2023 MLB Farm System Rankings

Graphic design by Michael Packard, @CollectingPack on Twitter

During the entire month of January we gave you our Top 50 Prospects for each of the 30 teams, and now it’s time for our site’s 3rd Annual overall Minor League Baseball Organization Rankings.

Twenty-eight (28) Prospects1500 writers each ranked the organizations 1 through 30, and then we aggregated points to come up with an overall systems’ ranking. To determine these rankings, organizations were given points relative to their position in each writer’s list (e.g., 1st = 28 points and 30th = 1 point).

If you’d like to see each writer’s individual rankings, and how the overall point totals came about, the rankings spreadsheet is available to view.

In addition, each team’s correspondent has provided a short, 30,000-foot view snapshot of their minor league organization. Those comments are included with each ranking on this list. Here is our 2023 ranking of all 30 farm systems, counting down from number 30 to number 1. Feel free to compare to our 2022 farm system rankings if you wish.

30. Atlanta Braves
On the heels of winning the 2021 World Series, the Braves are in full win-now mode. That said, Alex Anthopoulos and staff are busy re-filling the minor league coffers. As usual, the focus remains on pitching, but there are also a few hitters in the system ready to break out. -Michael Kelley (@MKelley_ND)

29. San Diego Padres
The Padres have been fantastic at developing their prospects in the last few years and they have their work cut out for them if they wish to continue the trend. With a barren system, hope rests on the recent international signings, but let’s be honest, some may be traded soon if they develop into anything decent. -Alex Sanchez (@Alex_W_Sanchez)

28. Houston Astros
Don’t let their ranking fool you. The Astros will produce solid big leaguers who contribute to their organization for a long time. Will they debut with the Astros? Maybe not, but that’s all the more reason for fans of all teams to pay attention. -Eric Killian (@USKillian)

27. Chicago White Sox
With the emergence of Colson Montgomery, Oscar Colas and several other hopefuls, the White Sox see the dawning of a new horizon. The 2022 draft focused on restocking the pitching coffers. The upcoming season will provide evidence on how fruitful their efforts were. -Dan Victor (@slydanno70)

26. Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have improved their farm system the last few years through the draft and international signings. With Andrew Painter and Mick Abel, they have two of the top pitching prospects in the minor leagues, with a host of other talented pitchers lower in the system. On the other side of the ball, they’ve accumulated some intriguing prospects who are also in the lower minors. However, developing a true impact hitter has been lacking for years. Maybe that will change with someone on our recent Top 50? -Tony Bps (@tonybps1)

25. Los Angeles Angels
One of the more underrated farm systems, drafting over 40 pitchers in three years has helped build out the depth in an area of need. While the system lacks hitting depth overall, it was improved with the most recent draft. -Andrew Rhodes (@A_Rhodes77)

24. Kansas City Royals
The Royals are a bottom-10 system entering 2023 having graduated some highly touted prospects and a few borderline regulars. Just like the front office, the system is in a transitional period. The Royals have a dozen or so pitching prospects who are difficult to evaluate, as well as some notable lower minors hitters. This is a crucial year to see if the pitching development pipeline can take a step, nay, leap forward. -Adam Halpin (@adamhalpin)

23. Detroit Tigers
What once was a Top 3 farm system has been decimated by graduations and talent regression. Although there is little depth with the Tigers organization, new leadership can focus on high-ceiling prospects at the top of the team’s rankings. -Kurt Moody (@DET_Guru_Kurt)

22. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners’ farm system may have taken a tumble, but that’s because it did exactly what it was supposed to do – produce major leaguers or allow you to acquire more. That said, there’s still some talents to like, and hopefully the player development team can help more players push their way back up the ranks. -PJ Benasillo (@pjbenasillo)

21. Toronto Blue Jays
A farm system that only a couple years ago was near the top has fallen to the bottom half of the rankings after trading away a number of prospects to help bolster a team that is now ready to compete for a division title and make a run in the playoffs. There are still a handful of players left who could make their MLB debuts in 2023 including top prospect LHP Ricky Tiedemann. They also made some excellent picks in the early rounds of the 2022 Draft that should help move the team back to the top in future versions of this list. -Greg Bracken (@gregbracken07)

20. Oakland Athletics
Oakland’s regularly scheduled tear down is complete and as the dust has settled, a clearer picture of the farm is in view. Outside of Tyler Soderstrom and Zack Gelof, there is a lack of a sure position player bet, yet there is some hope. The A’s are well stocked with arms and they’ll all have a chance to take a step forward as opportunity certainly abounds. -Nick Leonardo (@Leobaseball3)

19. San Francisco Giants
Hindered by a slew of injuries and developmental missteps, the system’s upward trajectory has stalled; however, despite that dim view of the farm there are easily a half dozen players who will look to establish themselves as big leaguers this season. As it stands the system boasts a pair of consensus Top 25 prospects in Kyle Harrison and Marco Luciano. With some good health the Giants could easily find a few other prospects joining them as Top 100 prospects this year. -Gonzalo Ventura (@LeyCastaway)

18. Minnesota Twins
With the team focused more on winning now, most potential within the Twins’ farm system is more of a long term thing. That being said, there are some promising young names that should be productive major leaguers, but it’s obvious that the focus has been on using potential to obtain proven talent. -Dave Funnell (@sportz_nutt51)

