Updated Farm System Rankings for Every MLB Team At the Start of 2020

The following factors helped determine the placement of players and teams in our updated MLB farm system rankings here at the start of 2020:

• Potential (Player): Potential trumps production a lot of the time, especially in the lower levels of the minors and with recent draft picks. Skill sets and tools are often better indications of what kind of player someone will be.
• Talent (Player): As for guys in the higher levels of the minors who are close to breaking through to the big leagues, production and 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 a deep farm system is the way to build a sustainable contender. Depth and 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.

A tier system is used to help differentiate the varying levels of individual talent.

• Tier 1/Top 100 Prospects: Prospects who have elite skill sets and All-Star potential. This is the cream of the prospect crop. These players are identified by where they will fall in our first top 100 prospect list of the year, which will be released later in the offseason.
• Tier 2: Prospects who have a good chance of becoming impact contributors at the MLB level. These are the guys who were in consideration for spots on the leaguewide top-100 list and could eventually end up there.
  
• Tier 3: Prospects who profile as fringe MLB contributors or young players who are still too raw to project any higher. This tier represents the bulk of prospects around baseball, though more than a few are capable of climbing to the next tier.

Teams were initially ranked based on the number of Tier 1 and Tier 2 prospects in their systems, and then the rankings were subjectively tweaked from there.

Note: A player must not have passed the rookie-eligibility limits (130 AB, 50 IP, 45 days on an active roster prior to Sept. 1) to be included in these rankings.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The Nationals have an extremely top-heavy system. Despite a less-than-stellar MLB debut, Carter Kieboom will likely to graduate to the majors at some point in 2020, thinning things out even further.

• First-round picks Jackson Rutledge (No. 17 overall in 2019) and Mason Denaburg (No. 27 overall in 2018) both offer Tier 1 upside, and they could quickly move up a notch with a strong start to the 2020 season.

• Right-hander Andry Lara was the top pitching prospect in the 2019 international free-agent class, according to MLB.com. He was pegged as a "potential top-of-the-rotation starter" and signed for a $1.25 million bonus.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The Milwaukee Brewers system is sorely lacking in impact talent now that Keston Hiura has moved on to the majors. Shortstop Brice Turang started the 2019 season strong but finished with a rather punchless .256/.367/.340 line in 129 games between Single-A and High-A.

• Polished left-hander Ethan Small is now the top pitching prospect in the system after going No. 28 overall in the 2019 draft. He posted a 0.86 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 21 innings while reaching Single-A in his pro debut, and he should move extremely quickly.

• Eduardo Garcia signed for $1.1 million in 2018 and he went 10-for-32 with two doubles before a broken ankle abruptly ended his pro debut. He has the defensive tools to stick at shortstop and enough hit tool to be an everyday player, giving him one of the higher ceilings in the system.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• A pipeline that produced Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers in recent seasons has largely run dry in Boston. That said, there is enough intriguing middle infield and pitching talent to think they be set to move up in these rankings.

• Right-hander Noah Song was denied a waiver to forgo his two-year commitment to the Naval Academy, so his baseball career will be put on hold for the time being. A first-round talent who slipped to the fourth round, he touched 99 mph with his fastball and pitched extremely well for Team USA in Olympic qualifying this offseason.

• Chih-Jung Liu was a two-way standout in Taiwan before signing with the Red Sox in October for a $700,000 bonus. The 20-year-old's days as a switch-hitting shortstop are likely over, but his athleticism translates well to the mound. Don't be surprised if he quickly moves into the organizational top 10.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The New York Mets system took a significant hit when the blockbuster trades to acquire Robinson Cano and Marcus Stroman saw Jarred Kelenic, Justin Dunn, Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods-Richardson sent the other way. There's talent here, but much of it is in the lower levels of the minors.

• Francisco Alvarez hit .312/.407/.510 with 10 doubles and seven home runs over 42 games in his age-17 season, and his full-season debut will be met with lofty expectations. With a strong arm and good receiving skills, he has a chance to be a two-way standout behind the plate.

