MLB Farm System Rankings: Pre-2018 Spring Training Edition

With spring training officially underway, it's time for an updated look at the MLB prospect landscape.

A handful of blockbuster deals have taken place since we last updated our farm system rankings shortly after the new year—notably the Christian Yelich, Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole trades.

We'll likely update and tweak these rankings again before Opening Day, but the following will serve as a baseline as spring training begins.

The following factors helped determine the rankings of players and teams:

• Potential (Player): Potential trumps production a lot of the time, especially in the lower levels of the minors and with recent draft picks. Skill set and overall tools are often a better indication of what kind of player a guy will be.
• Talent (Player): As for guys in the higher levels of the minors who are close to breaking through at the big league level, production and current talent are the determining factors, as these players are viewed as more complete products.
• Overall Depth (Team): Having one or two elite prospects is great, but having a deep farm system from top to bottom is the way to build a sustainable contender. The overall depth and level of talent were the biggest factors in ranking each team.
• High-End Talent (Team): That being said, there is a difference between a prospect who has a chance of making an impact at the big league level and a prospect who could be a star. Elite prospects served as a tiebreaker of sorts when two teams were close in the rankings.

We've incorporated a tier system to help differentiate between levels of talent. Here's a quick explanation: 

• Tier 1: Prospects who have an elite skill set and legitimate All-Star potential. These are the guys who would receive consideration for a spot on leaguewide top-100 prospect lists.
• Tier 2: Prospects who have a good chance of becoming at least a contributor at the MLB level. This is where most prospects on the following list will fall.
• Tier 3: Prospects who profile as fringe MLB contributors or young prospects who are still too raw to project any higher. Having one of these players ranked among your top 10 prospects is a good indication of a thin system.

Along with an updated list of the top 10 prospects for each team, you'll find a quick snapshot of the current state of each farm system, followed by a closer look at the one prospect who is most likely to make a significant impact in 2018 for each team.

A player must not have passed the rookie-eligibility limits (130 AB, 50 IP, 45 days on roster) to be eligible for inclusion in these rankings.

30. Kansas City Royals

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Foster Griffin

2017 Rank: 29

Name	Age	Tier
1. 1B Nick Pratto	19	2
2. OF Khalil Lee	19	2
3. LHP Foster Griffin	22	2
4. RHP Josh Staumont	24	2
5. 3B Hunter Dozier	26	2
6. OF Seuly Matias	19	2
7. SS Nicky Lopez	22	2
8. C M.J. Melendez	19	2
9. LHP Eric Skoglund	25	3
10. OF Michael Gigliotti	21	3

     

Farm System Snapshot

After reaching back-to-back World Series in 2014 and '15 largely on the strength of a homegrown core, the Kansas City Royals will once again look to build from within. 

Unfortunately, they'll be starting that process with arguably the thinnest farm system in all of baseball. While there are some intriguing low-level prospects, at this point, the organization is lacking a true impact talent in the minors.

2018 Impact Prospect: 3B Hunter Dozier

Trading veteran Brandon Moss should open up a starting job for Dozier at one of the corner infield spots, with Cheslor Cuthbert manning the other.

The 26-year-old enjoyed a breakout 2016 season before injuries limited him to just 33 games last year. He has a chance to be a long-term piece, albeit one who looks more like a steady contributor than a potential star.

29. New York Mets

John Minchillo/Associated Press

Chris Flexen

2017 Rank: 27

Name	Age	Tier
1. LHP David Peterson	22	2
2. SS Andres Gimenez	19	2
3. LHP Thomas Szapucki	21	2
4. RHP Justin Dunn	22	2
5. 3B Mark Vientos	18	2
6. 1B Peter Alonso	23	2
7. RHP Marcos Molina	22	2
8. C Tomas Nido	23	2
9. RHP Chris Flexen	23	2
10. SS Luis Guillorme	23	3

     

Farm System Snapshot

After graduating Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith last season, there is no longer a clear-cut Tier 1 prospect in the New York Mets system.

Teenage infielder Andres Gimenez and 2017 first-round pick David Peterson are both capable of making that leap, but for now, the farm system is made up mostly of organizational depth and wait-and-see guys in the lower levels.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Chris Flexen

Despite the fact that the starting rotation was decimated by injuries a year ago, the Mets have yet to add any viable depth to the staff this offseason.

That could mean that Flexen—who went 6-1 with a 1.76 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 61.1 innings in the minors last year before a midseason call-up—sees significant time in the rotation if injury strikes again.

28. San Francisco Giants

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Steven Duggar

2017 Rank: 26

Name	Age	Tier
1. OF Heliot Ramos	18	1
2. 1B/OF Chris Shaw	24	2
3. RHP Tyler Beede	24	2
4. OF Steven Duggar	24	2
5. C/1B Aramis Garcia	25	2
6. 3B Jacob Gonzalez	19	2
7. OF Sandro Fabian	19	2
8. LHP Garrett Williams	23	2
9. LHP Andrew Suarez	25	3
10. OF Heath Quinn	22	3

      

Farm System Snapshot

The San Francisco Giants traded some key pieces from an already-thin farm system to acquire aging veterans Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen—most notably infielder Christian Arroyo and outfielder Bryan Reynolds.  

