2020 MLB Organization Talent Rankings

2020 Preseason: 1 |2019 Midseason: 1 |2019 Preseason: 2 | 2018: 5 | 2017: 11 | 2016: 13 | 2015: 17 | 2014: 20

Top 100 Prospects (6): SS Wander Franco (1), LHP/DH Brendan McKay (15), 2B Vidal Brujan (53), RHP Shane Baz (76), LHP Shane McClanahan (90), 2B Xavier Edwards (92) 

The Skinny: The Rays system remains the best in baseball, led by No. 1 overall prospect Wander Franco. They added to their riches by selecting two of the 2020 draft’s top talents in RHP Nick Bitsko and SS Alika Williams. 

2020 Preseason: 2 |2019 Midseason: 2 |2019 Preseason: 1 | 2018: 3 | 2017: 9 | 2016: 25 | 2015: 14 | 2014: 6

Top 100 Prospects (7): LHP MacKenzie Gore (6), RHP Luis Patino (20), SS C.J. Abrams (23), OF Taylor Trammell (79), C Luis Campusano (87), OF Robert Hassell (96), LHP Adrian Morejon (100). 

The Skinny: Luis Patino jumped to the majors and MacKenzie Gore isn’t far behind. The addition of Robert Hassell in the draft, plus the development of C.J. Abrams, Taylor Trammell and Luis Campusano at the alternate site camp, gives the Padres a wave of promising position players. 

2020 Preseason: 5 | 2019 Midseason: 11 | 2019 Preseason: 14 | 2018: 30 | 2017: 21 | 2016: 28 | 2015: 24 | 2014: 25

Top 100 Prospects (6): OF Julio Rodriguez (8), OF Jarred Kelenic (12), RHP Emerson Hancock (54), 1B Evan White (56), RHP Logan Gilbert (63), SS Noelvi Marte (99) 

The Skinny: The Mariners added one of the best pitchers in the 2020 draft, Emerson Hancock, to their growing collection of prospect talent. With Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic leading the position player group, the Mariners now have a promising pitching duo of Hancock and Logan Gilbert in conjunction. 

2020 Preseason: 6 | 2019 Midseason: 6 |2019 Preseason: 3 | 2018: 8 | 2017: 20 | 2016: 24 | 2015: 9 | 2014: 15

Top 100 Prospects (4): RHP Nate Pearson (7), SS Austin Martin (16), SS/3B Jordan Groshans (30), RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (65) 

The Skinny:  The Blue Jays snagged one of the draft’s best players when Austin Martin surprisingly fell to them at the fifth overall pick. Nate Pearson’s ascent to the majors gives them a burgeoning, homegrown ace they haven’t had in some time.  

2020 Preseason: 3 | 2019 Midseason: 5 |2019 Preseason: 9 | 2018: 9 | 2017: 2 | 2016: 1 | 2015: 3 | 2014: 14

Top 100 Prospects (5): 2B Gavin Lux (4), RHP Brusdar Graterol (64), C Keibert Ruiz (88), RHP Tony Gonsolin (89), Josiah Gray (91) 

The Skinny: The Dodgers graduated RHP Dustin May but still have reigning Minor League Player of the Year Gavin Lux in the system. The Dodgers not only have five Top 100 Prospects, but a host of other candidates who could be Top 100 prospects soon under the tutelage of baseball’s best player development staff. 

2020 Preseason: 11 | 2019 Midseason: 13 | 2019 Preseason: 15 | 2018: 20 | 2017: 25 | 2016: 26 | 2015: 30 | 2014: 28

Top 100 Prospects (5): 1B Spencer Torkelson (11), RHP Casey Mize (14), RHP Matt Manning (19), LHP Tarik Skubal (35), OF Riley Greene (51). 

The Skinny: The Tigers added a foundational hitter when they selected Spencer Torkelson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft. Three consecutive top-five draft picks has given the Tigers a group of potential future stars at the top of their system, although the system’s depth is still somewhat lacking.  

2020 Preseason: 4 | 2019 Midseason: 4 | 2019 Preseason: 4 | 2018: 1 | 2017: 1 | 2016: 3 | 2015: 29 | 2014: 26

Top 100 Prospects (4): OF Cristian Pache (13), OF Drew Waters (38), RHP Ian Anderson (46), Kyle Wright (68). 

The Skinny: The Braves successfully graduated wave after wave of top prospects and won back-to-back division titles as a result. There are still some potential impact players left in the system, but the negative effects of their international signing penalties can be seen in the lower levels.  