• Despite average stuff, left-hander Kevin Smith dominated hitters at the High-A and Double-A level last season, posting a 3.15 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 117 innings. With a durable 6'5" frame, polished three-pitch mix and deceptive arm action, he has a chance to continue exceeding expectations.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• While Nico Hoerner will begin the 2020 season as the only Tier 1 prospect in the Chicago Cubs system, it's very possible that Miguel Amaya, Brailyn Marquez and Brennen Davis could all join him in short order. This system has more upside than its ranking might suggest.

• If the Cubs can find even one or two solid MLB arms among the likes of Ryan Jensen, Richard Gallardo, Justin Steele, Kohl Franklin, Tyson Miller, Cory Abbott, Riley Thompson and Brendon Little, it would go a long way.

• While he hit just .224/.319/.365 with 32 extra-base hits and 16 steals in his full-season debut, Cole Roederer was signed to an above-slot $1.2 million bonus as the No. 77 overall pick in 2018 for a reason. He has the complete toolbox and one of the highest ceilings in the system.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The Los Angeles Angels system has graduated a good deal of talent in the past year, and uber-prospect Jo Adell figures to join that list early in the 2020 season. Can some of the team's recent international additions break through to fill the void?

• The decision to trade 2019 first-round pick Will Wilson as a means of unloading Zack Cozart's contract was no doubt made easier by the emergence of Jeremiah Jackson. A second-round pick in 2018, he posted a .939 OPS with 23 doubles and 24 home runs in 65 games in the Pioneer League.

• Left-hander Hector Yan turned heads last season with 148 strikeouts in 109 innings and a .190 opponents' batting average. He's undersized at 5'11" and his changeup needs further refinement, but he has put himself squarely on the prospect radar.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• With outfielder Dylan Carlson and third baseman Nolan Gorman, the St. Louis Cardinals have two potential offensive cornerstones headlining their system. The pitching side of things has thinned considerably, though.

• Yadier Molina is entering his age-37 season and the final year of his contract. After trading away presumptive catcher of the future Carson Kelly last offseason, Andrew Knizner now looks like the heir apparent, but don't sleep on Ivan Herrera. He could ultimately be the long-term answer.

• Hard-throwing lefty Genesis Cabrera was part of the return package in the much-maligned deal that sent Tommy Pham to the Tampa Bay Rays. He's still capable of making enough of an impact to salvage the St. Louis side of that trade.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The Colorado Rockies are in desperate need of pitching talent with a farm system that is loaded with infield prospects, many of which are of the corner variety. A rebuild could breathe some new life into their prospect base.

• Longtime top prospect Brendan Rodgers fell flat in his first taste of MLB action, posting a 29 OPS+ with 27 strikeouts in 81 plate appearances, before undergoing shoulder surgery in July. He has done nothing but hit in the minors, but he'll enter 2020 with something to prove.

• After posting an .893 OPS with 35 home runs and 101 RBI at Triple-A, outfielder Sam Hilliard finally earned a look at the MLB level and he made the most of it with a 1.006 OPS and seven home runs in 87 plate appearances. He'll be given every chance to break camp as the starting left fielder.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• Seemingly on the cusp of a rebuild, the Pittsburgh Pirates do not have the same farm system depth they have boasted in recent seasons. That said, third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes has a chance to be a star, and there are several high-ceiling arms to dream on.

• The Erik Gonzalez experiment at shortstop may have fallen flat, but the trade to acquire him from the Cleveland Indians last offseason also brought right-hander Tahnaj Thomas to the system. With a projectable 6'4" frame and a good fastball-slider pairing, his arrow is pointing straight up after he posted a 3.17 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 48.1 innings in rookie ball.

• After a modest season at Double-A, outfielder Jared Oliva hit .312/.413/.473 with 13 extra-base hits and 11 steals in 109 plate appearances in the Arizona Fall League. The 24-year-old is one to watch in 2020.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• A breakout season from catching prospect Sam Huff and the addition of polished collegiate third baseman Josh Jung in the draft has injected some life into a system that was lacking in marquee talent. There is also a ton of high-ceiling talent in the lower levels of the minors.

