakthrough of lefthander Blake Snell, BA’s 2015 Minor League Player of the Year, as well as homegrown arms such as Brent Honeywell, Taylor Guerrieri and Jacob Faria. Several of the Rays’ top bats, such as shortstop Willy Adames and first baseman/left fielder Jake Bauers, are trade acquisitions.

Best-Stocked Position: While newly acquired Brad Miller looks like the big league starter, Adames is part of a strong shortstop contingent challenging to be his successor. The group includes Daniel Robertson, 2014 international signee Adrian Rondon and Jake Hager, who missed 2015 after surgery on his right knee.

Breakout Candidate: The Rays picked up outfielder Justin Williams from the Diamondbacks in the Jeremy Hellickson deal, and the 2013 second-round pick has remained a raw, toolsy enigma. He gained momentum with 10 homers and a .342/.398/.582 slash line in 184 at-bats in the Australian Baseball League with Brisbane.

— John Manuel

14. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

STATE OF THE SYSTEM: The Cardinals have graduated so much major league talent in recent years—from Michael Wacha and Kolten Wong to Carlos Martinez and Stephen Piscotty—that the top of the system is thin in comparison. St. Louis had a potentially strong draft class in 2015, though, and has high-ceiling Latin American talent as well in the lower levels who will get full-season tests in 2016.

BEST-STOCKED POSITION: St. Louis has too many big league outfield options, but more help is on the way, from upper-level contributors such as Anthony Garcia and Charlie Tilson (headed for Triple-A) to 2015 draft picks Nick Plummer, Harrison Bader and Bryce Denton, to toolsy Dominican Magneuris Sierra.

BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: In a system yearning for power bats, 3B Paul DeJong has a chance to break out after hitting nine homers in his pro debut. His amateur track record for power hitting was strong as well.

— John Manuel

15. NEW YORK METS

State of the System: Shallow. The Mets have graduated robust rookie classes in each of the past three seasons, matriculating Noah Syndergaard and Michael Conforto in 2015, Jacob deGrom, Travis d’Arnaud and Jeurys Familia in 2014 and Zack Wheeler and Juan Lagares in 2013. A series of 2015 trades also cost the Mets intriguing arms such as righthanders Michael Fulmer, Casey Meisner and John Gant. That means that beyond lefthander Steven Matz, the Mets have little impact talent nearing major league readiness. Note, however, that young players such as second baseman Dilson Herrera, catcher Kevin Plawecki and reliever Hansel Robles exhausted their prospect eligibility in 2015, yet still are not established and have growth potential remaining.

Best-Stocked Position: Middle infield. While the Mets won’t have a power arm to promote to the big league rotation this summer, they have managed to build a shortstop pipeline clear from Queens on down to Rookie ball. Matt Reynolds could factor as a big league utility option, while the remainder of the system’s Opening Day shortstops could line up like this: Gavin Cecchini (Triple-A), Amed Rosario (Double-A), Luis Guillorme (high Class A), Milton Ramos (low Class A), Luis Carpio (short-season) and 2015 international bonus babies Andres Gimenez and Gregory Guerrero in Rookie ball.

Breakout Candidate: Switch-hitting third baseman Jhoan Urena garnered significant buzz in the New York-Penn League in 2014, but he failed to hit during an injury-wracked 2015 season at high Class A St. Lucie that included injuries to both wrists.

— Matt Eddy

16. CLEVELAND INDIANS

State Of The System: Getting better. Even with Francisco Lindor graduating, this is the best the Indians’ farm system has looked in several seasons. After struggling with their first-round picks in the 2000s, Cleveland has gone on a run of success with its top picks in the 2010s. Lindor (2011) is the long-term face of the franchise and the five first-rounders since then are five of the club’s top six prospects. First baseman Bobby Bradley (2014, third round) gives the club a high-risk, high-reward prospect as well.

Best-Stocked Position: Upper-level outfielders. Zimmer and Frazier should be ready to help the big league club at some point in 2016 or at worst by 2017. Tyler Naquin looks to be at least a fourth outfielder as well. All three should start the season in Triple-A or better. Zimmer is the best bet to be the center fielder while Frazier’s bat speed and power should fit in a corner. Deeper down on the depth chart, James Ramsey, a trade pickup from the Cardinals, could provide big league depth in 2016 as well.