With plus-plus raw power and an impressive pro debut under his belt, Heliot Ramos gives the team one legitimate top prospect. Beyond that, there's a handful of players knocking on the door for a chance in the big leagues, though there's a ceiling on their potential impact.

2018 Impact Prospect: OF Steven Duggar

Ideally, the Giants would find a left-handed hitting platoon partner for free-agent signing Austin Jackson in center field after he shined as a part-time player a year ago.

Duggar, 24, could be the guy after a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. He doesn't have the loudest tools, but with good speed and solid plate discipline, he's ready for an MLB role.

27. Chicago Cubs

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Mark Zagunis

2017 Rank: 25

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP Jose Albertos	19	2
2. RHP Adbert Alzolay	22	2
3. SS Aramis Ademan	19	2
4. RHP Alex Lange	22	2
5. C Victor Caratini	24	2
6. RHP Oscar De La Cruz	22	2
7. RHP Thomas Hatch	23	2
8. LHP Brendon Little	21	2
9. RHP Jen-Ho Tseng	23	2
10. OF Mark Zagunis	25	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

After churning out a steady stream of impact position players in recent years, the strength of the Chicago Cubs farm system is now on the pitching side of things.

Adbert Alzolay and Jen-Ho Tseng are the closest to majors, while Jose Albertos has the highest ceiling of the group and is the most likely to make the leap to Tier 1 status. There's plenty of high-ceiling talent in the system; they just need to back up their tools with on-field performance before they climb any higher in the rankings. 

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Dillon Maples

Adding Yu Darvish means the team will be less likely to call on Alzolay or Tseng for anything more than a spot start or two this coming season.

That leaves the flame-throwing Maples as the most likely prospect to have a significant impact in 2018. The 25-year-old struck out 100 batters in 63.1 innings in the minors last year before getting his feet wet with six appearances in Chicago.

26. Seattle Mariners

John Froschauer/Associated Press

Kyle Lewis

2017 Rank: 22

Name	Age	Tier
1. OF Kyle Lewis	22	1
2. 1B Evan White	21	1
3. OF Braden Bishop	24	2
4. RHP Sam Carlson	19	2
5. OF Julio Rodriguez	17	2
6. OF Anthony Jimenez	22	2
7. RHP Max Povse	24	2
8. 1B Dan Vogelbach	25	2
9. 3B Joe Rizzo	19	3
10. OF Luis Liberato	22	3

     

Farm System Snapshot

Another offseason of wheeling and dealing by general manager Jerry Dipoto leaves the Seattle Mariners with a thin farm system once again.

First-round picks Kyle Lewis and Evan White are both Tier 1 talents. Braden Bishop has a high floor, and teenagers Sam Carlson and Julio Rodriguez both have the raw talent to shoot up these rankings. There's a steep drop-off behind those five guys, though.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Matthew Festa

A seventh-round pick in the 2016 draft, Festa spent all of last season at High-A, but that doesn't mean he's not capable of reaching the majors in short order.

He'll be 25 in March and after posting a 3.23 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 99 strikeouts in 69.2 innings, he should be on the fast track to a spot in an MLB bullpen.

25. Arizona Diamondbacks

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Jon Duplantier

2017 Rank: 24

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP Jon Duplantier	23	1
2. 1B Pavin Smith	22	1
3. RHP Taylor Clarke	24	2
4. OF Marcus Wilson	21	2
5. C Daulton Varsho	21	2
6. LHP Anthony Banda	24	2
7. SS Jasrado Chisholm	20	2
8. OF Eduardo Diaz	20	2
9. IF Domingo Leyba	22	3
10. RHP Matt Tabor	19	3

     

Farm System Snapshot

The emergence of Jon Duplantier and the drafting of Pavin Smith with the No. 7 overall pick last year give the Arizona Diamondbacks a pair of marquee prospects to headline the farm system.

Others like Marcus Wilson, Daulton Varsho, Jasrado Chisholm and Eduardo Diaz have breakout potential, while pitchers Taylor Clarke and Anthony Banda are essentially ready for big league action. They've added some quality, but they're still thin on the overall quantity of prospect talent.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Jimmie Sherfy

A 10th-round pick in 2013, Sherfy turned in a dominant season at Triple-A, posting a 3.12 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 20 saves and a 61-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 49 innings of work.

He finished the season with 10.2 scoreless innings out of the big league bullpen and will have every chance to win a spot this spring.

24. Cleveland Indians

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Francisco Mejia

2017 Rank: 20

Name	Age	Tier
1. C Francisco Mejia	22	1
2. RHP Triston McKenzie	20	1
3. 1B Bobby Bradley	21	2
4. 3B Nolan Jones	19	2
5. RHP Shane Bieber	22	2
6. SS Yu-Cheng Chang	22	2
7. SS Willi Castro	20	2
8. OF Quentin Holmes	18	2
9. OF Will Benson	19	2
10. RHP Aaron Civale	22	3

     

Farm System Snapshot

The Cleveland Indians have two of the game's top 50 prospects in Francisco Mejia and Triston McKenzie, while recent draft picks Nolan Jones, Quentin Holmes and Will Benson all have significant upside as high-ceiling prep selections.

The system is very thin on pitching talent beyond McKenzie and 2017 breakout prospect Shane Bieber, which ended up dragging down their overall rating.