• Nick Solak hit .293/.393/.491 with 12 extra-base hits in 135 plate appearances after making his MLB debut on Aug. 20, and all it took to acquire him from the Tampa Bay Rays was Triple-A reliever Peter Fairbanks.

• After coming up short in their pursuit of Shohei Ohtani, the Rangers used a good chunk of the international bonus money they hoarded to sign Osleivis Basabe for $550,000. He hit .323 over 176 plate appearances in his stateside debut last year, and his 70-grade speed and above-average hit tool make him one to watch.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The New York Yankees system is loaded with boom-or-bust talent in the lower levels of the minors, especially on the pitching side of things. It's a group with significant upside that is lacking in near-term MLB impact potential.

• "He's a long ways from reaching his ceiling but has earned comparisons to the likes of Bo Jackson, Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout," wrote MLB.com on 16-year-old Jasson Dominguez. As a rule, I don't include prospects on my leaguewide top 100 list until they've made their pro debut, but he made me seriously consider amending my stance on that.

• Toolsy young outfielders Kevin Alcantara, Antonio Cabello and Everson Pereira also have significant upside and could shoot up the organizational list with a strong start to 2020.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The Cleveland Indians system has churned out some star talent in recent seasons, including Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, Shane Bieber and Mike Clevinger. Most of their high-ceiling talent is in the lower levels at the moment, which gives this system significant volatility.

• Top prospect Nolan Jones has a .409 on-base percentage and a 17.3 percent walk rate over four minor league seasons. He's still working to tap into his plus raw power, but his plate discipline gives him an extremely high floor.

• The fall of Triston McKenzie has been a disappointing blow to the Cleveland system. The No. 42 overall pick in the 2015 draft has failed to grow into what looked like a highly projectable 6'5", 165-pound frame, and he missed the entire 2019 season with a back strain.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• With Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker and Josh James moving on to the majors and several other top prospects sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Zack Greinke trade, the Houston Astros farm system is a shell of what it was just a few years ago. It's still far from barren, though.

• After a strong finish to the regular season earned him a spot on the postseason roster, Jose Urquidy posted a 0.90 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 10 innings during the playoffs, including five shutout innings of two-hit ball as the starter in Game 4 of the World Series.

• Jeremy Pena started the 2019 season well off the top prospect radar, but after hitting .303/.385/.440 with 35 extra-base hits and 20 steals between Single-A and High-A, he's now one to watch. Aside from his emerging offensive game, he's also arguably the best defensive shortstop in the system.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• In slugging third baseman Alec Bohm and high-ceiling right-hander Spencer Howard, the Philadelphia Phillies have two elite-level prospects who could both arrive in the majors in 2020 after closing out last season at Double-A.

• Looking for a potential breakout pitching prospect? Keep an eye on Francisco Morales. He posted a 3.82 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 96.2 innings at Single-A last year while trimming his walk rate from 5.3 to 4.3 BB/9. Another step forward with his command could fully unlock his significant upside.

• He's never going to live up to the hype that comes with being selected No. 1 overall, but Mickey Moniak is still a viable prospect. He posted a .741 OPS with 28 doubles, 13 triples and 11 home runs at Double-A last season, albeit with an ugly .303 on-base percentage.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• Trading outfielder Taylor Trammell to the San Diego Padres and graduating Nick Senzel to the majors eliminated two elite prospects from the Cincinnati Reds farm system last year. That said, Hunter Greene still has a limitless ceiling if he can get healthy, while Nick Lodolo and Jonathan India should move quickly.

• With a strong 6'4", 215-pound frame and loud 60-grade power, Rece Hinds is one of the more intriguing prospects in the system. He needs to improve his hit tool to fully utilize his power, and his glove work at third base remains a question mark. But his power potential is impossible to ignore.