17. Miami Marlins
A few years ago the Miami farm system ranked near the bottom. I would say they are now a mid-tier system and that is due to their ability to develop pitching. They have transitioned to drafting high contact guys with a good feel for the zone and are hoping some of those picks pan out in the upcoming years. Miami needs to add more quality depth to the system to help push the needle. -Stoffer Cochran (@stoffer81)

16. New York Mets
Depth pieces or trade pieces? This system has plenty of future MLB talent but Steve Cohen will answer that question soon as the Mets continue their all or nothing World Series push. -Philip Frank (@PhilipFrank18)

15. Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers system continues to add depth and is stocked with hitters, especially in the outfield. While short on top tier pitching prospects, they have a reputation for turning out big league arms. Milwaukee has cleared paths for some of their young hitting prospects to make their debuts in 2023. -David Gasper (@dgasper24)

14. Washington Nationals
There are few teams with more high-end talent in the lower levels of the minors than the Nationals. Names like James Wood, Elijah Green, Brady House, Cristhian Vaquero and Jarlin Susana have all yet to play a single inning above Single-A. This system took a major step forward following the Juan Soto trade and has the potential to keep climbing these rankings based on the development of some of these players. -Caleb Sanders (@UpNextMiLB)

13. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies system is well stocked with big potential and impact position players. If their pitching develops, Colorado could very likely get bumped up into a Top 10 minor league organization. -Brian Fonseca (@100percent3G)

12. New York Yankees
The Yankees have numerous prospects including Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells and Oswald Peraza and more in the farm system on the cusp of helping the big league team. They still having many players years away that could fly up ranking boards including Brandon Mayea, Spencer Jones, and Roderick Arias. 2023 is a huge year for the farm system to help the big league team and keep improving the stock of prospects at the lower levels. -Paul Woodin (@PaulWoodin1)

11. Boston Red Sox
This is a system on the rise, with four overall Top 100 prospects. Miguel Bleis has a lot of helium in the prospecting industry right now, and Triston Casas could battle for AL Rookie of the Year. It’s an offensive-top heavy system right now with only two pitchers in the top 10 of our Red Sox Top 50. -Scott Greene (@Scotty_Ballgame)

10. Chicago Cubs
Headlined by a group of star caliber outfielders, the Cubs system has a much-improved outlook year over year. It’s a little light on immediate reinforcements for the big league club, but the organization is well-positioned to supplement a winning Cubs team in 2024 and beyond. -Daniel Hoyle (@ATXRainDog)

9. St. Louis Cardinals
Thanks to a strong 2020 draft class, the Cardinals farm system has the players ready to supplement another playoff run by the parent club. Last year’s draft might have brought in the next crop of impact arms. Add to that a talented group of young international bats and the Cardinals are in good hands for the foreseeable future. -Jeremy Mahy (@JMahyfam)

8. Pittsburgh Pirates
We extort and pilfer, we filch and sack. Drink up me hearties, yo ho. Maraud and embezzle and even hijack. Drink up me hearties, yo ho. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me. ARRRGGGGHHHH!! -Prospects1500 Team Pirate

err, translation….Despite losing some recent quality graduates, the Pirates farm system remains incredibly strong. With some offensive firepower on the way, Pittsburgh could be a team to watch in the next few years as the next big thing. Either way, things are looking bright for the Steel City. -Dave Funnell (@sportz_nutt51)

7. Texas Rangers
The Rangers’ farm system has continued its rise in the rankings the past several seasons with a big influx of pitching prospects along with a few Tier 1 hitters ready to make a splash. High-dollar signings the past few seasons have bought the young pitchers a few more years to develop, but Texas will be counting on those arms if they want to improve at the big league level for the future. -Byron Cox (@byrontx)

6. Tampa Bay Rays
A confluence of elite international signees and draft selections over the past several seasons have allowed the Rays organization to continuously remain one of the deepest in all of baseball. There may be no Wander Franco currently in the system, but the Rays organization is still flush with exciting young athletes, and the club has proven the ability to maximize those talents to develop players that make a difference at the next level. -Jake Wiener (@GatorSosa)

5. Cleveland Guardians
With such a high premium placed on pitching, and the Guards having three of the top 15 right-handed pitchers in the minors, it gives their system a huge boost. Finally, some long talked about position players are about to be knocking on MLB’s door! -Sean Clancy (@Clancy1Sean)

4. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are a vastly improved system headlined by Elly De La Cruz and Noelvi Marte, but there is a ton of depth behind those two. There is definitely a lot of impact talent in this system. -Daryl Hauck (@DarylHauck)

3. Arizona Diamondbacks
Major League Baseball wants to return to an action-packed game. The Diamondbacks have the type of high-end prospects to help do just that. With speed, defense and contact hitting, this farm system will be one to watch. -John Dodge (@blacksox96)

2. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers and their developmental program are the diamond-standard, pun intended, due to their exemplary front office, scouting system, and coaching staff year after year. There’s no sign of them slowing down. -Nate Eckert (@GQ__82)

1. Baltimore Orioles
The best system in baseball and it’s really not close. Six of their top ten prospects will likely graduate to Baltimore in 2023, with the top two, Gunnar Henderson and Grayson Rodriguez, both favorites to win Rookie of the Year. -Ryan James (@RyanJames5)

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1 Comment

  1. These rankings don’t seem to pass the giggle test. The Twins value is supposedly deep in the system but their best minor league team is in AAA.

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