Breakout Candidate: Shortstop Willi Castro has been the youngest player wherever the Indians have sent him. He’ll probably repeat the feat in 2016 as he should be Lake County’s shortstop as an 18-year-old (he’ll turn 19 on April 24). A switch-hitter with a line-drive swing, Castro is too young to get to any power yet, but there’s a little long-term pop in there.

— J.J. Cooper

17. NEW YORK YANKEES

State of the System: New York got a big league breakthrough from Greg Bird and Luis Severino, and more young talent is on the way to supplement the aging Yankees roster. Spending binges in Latin America have complemented the fact the club has had extra picks in two of the last three drafts, such as 2015 first-rounder James Kaprielian and 2013 first-rounder Aaron Judge.

Best-Stocked Position: Shortstop Jorge Mateo zipped to the top of New York’s prospects rankings, and he’s the tip of the iceberg. Tyler Wade and 2015 first-rounder Kyle Holder, Venezuelan signees Wilkerman Garcia (2014) and Thairo Estrada (2012) and Korean import Hoy Jun Park all have shown at least enough defensive ability at short for future utility roles if they hit enough.

Breakout Candidate: The Yankees were very pleased with Jhalan Jackson’s pro debut in the short-season New York-Penn League, showing profile right field tools. He’ll have to show a bit more plate discipline for his raw power to shine through in 2016, but he has the present strength to produce in his first full pro season.

— John Manuel

18. OAKLAND ATHLETICS

State Of The System: On the upswing. If you’re an A’s prospect, you’re as likely to end up making your debut with another team as you are in Oakland. The A’s traded away five members of their 2014 Top 10 (Addison Russell, Billy McKinney, Michael Choice, Michael Ynoa and Daniel Robertson). But the A’s acquire a lot of prospects as well. Nine of the A’s Top 30 Prospects were acquired in trades. Midseason pickups Sean Manaea, Casey Meisner and Jacob Nottingham are all among the team’s top young talents.

Best-Stocked Position: Corner bats. Matt Chapman, Renato Nunez, Matt Olson, Max Muncy, Rangel Ravelo and likely Yairo Munoz all could end up as first or third basemen. Chapman and Munoz have the best defensive value while the rest are likely first basemen whose big league contributions depend on their bats.

Breakout Prospect: Jacob Nottingham took a massive step forward in 2015, turning himself into a valuable trade chip that the Astros included in the Scott Kazmir deal. If he can make further improvements defensively, he could become a Mike Napoli-type whose power potential makes him a valuable catcher/first baseman/designated hitter.

— J.J. Cooper

19. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

State Of The System: Deep, but lacking front-end talent. San Francisco has very few Top 100 candidates, but the Giants do have a lot of potentially useful role players who aren’t far from the big leagues. San Francisco has a number of back-end starter candidates (Clayton Blackburn, Adalberto Mejia, Chase Johnson, Ty Blach and Tyler Beede), bullpen pieces (Ray Black, Ian Gardeck, Jake Smith, Steven Okert and Derek Law) and outfielders (Mac Willamson and Jarrett Parker) who could help in the near future. The Giants have proven time after time that they can get the most out of players with solid all-round tools and they have a lot of pieces to work with. It’s not the sexiest system, but the Giants are in a spot where they don’t have a lot of glaring needs, so the system’s strengths may match the needs.

Best-Stocked Position: Bullpen arms. The Giants have been very careful with Ray Black’s workload thanks to his lengthy injury history, but if he can stay healthy, Black has the stuff of an elite closer. Okert, Smith, Law and Gardeck are all hard-throwers who could help in 2016 or 2017.

Breakout Candidate: Righthander Jordan Johnson has missed a lot of times with injuries but he responded well to the Giants coaching in 2015 jumping from the club’s Arizona League complex to high Class A. He’s athletic, he throws hard (93-96 mph) and he’s quickly picked up the feel for a promising curveball. He has a very promising future if he can stay healthy.

— J.J. Cooper

20. CHICAGO CUBS

State of the System: The Cubs’ homegrown talent helped push the club to 97 big league wins, and (some) more is on the way. Chicago imported big league pitching help because its best arms are still mostly two years away, but the organization should send a loaded lineup to Triple-A Iowa in 2016 led by catcher Willson Contreras and outfielders Albert Almora and Billy McKinney.