2020 Preseason: 7 | 2019 Midseason: 3 | 2019 Preseason: 6 | 2018: 4 | 2017: 5| 2016: 23 | 2015: 20 | 2014: 24

Top 100 Prospects (4): OF Luis Robert (2), 1B Andrew Vaughn (31), RHP Michael Kopech (34), 2B Nick Madrigal (50). 

The Skinny: Luis Robert has lived up to the hype with a sensational MLB debut. Andrew Vaughn, Michael Kopech and Nick Madrigal will still be Top 100 prospects even after he graduates, and the White Sox snagged two first-round talents in the draft in LHP Garrett Crochet and RHP Jared Kelley. 

2020 Preseason: 9 | 2019 Midseason: 8 | 2019 Preseason: 13 | 2018: 24 | 2017: 29 | 2016: 29 | 2015: 25 | 2014: 27

Top 100 Prospects (6): RHP Sixto Sanchez (18), OF JJ Bleday (48), RHP Max Meyer (59), OF Jesus Sanchez (62), RHP Edward Cabrera (72), SS Jazz Chisholm (95) 

The Skinny: The Marlins surprised many when they drafted Max Meyer with the third overall pick, but he was indisputably one of the best pitchers in the draft and an excellent addition to a talented, balanced system.

2020 Preseason 10 | 2019 Midseason: 16 | 2019 Preseason: 21 | 2018: 26 | 2017: 28 | 2016: 22 | 2015: 6 | 2014: 13

Top 100 Prospects (5): C Daulton Varsho (55), SS Geraldo Perdomo (77), OF Kristian Robinson (80), OF Alek Thomas (94), Corbin Carroll (98)

The Skinny: The D-backs are in an interesting position, with five Top 100 Prospects but none in the Top 50. Aside from C Daulton Varsho, most of Arizona’s best talent lies in the low minors, including the team’s four other Top 100 talents—SS Geraldo Perdomo and OFs Kristian Robinson, Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll—as well as talented pitchers Luis Frias and Blake Walston. The system also got a boost from a strong draft class fronted by Duke RHP Bryce Jarvis, who saw great benefits from a summer at Driveline and threw a perfect game in the shortened 2020 season.  

2020 Preseason 8 | 2019 Midseason: 7 | 2019 Preseason: 7 | 2018: 12 | 2017: 22 | 2016: 10 | 2015: 2 | 2014: 3

Top 100 prospects (3): SS Royce Lewis (27), OF Alex Kirilloff (32), OF Trevor Larnach (47)

The Skinny: The Twins have three hitters among the top 50 prospects who do a major part of the heavy lifting to carry the team's farm system. They added a Top 10 prospect in the system in June when they drafted 1B Aaron Sabato in the first round and they haven't graduated any prospects this year. They have a mix of promising arms as well among their Top 10 prospects, but there's a decline in depth beyond them that puts the Twins just outside of a top 10 system.

2020 Preseason: 12 | 2019 Midseason: 9 | 2019 Preseason: 22 | 2018: 17 | 2017: 27 | 2016: 27 | 2015: 28 | 2014: 12

Top 100 prospects (4): C Adley Rutschman (5), RHP Grayson Rodriguez (36), LHP D.L. Hall (49), OF Heston Kjerstad (97)

The Skinny: C Adley Rutschman is the No. 5 prospect in baseball and should be a top three prospect soon, with Luis Robert (2) and Jo Adell (3) likely to graduate, and Gavin Lux (4) on the cusp as well. OF Austin Hays, who had been the No. 5 prospect in the system, graduated from prospect eligibility, but the Orioles re-stocked two more Top 10 prospects in the system through the draft, first with OF Heston Kjrestad at No. 2 overall and then in the supplemental first round with SS Jordan Westburg. Years of ignoring international signings continues to hamper the farm system, however, with zero Orioles Latin American signings among their Top 30 prospects.

2020 Preseason: 13 | 2019 Midseason: 17 | 2019 Preseason: 10 | 2018: 13 | 2017: 12 | 2016: 14 | 2015: 15 | 2014: 7

Top 100 prospects (3): OF Dylan Carlson (10), LHP Matthew Liberatore (44), 3B Nolan Gorman (58)

The Skinny: In our preseason farm system rankings from 2014 through this year, the Cardinals have ranked anywhere from No. 7 to 15, a consistently solid to above-average prospect pipeline that's particularly impressive for a team that hasn't had a draft pick higher than 19th overall since 2008. There haven't been any graduations this year, but the Cardinals added first-round pick Jordan Walker to their Top 10 prospects and added two of the more promising high school pitchers in the draft with RHP/SS Masyn Winn and RHP Tink Hence.