2018 Impact Prospect: C Francisco Mejia

Mejia is MLB-ready with the bat after hitting .297/.346/.490 with 37 extra-base hits in 382 plate appearances at Double-A. It's simply a question of his defensive skills, which have continued to improve but are still not up to par with incumbents Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez.

One way or another, the Indians will find a way to get his bat into the lineup before the 2018 season is over.

23. Baltimore Orioles

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Chance Sisco

2017 Rank: 15

Name	Age	Tier
1. C Chance Sisco	22	1
2. OF Austin Hays	22	1
3. SS Ryan Mountcastle	20	1
4. RHP Hunter Harvey	23	2
5. LHP D.L. Hall	19	2
6. LHP Tanner Scott	23	2
7. OF Cedric Mullins	23	2
8. LHP Alex Wells	20	2
9. LHP Keegan Akin	22	2
10. LHP Zac Lowther	21	3

       

Farm System Snapshot

Breakout seasons from Austin Hays, Ryan Mountcastle, Tanner Scott, Cedric Mullins and Alex Wells sent the Baltimore Orioles steadily climbing up these rankings last season.

Getting the oft-injured Hunter Harvey back on track and sorting things out with recent early draft picks like Cody Sedlock, Matthias Dietz and D.L. Hall will be necessary if they hope to avoid sliding back down, since Austin Hays and Chance Sisco are both expected to exhaust their prospect eligibility early in 2018.

2018 Impact Prospects: RF Austin Hays and C Chance Sisco

All signs point to both Hays and Sisco being part of the Opening Day lineup.

Hays rocketed through the system after going in the third round of the 2016 draft and is the clear front-runner for the starting right field job.

Sisco, who carries a .311/.390/.425 line over five minor league seasons and has made steady progress with his receiving skills, has a clear path to the starting catcher job following the departure of Welington Castillo.

22. Washington Nationals

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Victor Robles

2017 Rank: 12

Name	Age	Tier
1. OF Victor Robles	20	1
2. OF Juan Soto	19	1
3. SS Carter Kieboom	20	1
4. RHP Erick Fedde	24	2
5. LHP Seth Romero	21	2
6. OF Daniel Johnson	22	2
7. RHP Wil Crowe	23	2
8. SS Luis Garcia	17	2
9. OF Yasel Antuna	18	2
10. OF Blake Perkins	21	3

      

Farm System Snapshot

The Washington Nationals system is as top-heavy as any in baseball, with elite prospects Victor Robles and Juan Soto as the headliners.

Carter Kieboom, Erick Fedde and Seth Romero are all fringe Tier 1 guys, and international signings Luis Garcia and Yasel Antuna have tremendous upside. It's slim picking beyond the top nine guys on their prospect list, though, as they've been aggressive on the trade market in recent years.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Erick Fedde

The 2017 season wasn't a great one for Fedde, who posted a 3.69 ERA and saw his strikeouts per nine innings drop from 9.1 to 7.9 in the minors before getting rocked to the tune of a 9.39 ERA in 15.1 innings in the majors.

That said, with Joe Ross starting the season on the disabled list, he's clearly in the mix for the No. 5 starter job and could see significant time in the majors early on with a strong spring.

21. Boston Red Sox

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Michael Chavis

2017 Rank: 23

Name	Age	Tier
1. LHP Jay Groome	19	1
2. 3B Michael Chavis	22	1
3. RHP Bryan Mata	18	2
4. RHP Tanner Houck	21	2
5. RHP Mike Shawaryn	23	2
6. OF Cole Brannen	19	2
7. RHP Alex Scherff	20	2
8. 1B Sam Travis	24	2
9. RHP Roniel Raudes	20	2
10. LHP Darwinzon Hernandez	21	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

Graduating two of the game's top prospects in Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers sent the Boston Red Sox tumbling down the organizational rankings.

That said, the system is loaded with pitching talent. Jay Groome is the only Tier 1 guy right now, but others like Bryan Mata, Tanner Houck and Darwinzon Hernandez are all capable of making that leap in 2018. It's a top-to-bottom lack of position-player talent that keeps Boston in the No. 23 spot.

2018 Impact Prospect: 2B Esteban Quiroz

Someone will need to man second base while Dustin Pedroia recovers from knee surgery.

That someone might be Quiroz, who will be in camp as a non-roster invitee after spending the past seven seasons starring in the Mexican League. The 25-year-old hit .293/.428/.488 with 23 doubles, 11 home runs and more walks (64) than strikeouts (41) in 358 plate appearances last season.

20. Texas Rangers

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Ronald Guzman

2017 Rank: 21

Name	Age	Tier
1. OF Leody Taveras	19	1
2. 2B/OF Willie Calhoun	23	1
3. 1B Ronald Guzman	23	1
4. LHP Cole Ragans	20	2
5. LHP Yohander Mendez	23	2
6. OF Bubba Thompson	19	2
7. RHP Hans Crouse	19	2
8. IF Anderson Tejada	19	2
9. RHP Kyle Cody	23	2
10. SS Chris Seise	19	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

The Texas Rangers have one of the bigger boom-or-bust farm systems in the league, evidenced by the fact that there are five teenagers ranked among their top 10 prospects.

Willie Calhoun has an MLB-ready bat, Leody Taveras has legitimate five-tool upside in center field and Ronald Guzman is a polished left-handed hitter. Beyond those three guys, expect to see plenty of movement in the organizational rankings based on the early returns in 2018.