Best-Stocked Position: Jason Heyward is Chicago’s short-term center fielder. He could move to a corner eventually if any of the Cubs’ gaggle of young center field prospects comes to fruition. Almora, a 2011 first-rounder, turned a bit of a corner in 2015, a year when the Cubs added D.J. Wilson (draft) and Eddy Julio Martinez (international), to a group that already included Jacob Hannemann.

Breakout Candidate: Righty Trevor Clifton has started growing into his body and has improved his delivery, giving him more consistent, higher-quality pitches. He’s headed to high Class A for 2016 needing to tighten the control of his 91-95 mph fastball, curveball and changeup.

— John Manuel

21. KANSAS CITY ROYALS

State Of The System: Here’s the hangover. In 2011-2012 the Royals graduated one of the best groups of prospects baseball has seen in years. That group was one of the key reasons the Royals have made back-to-back World Series appearances and are the reigning champs. To win, the Royals also traded prospects for needed big league help. After trading Sean Manaea, Cody Reed, Brandon Finnegan, Aaron Brooks and John Lamb the system is the thinnest it’s been in a decade. Kansas City still has some near big league-ready prospects, but there isn’t a full third wave of prospects ready to step in when Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain and others reach free agency. With its success and the later draft picks and smaller bonus pools that come with it, it will be hard for Kansas City to fully restock while continuing to contend.

Best-Stocked Position: Shortstop. Raul A. Mondesi is the team’s best prospect, Ramon Torres is a close-to-big league-ready utility infielder and Marten Gasparini has one of the highest ceilings in the system. The Royals added further middle infield talent by signing Ricky Aracena (Dominican Republic, 2014) and Jeison Guzman (Dominican Republic, 2015).

Breakout Candidate: Gasparini should make his full-season debut in 2016. He has more athletic ability and better tools than anyone in the Royals system other than Mondesi. The biggest question is whether Gasparini will be able to improve the reliability of his defense enough to stay at shortstop. If not, he’d fit in center field as well.

— J.J. Cooper

22. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

State Of The System: Don’t start thinking about tomorrow. The Diamondbacks have traded 2013 supplemental first-rounder Aaron Blair, 2014 first-rounder Touki Toussaint and supplemental second-rounder Isan Diaz and 2015 first-rounder Dansby Swanson in the past year. No team can trade away that many top draft talents without seeing the farm system take a significant hit. An equally self-imposed wound was the decision to sign Yoan Lopez to an $8.25 million deal. Lopez is an OK prospect, but that signing wiped out Arizona’s chance to deploy the largest international bonus pool in the 2015 signing period. Arizona has picked a player in the first 10 picks of the draft four times since 2010. Of those four, only Archie Bradley is still a member of the organization. Braden Shipley, Bradley and Lopez give the team some pitching depth in the minors, but there’s little other immediate help on the horizon. Those moves have helped bulk up the current roster as Arizona tries to capitalize on the prime years of first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, but it will hurt in the long-term.

Best-Stocked Position: Righthanded power arms. Shipley made some strides in the second half of the season last year and is a solid No. 1 prospect for the system, even if he looked better as the No. 3 prospect behind Swanson and Blair. Bradley is big league-ready although his injury issues and lack of development of his secondary stuff might force a move to the bullpen. Lopez also looks like a future reliever. Jose Martinez, Adam Miller and Jake Barrett are three other power arms to watch.

Breakout Candidate: Righthander Ryan Burr, the club’s fifth-round pick in 2015, improved his control in his pro debut. If he can keep throwing strikes, his plus fastball and improved slider could allow him to move very quickly as a lights-out reliever.

— J.J. Cooper

23. CHICAGO WHITE SOX

State of the System: Shallow. The White Sox unleashed Chris Sale in 2011, Jose Abreu in 2014 and Carlos Rodon in 2015, but Chicago has precious little in terms of potential impact prospects beyond shortstop Tim Anderson and righthander Carson Fulmer. In fact, the White Sox have been one of the more aggressive clubs this winter when it comes to trading prospects for big league assets. Notably, they dealt righthander Frankie Montas, outfielder Trayce Thompson and second baseman Micah Johnson to acquire Todd Frazier and lefthander Zack Erwin and reliever J.B. Wendelken to obtain Brett Lawrie.