2020 Preseason: 14 | 2019 Midseason: 14 | 2019 Preseason: 28 | 2018: 25 | 2017: 24 | 2016: 19 | 2015: 26 | 2014: 19

Top 100 prospects (3): SS Marco Luciano (21), C Joey Bart (33), OF Heliot Ramos (67)

The Skinny: Much of the top talent in San Francisco's farm system is concentrated at the lower levels—particularly with strong recent international signing classes, led by top prospect Marco Luciano. With so much of the Giants' talent still far from being major league-ready and C Joey Bart getting reps at the alternate site in Sacramento, not much has changed in their system this year, though they added catcher Patrick Bailey to their Top 10 prospects as a first-round pick.

2020 Preseason: 15 | 2019 Midseason: 12 | 2019 Preseason: 11 | 2018: 18 | 2017: 17 | 2016: 18 | 2015: 19 | 2014: 23

Top 100 prospects (3): LHP Jesus Luzardo (9), LHP A.J. Puk (22), C Sean Murphy (43)

The Skinny: The A's will drop in our next update when Jesus Luzardo graduates, as the No. 9 prospect in baseball carries a significant amount of the value in Oakland's farm system, which falls off pretty hard after its top talent. The A’s added their No. 5 prospect through the draft with catcher Tyler Soderstrom, though another injury for LHP A.J. Puk—this one to his throwing shoulder—is a growing concern for a pitcher who has been electric when healthy but carries serious durability red flags.

2020 Preseason: 18 | 2019 Midseason: 19 | 2019 Preseason: 27 | 2018: 29 | 2017: 26 | 2016: 21 | 2015: 13 | 2014: 8

Top 100 prospects (4): SS Bobby Witt Jr. (25), LHP Asa Lacy (38), LHP Daniel Lynch (41), RHP Jackson Kowar (86)

The Skinny: The arrow has been pointing up in the Royals’ system, which got a boost from the addition of lefthander Asa Lacy, the No. 4 overall pick in the draft. They have a pair of young hitters with huge ceilings signed in 2019 between SS Bobby Witt Jr. and OF Erick Peña, with an array of pitching still the biggest strength of the system. The stock of those pitchers has only increased, not just with the addition of Lacy but with righthander Brady Singer and lefthander Kris Bubic pitching in Kansas City.

2020 Preseason: 16 | 2019 Midseason: 18 | 2019 Preseason: 12 | 2018: 14 | 2017: 30 | 2016: 30 | 2015: 27 | 2014: 30

Top 100 prospects (3): OF Jo Adell (3), OF Brandon Marsh (45), LHP Reid Detmers (81)

The Skinny: The Angels have three Top 100 Prospects, but it's Jo Adell who's responsible for a huge chunk of the value here with superstar upside. With Adell now in the majors, there will be a big drop for the Angels once he gets enough at-bats to graduate. Adding LHP Reid Detmers with the 10th overall pick helps, and there are young players at the lower levels like OFs Jordyn Adams and Jeremiah Jackson and SS Arol Vera with breakout potential.

2020 Preseason: 17 | 2019 Midseason: 21 | 2019 Preseason: 20 | 2018: 2 | 2017: 3 | 2016: 16 | 2015: 19 | 2014: 18

Top 100 prospects (3): OF Jasson Dominguez (40), RHP Clarke Schmidt (66), RHP Deivi Garcia (69)

The Skinny: RHPs Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia give the Yankees two upper-level pitchers who are Top 100 prospects, but much of the Yankees system is high-risk, high-reward youngsters at the lower levels, led by OF Jasson Domiguez. C Austin Wells, the 28th overall pick in the 2020 draft, joins the organization's Top 10 prospects, giving them a bat to offer more balance to a system with pitchers for 10 of their top 15 prospects.

2020 Preseason: 19 | 2019 Midseason: 10 | 2019 Preseason: 16 | 2018: 21 | 2017: 18 | 2016: 17 | 2015: 23 | 2014: 17

Top 100 prospects (2): 3B Nolan Jones (52), SS Tyler Freeman (74)

The Skinny: The Indians have just two Top 100 prospects and nobody in the top 50, but few systems can match the Indians' depth of lower-level breakout candidates with Top 100 upside. A strong 2020 draft netted five players from our top 100 draft rankings, with a nice mix of athletic, strike-throwing college pitchers and instinctive, hitterish high school position players. If you're looking for a system in the 16-30 range that could vault up these rankings one year from now, the Indians are a good bet.