2018 Impact Prospect: OF Willie Calhoun

Calhoun looks like the leading contender for the starting DH spot.

The 23-year-old has done nothing but hit since the Los Angeles Dodgers took him in the fourth round of the 2015 draft out of JUCO powerhouse Yavapai College. He hit .300/.355/.572 with 27 double and 31 home runs at Triple-A last year and could be a sneaky AL Rookie of the Year contender with all the attention on Shohei Ohtani.

19. Los Angeles Angels

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Shohei Ohtani

2017 Rank: 30

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP/OF Shohei Ohtani	23	1
2. OF Jo Adell	18	1
3. OF Jahmai Jones	20	1
4. SS Kevin Maitan	18	2
5. OF Brandon Marsh	20	2
6. RHP Jaime Barria	21	2
7. 1B Matt Thaiss	22	2
8. RHP Griffin Canning	21	2
9. C Taylor Ward	24	2
10. RHP Chris Rodriguez	19	2

     

Farm System Snapshot

The Los Angeles Angels had the worst farm system in baseball when the 2017 season came to a close.

After emerging as the surprise winners in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes and also adding Kevin Maitan following his removal from the Atlanta Braves system, they're now a middle-of-the-pack system with some legitimate top-tier talent.

Jo Adell might be the breakout prospect of 2018—don't be surprised if he's a leaguewide top-25 guy by midseason.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani

Who else?

If everything goes right, he'll help anchor the starting rotation alongside Garrett Richards while showing plus power and run production skills in 200-plus plate appearances between starts.

His debut will be among the most anticipated in recent memory.

18. Miami Marlins

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Lewis Brinson

2017 Rank: 28

Name	Age	Tier
1. OF Lewis Brinson	23	1
2. OF Monte Harrison	22	1
3. RHP Sandy Alcantara	22	1
4. RHP Jorge Guzman	22	2
5. 2B Isan Diaz	21	2
6. LHP Braxton Garrett	20	2
7. LHP Trevor Rogers	20	2
8. 3B Brian Anderson	24	2
9. RHP Nick Neidert	21	2
10. RHP Merandy Gonzalez	22	2

       

Farm System Snapshot

Trading away Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna and Dee Gordon has brought a much-needed influx of prospect talent to what was a paper-thin Miami Marlins system.

Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison, Sandy Alcantara, Jorge Guzman, Isan Diaz and Nick Neidert were all acquired this offseason among the team's aforementioned top prospects, while other additions like Magneuris Sierra, Zach Gallen and Christopher Torres just missed the cut.

Brinson and Harrison are still the only elite-level guys, but there's far more depth.

2018 Impact Prospect: CF Lewis Brinson

Brinson should be given every opportunity to break camp with the starting center field job this spring.

The 23-year-old hit just .106 with 17 strikeouts in 55 plate appearances in his first big league action, but a .331/.400/.562 line with 39 extra-base hits in 340 plate appearances at Triple-A shows the five-tool threat has little left to prove in the minors.

17. Colorado Rockies

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Ryan McMahon

2017 Rank: 19

Name	Age	Tier
1. SS Brendan Rodgers	21	1
2. 1B/3B Ryan McMahon	23	1
3. RHP Riley Pint	20	1
4. 3B Colton Welker	20	2
5. RHP Peter Lambert	20	2
6. 2B/SS Garrett Hampson	23	2
7. RHP Yency Almonte	23	2
8. 3B Ryan Vilade	18	2
9. RHP Ryan Castellani	21	2
10. 3B Tyler Nevin	20	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

It speaks to the overall depth of the Colorado Rockies system that they were able to graduate the likes of Jeff Hoffman, German Marquez, Raimel Tapia, Antonio Senzatela and Kyle Freeland and they still reside in the middle of the pack.

Riley Pint has a precarious hold on his Tier 1 status, and he'll need to make major strides with his command to tap into his potential. With that in mind and with Brendan Rodgers and Ryan McMahon both knocking on the door, this system could soon be bereft of any top-tier prospects. 

2018 Impact Prospect: 1B Ryan McMahon

It's the middle of February, and the Rockies still haven't made an outside addition to replace Mark Reynolds at first base.

That bodes well for McMahon's chances of being part of the Opening Day roster. Even if they do sign someone or decide to bring Reynolds back, his ability to play first, second and third base could open the door for him to see semiregular time in a super-utility role.

16. Pittsburgh Pirates

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Austin Meadows

2017 Rank: 18

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP Mitch Keller	21	1
2. OF Austin Meadows	22	1
3. RHP Shane Baz	18	1
4. 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes	21	2
5. 3B Colin Moran	25	2
6. OF Bryan Reynolds	23	2
7. SS Cole Tucker	21	2
8. LHP Taylor Hearn	23	2
9. RHP Luis Escobar	21	2
10. SS Kevin Newman	24	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

The Pittsburgh Pirates traded away the two faces of their franchise when they sent Andrew McCutchen to the Giants and Gerrit Cole to the Astros.

Yet, they were unable to land any Tier 1 prospects in those deals.

Colin Moran and Bryan Reynolds both have a chance to be solid MLB regulars, but they don't move the needle much in terms of the club's place in these rankings.

That said, following an impressive draft haul last year and with some high-ceiling talent already in the system, this could be a system on the rise in 2018.

