The minor league season has sadly come to its end. That means one thing. It’s time to start preparing for 2019 rankings.
Whether it was via the draft or the MLB trade deadline, several organizations improved this past season. Let’s take a look at a few who vastly improved on the farm.
Kansas City Royals
Former @UVABaseball southpaw Daniel Lynch made quite the debut for the @LexingtonLegend in 2018.
— johnsickels (@MinorLeagueBall) September 16, 2018
Here are 3 things to know about exciting #Royals LHP prospect. https://t.co/N55kuohvU1 pic.twitter.com/IT20rnYfG6
Simply put, it couldn’t get worse. The Royals were ranked No. 30 but our own John Sickels in his preseason farm rankings. A solid draft and some nice 2018 performances will see them make a jump come 2019.
Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, Daniel Lynch (who was recently profiled on Minor League Ball), and Kris Bubic give the Royals system four college-prepped, near major-league ready arms, all of which have more positives than negatives.
Offensively, Khalil Lee continues to be an exciting toolsy prospect, though still very raw. The 20-year-old Seuly Matias had a power-breakout to remember with 31 blasts before getting hurt. Nick Pratto had an exciting full-season for the South Atlantic League champion Lexington Legends, showing nice contact skills, gap power, over-the-fence pop despite some strikeout issues.
The Royals were able to add some pieces like Kelvin Gutierrez via trade that gives them some nice depth. Unlike last year, there’s something to be excited about on the Royals farm.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles may not have done enough to boost them into the upper echelon of farm systems, but they certainly have a top 15 or 20 worth talking about now, a far cry from years past.
They brought in some nice pieces at the deadline, primarily Yusneil Diaz from the Dodgers in the Manny Machado trade who easily becomes the organization’s best prospect heading into 2019. Gaining the top prospect on the farm is enough to end the discussion, but the list goes on. Dillon Tate and Cody Carroll came over from the Yankees for Zach Britton, Jean Carlos Encarnacion and Brett Cumberland came over in the Kevin Gausman deal, and Luis Ortiz came to Baltimore for Jonathan Schoop.
But wait, there’s more.
Pieces like Grayson Rodriguez, Blaine Knight, and Cadyn Grenier were added through the draft. Though it’s not elite talent, there is suddenly some nice depth in Baltimore.
Tampa Bay Rays
I know what you’re saying. How does one of the bets farm systems improve its stock? But the Rays will vie for the top farm system spot in 2019 thanks to some nice draft picks and the return of Brent Honeywell.
Wander Franco
— Prospects Live (@ProspectsLive) September 19, 2018
Batting practice video from Day 1 of Instructs#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/MvLmlMn5hy
Here’s a team who’s top pitching prospect (whether you feel that’s Honeywell or Brendan McKay) and top positional prospect (whether you think that’s Jesus Sanchez or Wander Franco) rival any in baseball. And they got better. Matthew Liberatore would be more than a handful of team’s best pitching prospect and Shane McClanahan adjusted to professional baseball by not allowing a run and striking out 13 and walking one over his first seven innings. This organization worked a deal for Chris Archer that netted the Pirates former top bat (Austin Meadows), former top arm (Tyler Glasnow), and still somehow got Shane Baz as a PTBNL. Throw in an experienced minor league arm like Jalen Beeks acquired for Nathan Eovaldi and there is no question that this Rays farm system is even better than last year.
What the Rays did this season on the big league level defies many laws of baseball. To think that they are only going to get better is frightening.
Detroit Tigers
As we discussed the other day at Minor League Ball, the Tigers have strategically added a nice arsenal of young arms over the past two seasons, which should surely see a jump in the 2019 farm rankings. This year’s first overall pick Casey Mize joins a an intriguing group of arms that was recently made stronger with the addition of Logan Shore from the Athletics.
They’ve picked up some interesting bats as well starting last August with names like Daz Cameron, Jake Rogers and Dustin Peterson. The process may be a slow one, but it seems the Tigers are coming along.
And the completely missed the boat award goes to:
New York Mets
The Mets continued to be one of the most confusing team’s in baseball. With an aging and injury-prone roster, the front office (whatever incarnation that may currently be) stood pat, firmly believing that this roster can compete in the near future.
They added some nice pieces, like Will Coffey and Bobby Wahl in the Familia deal, and picking up Franklyn Kilome from the Phillies, but none of those bolstered the Mets to the next level.
Amed Rosario is looking like the prospect we thought he was in the latter half of the season, but Michael Conforto didn’t take the step forward expected this season and Dom Smith was a nightmare. They have some nice young pieces like Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeill that impressed in 2018. Had they dangled a Jacob deGrom or any of their pitchers on the market, they likely could have gotten a king’s ransom with one of the weaker trade deadline markets.
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