• The Reds have struggled a bit to develop pitching in recent seasons, and the system as a whole is thin on arms. The fact that Lodolo was still on the board at No. 7 overall this past June was a major coup.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• There's a realistic chance than Jesus Luzardo, A.J. Puk, Sean Murphy and Jorge Mateo will all break camp with a spot on the Oakland Athletics roster. Regardless, this top 10 list figures to look quite different by midseason, along with an impending slide down the rankings.

• The Athletics rolled the dice on 5'9" Nick Allen developing enough of an offensive game to complement his Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop when they gave him an above-slot bonus of $2 million as a third-round pick in 2017. He hit .292/.363/.434 with 30 extra-base hits and 13 steals at High-A, and his stock is now on the rise.

• Lazaro Armenteros still has the loud raw tools that convinced the A's to give him a $3 million bonus in 2016, and he slugged 22 doubles and 17 home runs at High-A in 2019. Unfortunately, he also struck out a staggering 227 times for a 42.2 percent strikeout rate. For now, he's Seuly Matias with more hype and less power.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• It's a testament to the depth of the Toronto Blue Jays system that they graduated Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Danny Jansen and Sean Reid-Foley to the majors and still land a spot in the upper half of these rankings.

• Gabriel Moreno (2016), Miguel Hiraldo (2017) and Orelvis Martinez (2018) were signed in consecutive years on the international free-agent market. That trio represents the future of this system, along with 2018 first-round pick Jordan Groshans and 2019 first-round pick Alek Manoah.

• One of the more confounding prospects in baseball, Alejandro Kirk doesn't have a ton of power, he doesn't run well and he's a below-average defender. However, he's also a career .315/.418/.500 hitter in 619 minor league plate appearances, with more walks (89) than strikeouts (60). There's enough foundation defensively to believe he can develop into an offensive-minded regular.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• All signs point to Luis Robert earning a spot on the Opening Day roster now that his newly minted six-year, $50 million extension will eliminate the need for service time manipulation, and a healthy Michael Kopech could reach the majors in short order as well. There's still plenty of intriguing talent behind that duo once they do inevitably graduate, but a slide down the rankings is coming.

• Andrew Vaughn could be ready to take over the everyday first baseman by 2021 after going No. 3 overall last June. There's a lot to like about a future infield of Vaughn, Nick Madrigal, Tim Anderson and Yoan Moncada.

• Former Tier 1 prospects Dane Dunning, Zack Collins and Blake Rutherford all have something to prove heading into 2020. Can they regain their elite-level prospect status?

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The Baltimore Orioles are in for another long year at the MLB level after piling up 223 losses the past two seasons, but the farm system has been steadily climbing these rankings and the future looks increasingly bright.

• Finding a late-round steal is always nice, but hitting on your top pick is of the utmost importance for a rebuilding team. The O's have seemingly done that with DL Hall (No. 21 overall in 2017), Grayson Rodriguez (No. 11 overall in 2018) and Adley Rutschman (No. 1 overall in 2019) headlining the system.

• They have an abundance of high-floor, low-ceiling left-handed pitching prospects, including Keegan Akin, Zac Lowther, Alex Wells and Drew Rom. It will be interesting to see if the organization can use 2019 All-Star John Means as a model of sorts to help mold those guys into MLB contributors.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The San Francisco Giants system has come an extremely long way in a very short period of time, thanks to a mix of high-ceiling additions on the international market and early draft picks that have performed well in the early going. This ranking might be a bit aggressive, but the talent is there to justify it.

• Aside from potential future superstar Marco Luciano, who was the prize of the 2018 international crop, the Giants have also received promising early returns from Alexander Canario (2016), Luis Toribio (2017), Luis Matos (2018) and Jairo Pomares (2018) among their recent J2 signings.

• With Logan Webb likely to break camp with a spot in the rotation, left-hander Seth Corry will soon be the team's top pitching prospect. The 6'2" left-hander posted a 1.76 ERA with 172 strikeouts in 122.2 innings at Single-A while showing vastly improved command.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• Thanks in large part to an impressive haul of pitching talent from the 2018 draft and the addition of top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. at No. 2 overall last June, the Kansas City Royals now have a top-10 farm system and some legitimate hope for the future.