2020 Preseason: 25 | 2019 Midseason: 28 | 2019 Preseason: 19 | 2018: 27 | 2017: 15 | 2016: 15 | 2015: 4 | 2014: 10

Top 100 prospects (2): SS Ronny Mauricio (70), C Francisco Alvarez (71)

The Skinny: The Mets have moved up in our farm system rankings from their preseason spot of No. 25. SS Andres Gimenez, who struggled at Double-A last year, has held his own as a 21-year-old in the big leagues and helped his stock. A strong draft also bolstered the Mets system, with the club coming away with two first-round talents (OF Pete Crow-Armstrong and RHP J.T. Ginn) and a third top 50 draft prospect in OF Isaiah Greene, with all three entering the team's Top 10 prospects.

2020 Preseason: 22 |2019 Midseason: 29 | 2019 Preseason: 29 | 2018: 28 | 2017: 16 | 2016: 20 | 2015: 1 | 2014: 4

Top 100 prospects (2): LHP Brailyn Marquez (39), SS/2B Nico Hoerner (42)

The Skinny: Slowly but surely, Chicago’s system is improving. Breakout seasons from Brailyn Marquez and Brennen Davis in 2019 boosted its stock before the year, and the group got a talent injection from this year’s draft class. The draft group was led by SS Ed Howard, whom BA ranked as the No. 20 prospect available, and flanked by intriguing prospects like LHP Burl Carraway, RHP Koen Moreno, OF Jordan Nwogu and LHP Luke Little.

2020 Preseason: 23 | 2019 Midseason: 20 | 2019 Preseason: 18 | 2018: 16 | 2017: 7 | 2016: 11 | 2015: 7 | 2014: 1

Top 100 prospects (3): SS Nick Gonzales (57), 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (60), SS Oneil Cruz (61)

The Skinny: RHP Mitch Keller’s graduation dents this system somewhat, but the addition of SS Nick Gonzales acts as a convenient counterbalance. Gonzales, who broke out as a sophomore at New Mexico State and then started 2020 red-hot, led an excellent draft class which also included RHP Carmen Mlodzinski, who ranked as this year’s No. 25 draft prospect. Pittsburgh’s draft haul also included RHP Jared Jones, the No. 40 draft prospect, and RHP Nick Garcia (56). 

2020 Preseason 20 | 2019 Midseason 22 | 2019 Preseason: 30 | 2018: 23 | 2017: 14 | 2016: 4 | 2015: 5 | 2014: 2

Top 100 prospects (3): 1B Triston Casas (75), 3B Bobby Dalbec (83), SS Jeter Downs (93)

The Skinny: The Red Sox’s system got a boost before the season through the addition of excellent infield prospect Jeter Downs and C Connor Wong in the trade that sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. Boston lost its second-round pick as punishment for its sign-stealing scandal, then still added two of the draft’s top 100 prospects in 2B Nick Yorke (96) and 3B Blaze Jordan (90) with its four picks. 

2020 Preseason: 21 | 2019 Midseason: 27 | 2019 Preseason: 25 | 2018: 22 | 2017: 23 | 2016: 7 | 2015: 11 | 2014: 9

Top 100 prospects: None.

The Skinny: The Rangers have a pair of prospects on the cusp of the Top 100 (and who have previously appeared on the list) in 3B Josh Jung and C Sam Huff as well as a group of solid, high-upside prospects led by SS Anderson Tejeda, OF Leody Taveras and RHP Hans Crouse. They left the draft with a class that led to a great deal of head-scratching after first-round pick 2B Justin Foscue, who ranked No. 36 on the BA 500.

2020 Preseason: 28 | 2019 Midseason: 23 | 2019 Preseason: 8 | 2018: 10 | 2017: 13 | 2016: 12 | 2015: 16 | 2014: 16

Top 100 prospects (3): OF Austin Hendrick (82), RHP Hunter Greene (84), LHP Nick Lodolo (85)

The Skinny: Cincinnati’s system entering the year was led by a pair of intriguing arms in RHP Hunter Greene (who missed all of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery) and LHP Nick Lodolo (who dominated in his pro debut) as well as powerful catching prospect Tyler Stephenson. The depth beyond that group is somewhat suspect, but the addition of OF Austin Hendrick (who immediately took the top spot in the organization and a spot in the Top 100) with a first-round pick gave the group a jolt.