2018 Impact Prospect: OF Austin Meadows

Injuries have limited Meadows to 87 and 81 games the past two seasons, and his development has stalled as a result.

Now that McCutchen is playing elsewhere, he has a clear path to a starting job. He just needs to stay on the field and demonstrate the tools that have made him one of the game's top outfield prospects since going No. 9 overall in the 2013 draft.

15. Detroit Tigers

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Alex Faedo

2017 Rank: 17

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP Franklin Perez	20	1
2. RHP Matt Manning	20	1
3. RHP Beau Burrows	21	1
4. RHP Alex Faedo	22	1
5. OF Daz Cameron	21	2
6. OF Christin Stewart	24	2
7. SS Isaac Paredes	18	2
8. C Jake Rogers	22	2
9. RHP Kyle Funkhouser	23	2
10. LHP Gregory Soto	23	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

The Detroit Tigers added Franklin Perez, Daz Cameron, Isaac Paredes and Jake Rogers in trade deadline deals, shortly after selecting Alex Faedo with the No. 18 overall pick.

That has helped reshape one of the league's worst farm systems as the influx of high-end talent has shot them back in the middle of the farm system. Now it's a matter of developing those talented arms at the top of the rankings into MLB starters.

2018 Impact Prospect: OF Victor Reyes

With the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 draft, the Tigers plucked Reyes from the Diamondbacks.

The 23-year-old hit .292/.332/.399 with 38 extra-base hits and 18 stolen bases at Double-A last year and should get a chance to compete with Mikie Mahtook, Leonys Martin and JaCoby Jones for one of the two open outfield spots alongside right fielder Nicholas Castellanos.

14. Milwaukee Brewers

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Keston Hiura

2017 Rank: 5

Name	Age	Tier
1. 2B/OF Keston Hiura	21	1
2. RHP Corbin Burnes	23	1
3. RHP Brandon Woodruff	25	1
4. OF Brett Phillips	23	1
5. 3B Lucas Erceg	22	2
6. RHP Luis Ortiz	22	2
7. OF Corey Ray	23	2
8. RHP Freddy Peralta	21	2
9. OF Tristen Lutz	19	2
10. IF Mauricio Dubon	23	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

The move to acquire Christian Yelich cost the Milwaukee Brewers a pair of Tier 1 prospects (Lewis Brinson and Monte Harrison) and another on the fringe (Isan Diaz), which is enough to send them toppling out of the top 10 in these rankings.

That said, there's still an abundance of talent led by 2017 first-round pick Keston Hiura and breakout pitcher Corbin Burnes. While they may only have four Tier 1 guys, the Brewers system is loaded with potential MLB talent and they have had good success with unheralded prospects breaking through in recent seasons.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Brandon Woodruff

Woodruff will be in the running for the No. 5 starter job this spring as the former 11th-round pick is a perfect example of one of those unheralded prospects mentioned earlier.

The 25-year-old made eight starts with the big league club in the heat of a pennant race last year, holding his own to go 2-3 with a 4.81 ERA (4.37 FIP) in 43 innings. The burly right-hander might not have ace upside, but his floor is high and he can be a valuable innings-eater.

13. Houston Astros

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J.D. Davis

2017 Rank: 13

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP Forrest Whitley	20	1
2. OF Kyle Tucker	21	1
3. 1B/OF Yordan Alvarez	20	1
4. RHP J.B. Bukauskas	21	1
5. RHP Rogelio Armenteros	23	2
6. LHP Cionel Perez	21	2
7. RHP David Paulino	24	2
8. OF Gilberto Celestino	19	2
9. 3B J.D. Davis	24	2
10. RHP Jorge Alcala	22	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

The Houston Astros were able to acquire Gerrit Cole without giving up any of their elite prospects. Colin Moran was blocked by Alex Bregman, while Joe Musgrove and Michael Feliz had already exhausted their prospect status and Jason Martin was ranked outside the organizational top 10.

Forrest Whitley emerged as the best pitching prospect in baseball last season, reaching Double-A in his first full season. Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez look like impact everyday players, and behind them is an impressive collection of pitching talent for an organization that has done a good job cultivating it in recent years.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Rogelio Armenteros

Signed for a modest $40,000 bonus in 2014, Armenteros has moved quickly since making his way stateside.

Splitting last season between Double-A and Triple-A, the Cuban went 10-4 with a 2.04 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 146 strikeouts in 123.2 innings. He doesn't have the highest ceiling, but those numbers are tough to ignore; at the very least, he can be a useful multi-inning bullpen piece in the near future.

12. Minnesota Twins

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Fernando Romero

2017 Rank: 14

Name	Age	Tier
1. SS Royce Lewis	18	1
2. SS Nick Gordon	22	1
3. RHP Fernando Romero	23	1
4. LHP Stephen Gonsalves	23	1
5. SS Wander Javier	19	2
6. OF Brent Rooker	23	2
7. OF Alex Kirilloff	20	2
8. RHP Brusdar Graterol	19	2
9. RHP Blayne Enlow	18	2
10. RHP Zack Littell	22	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

The Minnesota Twins already have the league's most impressive collection of homegrown talent and they have more reinforcements on the way.

Fernando Romero and Stephen Gonsalves should both be ready for the majors at some point in 2018, and even when they move on, this system still has a chance to rank high thanks to a terrific draft class last year and a ton of high-ceiling prospects in the lower levels.

