OnlyBucs

Per John Drekker over at PBN:



Kiley McDaniel recently released his top 100 prospects list over at ESPN Insider. He had six Pittsburgh Pirates on that list, so that was a good sign for today’s list, ranking the farm systems. McDaniel has the Pirates as the [highlight]fourth-best[/highlight] system in all of baseball, moving up seven spots from last year’s ranking. Two previous farm system rankings had the Pirates 13th and 16th, though both noted that they were a system on the rise.



McDaniel’s article is for subscribers only, but the free preview explains how he came up with his rankings, so you can at least check out that part if you don’t subscribe to ESPN Insider. [highlight]In the write-up for the Pirates, he notes that they have done well in their trades and in the draft under Ben Cherington, adding a lot of lower-level talent that should keep the Pirates among the top five farm systems next year. Most of their talent is below Double-A and they won’t lose many players graduating to the majors, with Ke’Bryan Hayes being the top prospect who won’t be eligible beyond this year.[/highlight]

This high ranking put the Pirates second among National League teams to the Miami Marlins. The rest of the NL Central ranks 18th (St Louis Cardinals), 19th (Cincinnati Reds), 22nd (Chicago Cubs) and 29th (Milwaukee Brewers). The Pirates ranked second to the Cardinals in the previous two farm system rankings. The Tampa Bay Rays are first on the ESPN list and the Washington Nationals are last, just like on the other two lists.

4th best in MLB? That can't be right. Doesn't ESPN know that Cherington has done nothing? ::)

153835242332256566570 wrote: 4th best in MLB? That can't be right. Doesn't ESPN know that Cherington has done nothing?  ::)
Cherington must have made a donation to McDaniel's favorite charity!!

The Pirates farm system may not be the fourth best in baseball, but overall with the June draft, January International draft , and the trades that BC has made since his hiring I think he has done a good job to upgrade the farm system. Currently there is a lot of young talent to follow in the minors this summer.

I take these minor league rankings with a big grain of salt. I remember the Pirates receiving very high ratings under Huntington (I think they were rated first once or twice). We all know how poorly his drafts actually turned out with regard to the major league roster.

Farm system rankings are very subjective. It's alot like football recruiting classes.



I have seen us 15th, which with all the activity BC has sone with deals of Marte, Musgrove, Taillon and Bell along with Rule 5, draft and International signings, it shows where our system was before.



We will move up with once the draft happens and Kumar is on our list. But, then again, Hayes won't be on the list, so ..

The other part of the equation is development of draft talent. And Cole, Glasnow, Meadows provide some evidence that the previous administration was not that good at that.

So we are on top of the National League Central Division. Never thought I'd get to say those words again. [smiley=beer.gif]