• Of the prospects mentioned above, Brady Singer (No. 18 overall), Jackson Kowar (No. 33), Daniel Lynch (No. 34), Kris Bubic (No. 40), Jonathan Bowlan (No. 58), Kyle Isbel (No. 94) and Austin Cox (No. 152) were all selected by the Royals in the 2018 draft.

• A Tier 1 prospect at the start of 2019 on the heels of a breakout offensive season, MJ Melendez hit a brutal .163/.260/.311 with a 39.4 percent strikeout rate at High-A last year. At 21 years old, he has plenty of time to right the ship, and the 2020 season will be an important one for him.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The Miami Marlins have spent the past several seasons wheeling and dealing, and they have an impressive collection of prospect talent to show for it. With little in the way of long-term building blocks at the MLB level, the farm system will be a focal point for the fan base in the years to come.

• Sixto Sanchez (via PHI), Jesus Sanchez (via TB), Jazz Chisholm (via ARI), Monte Harrison (via MIL), Lewin Diaz (via MIN), Jose Devers (via NYY) and Nick Neidert (via SEA) were all added in trades. All of those players could see the majors by the end of 2021.

• Outfielder Jerar Encarnacion was one of the under-the-radar breakout prospects of 2019. He hit .276/.331/.425 with 26 doubles and 16 home runs at High-A after struggling mightily in his first three pro seasons. He then showed well in the Arizona Fall League.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• Thanks to the Zack Greinke trade, a stacked 2019 draft class, some big hits on the international market and a breakout season from Alek Thomas, the Arizona Diamondbacks have climbed all the way up to the No. 8 spot in these rankings.

• Kristian Robinson entered the D-backs system with lofty expectations after signing for a $2.5 million bonus. The same cannot be said of fellow top prospect Geraldo Perdomo, who signed for a modest $70,000 during the 2016 international free-agent window.

• The system is top-heavy with position-player talent, and it will be interesting to see who emerges from the likes of Levi Kelly, Matt Tabor, J.B. Bukauskas, Luis Frias, Brennan Malone, Blake Walston, Corbin Martin and Jon Duplantier. The lack of top-tier pitching talent was no doubt part of the reason for the Jazz Chisholm-for-Zac Gallen swap last summer.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The addition of Riley Greene with the No. 5 overall pick last June and the emergence of Tarik Skubal as one of the breakout prospects of 2019 have given the Detroit Tigers four elite-level players atop their farm system, with plenty more potential MLB contributors to boot.

• Skubal, a ninth-round pick in 2018 who missed two collegiate seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery, posted a 2.42 ERA and 1.01 WHIP while holding opponents to a .196 average and racking up 179 strikeouts in 122.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. He's the real deal.

• Aside from drafting well, the front office has also done well on the trade market. Of the guys mentioned above, Isaac Paredes (via CHC), Willi Castro (via CLE), Jake Rogers, Daz Cameron and Franklin Perez (via HOU), and Joey Wentz (via ATL) were all acquired via trade.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff remain the headliners of the Minnesota Twins system, but it's the pitching prospect trio of Brusdar Graterol, Jordan Balazovic and Jhoan Duran that has helped elevate it to the No. 6 spot in these rankings.

• Balazovic (2.69 ERA, 129 K, 93.2 IP at A+/AA) and Duran (3.76 ERA, 136 K, 115 IP at A+/AA) were among the biggest breakout pitching prospects of 2019, and their development has helped offset the disappointment surrounding flops like Tyler Jay, Kohl Stewart and Stephen Gonsalves.