2018 Impact Prospect: LHP Stephen Gonsalves

While Romero has the higher ceiling of the team's two top pitching prospects, it's Gonsalves who is a bit further along in his development and will likely get the first chance to win a rotation spot.

The 23-year-old lefty went 9-5 with a 3.27 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 110 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. He could conceivably win the No. 5 starter job out of spring training if no outside addition is made between now and then.

11. St. Louis Cardinals

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Alex Reyes

2017 Rank: 11

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP Alex Reyes	23	1
2. C Carson Kelly	23	1
3. RHP Jack Flaherty	22	1
4. OF Tyler O'Neill	22	1
5. RHP Jordan Hicks	21	2
6. OF Harrison Bader	23	2
7. RHP Ryan Helsley	23	2
8. IF Yairo Munoz	23	2
9. SS Delvin Perez	19	2
10. C Andrew Knizner	23	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

The fact that the St. Louis Cardinals were able to acquire Marcell Ozuna and still have a farm system that ranks just outside the top 10 in the league is a testament to their ability to draft and develop.

Jordan Hicks, Ryan Helsley, Andrew Knizner, Austin Gomber and Dakota Hudson are all capable of reaching Tier 1 status before the upcoming season is over.

Few teams do a better job consistently funneling talent from the minors onto the big league roster, and guys like Tyler O'Neill, Harrison Bader and Yairo Munoz are next in line to reach St. Louis.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Alex Reyes

Reyes will be handled carefully in his return from Tommy John surgery and he could actually wind up pitching in relief for the bulk of the 2018 season.

He's had success in that role before when he first debuted in 2016, and it's not completely out of the question to think he could work his way into a key setup role before rejoining the starting staff in 2019.

10. Oakland Athletics

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

A.J. Puk

2017 Rank: 8

Name	Age	Tier
1. LHP A.J. Puk	22	1
2. SS Franklin Barreto	21	1
3. IF/OF Jorge Mateo	22	1
4. LHP Jesus Luzardo	20	1
5. OF Dustin Fowler	23	2
6. OF Austin Beck	19	2
7. 3B Sheldon Neuse	23	2
8. C Sean Murphy	23	2
9. OF Lazaro Armenteros	18	2
10. RHP Grant Holmes	21	2

       

Farm System Snapshot

The Oakland Athletics acquired Jorge Mateo, Jesus Luzardo, Dustin Fowler and Sheldon Neuse at the trade deadline last year, along with right-hander James Kaprielian, who could quickly jump into the top 10 once he proves healthy.

That's helped solidify what was already a deep system that has a good mix of players on the cusp of reaching the majors and lower-level prospects with considerable upside. There's not quite as much star-caliber talent as the systems ranked above them, but there's terrific overall depth.

2018 Impact Prospect: OF Dustin Fowler

Fowler hit .293/.329/.542 with 40 extra-base hits in 313 plate appearances with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate last season before earning a call-up. Unfortunately, he ruptured the patellar tendon in his right knee crashing into the wall during his MLB debut.

The center field job is up for grabs in Oakland this spring, and as long as he's healthy, the 23-year-old is a strong candidate to win the job.

9. Toronto Blue Jays

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Bo Bichette

2017 Rank: 16

Name	Age	Tier
1. 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	18	1
2. SS Bo Bichette	19	1
3. OF Anthony Alford	23	1
4. RHP Nate Pearson	21	1
5. RHP Eric Pardinho	17	2
6. SS Logan Warmoth	22	2
7. C Danny Jansen	22	2
8. LHP Ryan Borucki	23	2
9. IF Lourdes Gurriel	24	2
10. RHP T.J. Zeuch	22	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

Two of the most dynamic prospects in baseball help vault the Toronto Blue Jays into the top 10 in these rankings, but there's plenty of prospect talent beyond Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.

First-round pick Nate Pearson was one the fastest-rising prospects in the draft, Eric Pardinho is nothing short of a prodigy, and Danny Jansen emerged as the catcher of the future with a breakout season—that's just a sampling.

There's talent up and down the minor league ranks, and it will be interesting to see what direction this franchise takes in the next year or so.

2018 Impact Prospect: LHP Ryan Borucki

Marcus Stroman, J.A. Happ, Marco Estrada and Aaron Sanchez are locked into four spots in the Blue Jays rotation.

The No. 5 job will be a toss-up this spring, and Borucki should be in the mix after going 8-8 with a 2.93 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 157 strikeouts in 150.1 innings while reaching Triple-A. Good overall command and a polished three-pitch mix that includes a terrific changeup give him a high floor.

8. Cincinnati Reds

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

Hunter Greene

2017 Rank: 10

Name	Age	Tier
1. 3B Nick Senzel	22	1
2. RHP Hunter Greene	18	1
3. OF Taylor Trammell	20	1
4. RHP Tyler Mahle	23	1
5. OF Jesse Winker	24	1
6. OF Jose Siri	22	2
7. RHP Tony Santillan	20	2
8. 2B Shed Long	22	2
9. RHP Vladimir Gutierrez	22	2
10. C Tyler Stephenson	21	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

Nick Senzel and Hunter Greene are potentially transcendent talents, and the Cincinnati Reds farm system stretches well beyond that duo.

A good mix of early round hits, late-round successes and a willingness to spend on the international market has given them a diverse group of prospects across all levels.