Best-Stocked Position: Lefthanders. The big league rotation sported 80 percent southpaws in 2015, with Sale, Rodon, Jose Quintana and John Danks, and Chicago might receive a further infusion of lefthanders in the coming seasons‹even after parting with 2015 fourth-rounder Erwin. Both Jordan Guerrero and Brian Clark should spend significant time at Double-A Birmingham, and both have quality fastballs and feel for secondary stuff. Additionally, 2014 third-rounder Jace Fry could one day contribute, but he had Tommy John surgery and missed most of 2015.

Breakout Candidate: Clark spent most of last summer at high Class A Winston-Salem piggybacking with Fulmer, but he still showed a number of desirable attributes, including an ability to miss bats, generate weak contact and keep the ball on the ground. He struck out 85 in 89 inning while not allowing a home run.

— Matt Eddy

24. TORONTO BLUE JAYS

State of the System: The Blue Jays had one of baseball’s better farm systems entering 2015, then leveraged it in a series of deals that transformed the major league team into the franchise’s first playoff spot in 22 years. All those deals have left a thin system, particularly at the upper levels and in terms of pitching.

Best-Stocked Position: The Jays were able to trade Ben Revere because of their outfield depth. Beyond graduated Dalton Pompey, they have Roemon Fields close to ready for a fourth-outfielder role as well as top prospect Anthony Alford headed for Double-A in 2016. Toronto also has high hopes for 2012 first-rounder D.J. Davis and 2015 pick Reggie Pruitt.

Breakout Candidate: Righthander Jon Harris, the club’s 2015 first-round pick, showed flashes but pitched tired after signing and was hit hard at short-season Vancouver. His first full year should go smoother if he’s physically strong enough to handle the grind, as he has a polished four-pitch mix.

— John Manuel

25. SAN DIEGO PADRES

State of the System: It could be worse. If not for the Craig Kimbrel trade, the Padres would have had been battling to stay out of the Org Talent Rankings basement. That one trade brought back three of the club’s top eight prospects including its top two–Javier Guerra and Manuel Margot. But that can’t make up for the massive exodus of talent from recent trades. Fully half of 2015 Top 10–Matt Wisler, Trea Turner, Joe Ross, Zach Eflin and Jace Peterson–are playing for other organizations now. Only nine players from last year’s Top 30 are on this year’s list.

Best-Stocked Position: Shortstop. San Diego has had a glaring need at shortstop for years, one that was readily apparent in 2015. Alexei Ramirez should fix that problem in the short term and Guerra should give the club a plus defender in the long-term, but Ruddy Giron and Jose Rondon (both among the club’s Top 5 prospects) make shortstop/middle infield the one position in the system with some depth in full-season ball.

Breakout Candidate: Righthander Emmanuel Ramirez needed three years in the Dominican Summer League to make it to the U.S., but now that he’s taken a step forward with his command and control he should be ready for a stint with a full-season club at some point in 2016. Ramirez’s curveball is his go-to weapon, but his fastball is good enough to make a big step forward.

— J.J. Cooper

26. DETROIT TIGERS

State Of The System: Understandably thin. For years, Detroit used its farm system as a credit card. A prospect trade here and another one there served as the building blocks of a team that went to the playoffs four straight seasons, including a World Series appearance in 2012. No trade will ever come close to matching the Miguel Cabrera heist of 2007, but Detroit has dealt away Devon Travis, Willy Adames, Jake Thompson, Corey Knebel, Jonathan Crawford, Domingo Leyba and Eugenio Suarez in the past couple of seasons. A disastrous 2015 season flipped the scripts as Detroit went into selloff mode for the first time this decade. The team’s best prospect is trade acquisition Michael Fulmer, and that doesn’t count the graduated Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd. One season of dealing for prospects can’t make up for multiple years of trading away prospects, and Detroit ranks in the bottom third for the fifth time in the past five years.

Best-Stocked Position: Bat-first outfielders. Mike Gerber and Christin Stewart are hit-first outfielders whose bats will carry them to the big leagues. There are more questions about whether Steven Moya’s swings and misses will keep him from getting to his impressive power, but if he can shorten his swing he could also be a useful big leaguer.

Breakout Candidate: Outfielder Jose Azocar might be one of the Tigers’ better international signings in years. Signed
out of Venezuela in 2012, Azocar’s skills are catching up to his tools as he showed with an excellent season in the Gulf Coast League in 2015. His combination of athleticism, bat speed and strength could make him one of the Tigers’ best prospects before long.