• Trevor Larnach hit .309/.384/.458 with 30 doubles and 13 home runs while reaching Double-A in his first full season after going No. 20 overall in 2018. With Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario and Byron Buxton entrenched in the MLB outfield and Kirilloff ahead of him on the prospect depth chart, he could be a valuable trade chip for a contending Twins team.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• With Gavin Lux, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin all potentially ticketed for the Opening Day roster and both Alex Verdugo and Will Smith exhausting their prospect status in 2019, the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system is as deep as it was a year ago, but it's still loaded.

• Josiah Gray pitched to a 2.28 ERA with 147 strikeouts in 130 innings and Jeter Downs posted an .888 OPS with 35 doubles and 24 home runs, as both prospects reached Double-A in 2019. The seven-player trade to acquire them from the Reds last offseason could go down as quite the heist.

• A third-round pick out of Butler last June, Ryan Pepiot was dominant in his pro debut, posting a 1.93 ERA and .181 opponents' batting average with 31 strikeouts in 23.1 innings. That's a small sample size, but the 6'3", 215-pound right-hander has opened some eyes.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• The Seattle Mariners added elite prospect Jarred Kelenic in a trade with the Mets last offseason, but it's the excellent job they've done drafting and scouring the international market in recent years that has vaulted them into the top five of these rankings.

• First-round picks Kyle Lewis (No. 11 overall in 2016), Evan White (No. 17 overall in 2017), Logan Gilbert (No. 14 overall in 2018) and George Kirby (No. 20 overall in 2019) all rank among the team's top prospects, along with third-round pick Cal Raleigh (No. 90 in 2018).

• After Julio Rodriguez turned in a breakout full-season debut in 2019, Noelvi Marte could be ready to follow suit after raking in the Dominican Summer League to the tune of a .309/.371/.511 line that included 31 extra-base hits and 17 steals in 65 games.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• Even with top prospects like Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, Mike Soroka, Sean Newcomb, Max Fried, Austin Riley and Touki Toussaint moving on to the majors, the Atlanta Braves somehow still have one of the deepest farm systems in baseball, headlined by two of the best outfield prospects in the game.

• Cristian Pache, Drew Waters and Ian Anderson all closed out the 2019 season at Triple-A, and while none of them has a clear path to playing time at the MLB level, expect to see them in the big leagues at some point in 2020.

• In a system loaded with top-tier pitching talent, left-hander Tucker Davidson has gone largely unnoticed as a 19th-round pick in 2016. However, after posting a 2.15 ERA with 134 strikeouts in 129.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, he is knocking on the MLB door.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• In last year's version of this article, the San Diego Padres staked claim to the No. 1 spot in these rankings. They have since welcomed Fernando Tatis Jr., Chris Paddack, Francisco Mejia, Cal Quantrill and Josh Naylor to the majors and traded Luis Urias, Logan Allen and Xavier Edwards, yet they still have one of the game's best collections of prospect talent.

• The 2019 season saw right-hander Luis Patino go from intriguing pitching prospect on the rise to legitimately one of the top pitching prospect in baseball. He posted a 2.57 ERA with 123 strikeouts in 94.2 innings, and he could make his MLB debut before his 21st birthday.

• There's enough depth here that Joey Cantillo couldn't crack the top 10, despite posting a 2.26 ERA with 144 K in 111.2 IP and a stingy .179 opponents' batting average. The 20-year-old southpaw is one to watch going into 2020.

Top 10 Prospects

Notes

• Not only do the Tampa Bay Rays have the top prospect in baseball in Wander Franco, but they also have the deepest farm system in baseball and sterling track record of developing in-house.

• Questions about his command dropped Shane McClanahan to No. 31 overall in the 2018 draft, and he already looks like a steal. The hard-throwing southpaw had a 3.36 ERA and a 154-to-45 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 120.2 innings over three minor league levels last year, reaching Double-A in the process.

• No team in baseball does a better job developing pitching talent, and the Rays appear to have found something special in 2018 seventh-round pick Joe Ryan. An uptick in velocity and a lethal fastball-curveball combination helped him pile up 183 strikeouts in 123.2 innings last year, along with a 1.96 ERA and 0.84 WHIP.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.