The biggest thing moving forward in their rebuild will be developing pitching prospects into legitimate rotation staples, as they've had a tough time getting anyone to stick at the MLB level this point.

2018 Impact Prospect: OF Jesse Winker

Despite strong seasons from both Adam Duvall (100 OPS+, 31 HR) and Scott Schebler (103 OPS+, 30 HR), there's a good chance Winker will be occupying one of the corner outfield spots this season.

His smooth left-handed stroke and advanced approach should allow him to hit for a high average with gap power. Winker showed well in his debut, hitting .298/.375/.529 with seven doubles and seven home runs in 137 plate appearances.

7. Tampa Bay Rays

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Brent Honeywell

2017 Rank: 6

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP Brent Honeywell	22	1
2. SS Willy Adames	22	1
3. 1B/LHP Brendan McKay	22	1
4. OF Jesus Sanchez	20	1
5. 1B/OF Jake Bauers	22	1
6. IF Christian Arroyo	22	1
7. OF Joshua Lowe	20	2
8. SS Wander Franco	16	2
9. RHP Austin Franklin	20	2
10. SS Lucius Fox	20	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

Brent Honeywell, Willy Adames, Christian Arroyo and Jake Bauers could all be in the majors by midseason, depending on what direction the Tampa Bay Rays decide to go in the aftermath of the Evan Longoria trade.

For a small-market team, it's crucial to keep filtering talent through the system and onto the MLB roster, and Tampa has done a terrific job of it over the years. With a ton of low-minors talent headlined by Jesus Sanchez and 2017 international signing Wander Franco, there are more than a few players capable of stepping into the top-tier spots once that aforementioned group makes the jump to the majors.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Brent Honeywell

Honeywell might be the most MLB-ready pitching prospect in baseball.

With a five-pitch repertoire that includes his signature screwball, 60-grade command and a durable 6'2", 180-pound frame, he has all the tools to be the next homegrown front-of-the-rotation starter in Tampa Bay.

The 22-year-old went 13-9 with a 3.49 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 172 strikeouts in 136.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A in 2017.

6. Philadelphia Phillies

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J.P. Crawford

2017 Rank: 7

Name	Age	Tier
1. SS J.P. Crawford	23	1
2. RHP Sixto Sanchez	19	1
3. 2B Scott Kingery	23	1
4. RHP Adonis Medina	21	1
5. C Jorge Alfaro	24	1
6. OF Mickey Moniak	19	1
7. OF Adam Haseley	21	1
8. OF Jhailyn Ortiz	19	2
9. RHP Franklyn Kilome	22	2
10. LHP JoJo Romero	21	2

       

Farm System Snapshot

The Philadelphia Phillies will lose a pair of Tier 1 prospects shortly after the 2018 season starts as J.P. Crawford and Jorge Alfaro are both expected to secure starting spots this spring.

Still, with a pair of elite pitching prospects (Sixto Sanchez and Adonis Medina), a slugging second baseman on the cusp (Scott Kingery), a pair of former first-round picks who have yet to break out (Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley) and plenty of lower minors talent capable of breaking out, there's a good chance they'll be able to hold onto a top-10 spot.

2018 Impact Prospect: SS J.P. Crawford

Crawford's stock was trending downward at this time a year ago, and he stumbled out of the gates in 2017 as well.

However, he recovered to hit .279/.378/.530 over the final two months of his minor league season and then showed enough in a late-season debut that the Phillies traded Freddy Galvis to the San Diego Padres this offseason to clear a path.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers

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Walker Buehler

2017 Rank: 9

Name	Age	Tier
1. RHP Walker Buehler	23	1
2. OF Alex Verdugo	21	1
3. C Keibert Ruiz	19	1
4. RHP Mitchell White	23	1
5. OF Yusniel Diaz	21	1
6. RHP Yadier Alvarez	21	1
7. OF Jeren Kendall	22	1
8. OF Starling Heredia	19	2
9. C Will Smith	22	2
10. RHP Dennis Santana	21	2

       

Farm System Snapshot

Even after graduating Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager and Julio Urias the past two seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers still have a top-five farm system.

Walker Buehler and Alex Verdugo are both MLB-ready, it's just a matter of opportunity. For the time being, there are five other Tier 1 prospects behind them, but there are probably another 10 guys in the system capable of joining that group during the upcoming year.

A free-spending approach on the international market and a terrific job drafting and developing outside of the first round has given them as deep a system as any team in baseball.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Walker Buehler

After unloading Brandon McCarthy and Scott Kazmir on the Braves in the Matt Kemp swap, there's no longer high-priced veteran depth in Buehler's way.

He won't win a rotation spot out of camp, but he looks like the next man up for a rotation spot. The team could also opt to utilize him in the short term as a reliever, and he has the power stuff to serve as a key setup man for Kenley Jansen if that's the route they decide to go in 2018.

Either way, he'll make an impact in Los Angeles this season.

4. San Diego Padres

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MacKenzie Gore

2017 Rank: 4

Name	Age	Tier
1. SS Fernando Tatis Jr.	18	1
2. LHP MacKenzie Gore	18	1
3. RHP Cal Quantrill	23	1
4. RHP Michel Baez	22	1
5. LHP Adrian Morejon	18	1
6. 2B/SS Luis Urias	20	1
7. RHP Anderson Espinoza	19	1
8. OF Franchy Cordero	23	2
9. LHP Joey Lucchesi	24	2
10. LHP Logan Allen	20	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

The unexpected emergence of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Michel Baez as legitimate top-tier prospects has made a good San Diego Padres farm system one of the best in baseball.