— J.J. Cooper

27. BALTIMORE ORIOLES

State of the System: GM Dan Duquette may disagree, but the Orioles’ system is in trouble, with little depth and significant injuries to impact talents such as righthanders Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey. Top position player prospect Chance Sisco has an accomplished bat, but if he can’t catch and doesn’t hit for power, he may not fit an everyday profile. And those are the system’s best prospects.

Best-Stocked Position: If Bundy and Harvey are healthy and show their old form, then the Orioles will have a 1-2 punch of potential starts to go with righty Mike Wright, who has major league time and could start or fill a relief role. Fellow righthanders David Hess, Tyler Wilson and Lazaro Leyva are lower-ceiling potential starters, with Wilson having had some big league success.

Breakout Candidate: Hess finished 2015—his first full pro season—in fine fashion, winning twice for Double-A Bowie in the Eastern League playoffs. He may lack the fastball command needed to start, but he misses bats and can get weak contact on fastballs in the strike zone thanks to his angle and velocity.

— John Manuel

28. SEATTLE MARINERS

State of the System: New GM Jerry Dipoto has been wheeling and dealing all offseason around the margins of the big league roster, knowing the farm system had little to offer in short-term help. Seattle is dying for some of its young hitters, from Mike Zunino to D.J. Peterson to Alex Jackson, to make adjustments at the plate. After graduating Taijuan Walker and James Paxton to the big league rotation, the Mariners have few upper-level pitching reinforcements after Edwin Diaz.

Best-Stocked Position: Seattle has some intriguing center fielders, having traded for Boog Powell from the Rays this offseason and drafting Braden Bishop from Washington in 2015. Luis Liberato will give full-season ball another try in 2016 as a 20-year-old, while Brayan Hernandez signed for $1.85 million in 2014 and has an athletic frame.

Breakout Candidate: Lefthander Ryan Yarbrough was a below-slot $40,000 senior sign in 2014 who has shown flashes when healthy. He has a chance to pitch with three average pitches, with a plus changeup, and he keeps the ball in the ballpark well. If he’s healthy after a groin injury that hampered him in 2015, he’ll move fast.

— John Manuel

29. MIAMI MARLINS

State of the System: With no players in the Top 100, the Marlins have seen their system’s talent wane. They had an unproductive 2013 draft, giving up on first-rounder Colin Moran within a year for Jarred Cosart and threw in Francis Martes as the trade expanded, then saw Martes develop into a Top 100 prospect. High-risk 2014 top picks Tyler Kolek, Blake Anderson and Justin Twine struggled in their full-season debuts as well.

Best-Stocked Position: The Marlins have hope for their athletic outfielders, starting with center fielders Stone Garrett, who’s headed to full-season ball for the first time in 2016, and Isaiah White, among the best athletes of the 2015 draft class. Corner bats Austin Dean and Isael Soto have tools as well.

Breakout Candidate: Lefthander Brett Lilek entered 2015 as a potential first-rounder, but an inconsistent season dropped him to the second round. He’s got size and pedigree; if he’s healthy, he could move quickly in a system brimming with opportunity.

— John Manuel

30. LOS ANGELES ANGELS

State of the System: One of four organizations without a Top 100 Prospect, the Angels were starting to rebuild the game’s worst farm system slowly, building around pitching. Then new general manager Billy Eppler pounced when the Braves offered shortstop Andrelton Simmons, so off went Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis, the Angels’ top two prospects, leaving a thin system nearly barren. Any homegrown help in 2016 will come on the roster’s margins, and the system’s best talents, for the most part, are risky players who have yet to play a full season.

Best-Stocked Position: The Angels have some pitching depth even after the trades, focused on righthanders. Victor Alcantara and Jake Jewell have arm strength but likely lack the command to start. Grayson Long had a solid debut as a potential command-oriented, back-end starter. Joe Gatto and Jaime Barria are lottery tickets hoping to break into full-season ball in 2016.

Breakout Candidate: One of scout Tom Kotchman’s last remaining contributions before he left for the Red Sox, righthander Austin Adams has shotgun command (7.6 BB/9) but held hitters to a .179 average in 2015 thanks to a fastball that reaches 97 and a lively slider with late, hard action that earns some 70 grades. If he throws strikes, he’ll be in Anaheim.

— John Manuel