Adding MacKenzie Gore with the No. 3 pick in the June draft added another elite pitching prospect to the likes of Cal Quantrill and Adrian Morejon, and there's no shortage of depth behind them in a system in which Dinelson Lamet came out of nowhere.

The X-factor here is Anderson Espinoza and whether he can regain his pre-injury form.

2018 Impact Prospect: OF Franchy Cordero

If Jose Pirela regresses from his surprising 2017 form or Hunter Renfroe fails to take a step forward in his second season, it could open the door for Cordero to step into a significant role.

The 23-year-old hit .326/.369/.603 with 21 doubles, 18 triples and 17 home runs at Triple-A last season, then followed that up with a .323/.393/.495 line that included 17 extra-base hits in 211 plate appearances in the Dominican Winter League.

3. New York Yankees

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Gleyber Torres

2017 Rank: 3

Name	Age	Tier
1. SS Gleyber Torres	21	1
2. RHP Chance Adams	23	1
3. OF Estevan Florial	20	1
4. LHP Justus Sheffield	21	1
5. 3B Miguel Andujar	22	1
6. RHP Domingo Acevedo	23	1
7. RHP Albert Abreu	22	1
8. RHP Freicer Perez	21	2
9. IF Thairo Estrada	21	2
10. RHP Luis Medina	18	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

Gleyber Torres, Chance Adams, Justus Sheffield and Miguel Andujar are next up for the New York Yankees as they continue to infuse the MLB roster with dynamic young talent.

What will become of the farm system when those four players move on?

Their system isn't quite as deep as the two teams ranked ahead of them, but guys like Freicer Perez, Thairo Estrada, Luis Medina, Nick Solak, Dillon Tate, Matt Sauer and Clarke Schmidt are all capable of taking that next step.

2018 Impact Prospect: 3B Miguel Andujar

Torres and Andujar are both in a position to compete for starting spots in the infield this spring, and both could wind up seeing 500 plate appearances if everything breaks right.

While there's no question that Torres has the higher ceiling and all the makings of a future star, Andujar might be the more MLB-ready of the two at this point and seems like a better bet to be on the Opening Day roster.

2. Chicago White Sox

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Michael Kopech

2017 Rank: 2

Name	Age	Tier
1. OF Eloy Jimenez	21	1
2. RHP Michael Kopech	21	1
3. OF Luis Robert	20	1
4. RHP Alec Hansen	23	1
5. OF Blake Rutherford	20	1
6. RHP Dylan Cease	22	1
7. RHP Dane Dunning	23	1
8. C Zack Collins	23	2
9. 3B Jake Burger	21	2
10. RHP Carson Fulmer	24	2

      

Farm System Snapshot

GM Rick Hahn has done a sensational job building up the Chicago White Sox farm system and putting them in position to really build something special in the years to come.

Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, Blake Rutherford, Dylan Cease and Dane Dunning were all acquired in trades, and this list doesn't include Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez, who exhausted their prospect eligibility last year.

Just off the organizational top 10 are guys like Spencer Adams, Gavin Sheets, Zack Burdi and Micker Adolfo, who would all be among the headliners in most other systems.

2018 Impact Prospect: RHP Carson Fulmer

With Carlos Rodon likely to start the season on the disabled list, there's an open spot in the Opening Day rotation.

Fulmer looks like the front-runner for the job after going 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 23.1 innings last season. There are still concerns that his max-effort delivery and spotty command will land him in the bullpen, but he has the stuff to make a significant impact in whatever role he fills.

1. Atlanta Braves

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Ronald Acuna

2017 Rank: 1

Name	Age	Tier
1. OF Ronald Acuna	20	1
2. LHP Luiz Gohara	21	1
3. RHP Mike Soroka	20	1
4. LHP Kolby Allard	20	1
5. RHP Kyle Wright	22	1
6. RHP Ian Anderson	19	1
7. LHP Max Fried	24	1
8. 3B Austin Riley	20	1
9. LHP Joey Wentz	20	2
10. OF Cristian Pache	19	2

     

Farm System Snapshot

The Atlanta Braves have the largest collection of Tier 1 prospect and the deepest overall farm system in baseball, and it's not particularly close.

A case can be made for Bryse Wilson and Touki Toussaint both being Tier 1 prospects; neither cracked the top 10. Kyle Muller, Alex Jackson, Patrick Weigel and A.J. Minter deserve attention as well.

The future of the Braves' rebuild might hinge on the development of those six Tier 1 pitching prospects. If they can develop three of those guys into legitimate long-term rotation pieces, we could once again be looking at a perennial contender in Atlanta.

2018 Impact Prospect: OF Ronald Acuna

Service time consideration will likely mean Acuna starts the season in Triple-A, but he won't be there for long.

The game's most dynamic offensive prospect hit .325/.374/.522 with 31 doubles, 21 home runs and 44 stolen bases and reached Triple-A as a teenager. He'll be the odds-on favorite for NL Rookie of the Year honors and could be hitting in the middle of the order alongside Freddie Freeman before his 21st birthday.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, unless otherwise noted.