ESPN Farm Rankings

[RedsfaninMT]

ESPN Insider ranks the Reds farm system as 19th, saying it would have been top 10 before the Latos trade. The other comment is:

"Outside of Devin Mesoraco, every guy with high ceiling in this system played in low Class A or below in 2011, and they're all quite high risk to go with the high reward."

Cards are 4th, Pirates 8th, Cubs 20th and Brewers 23rd.

With the picks they have this year, the Reds have the ability to climb that list fast again.

[Nathan]

That doesn't surprise me. With most of the Reds under contract for a few more years, they will be alright.

[OGB]

The Reds have a lot of players in low and high A ball who could really bolster the farm system rankings for 2013 if they start showing their potential. Fingers crossed that some players like Corcino, Stephenson, Hamilton, Rodriguez, and Duran have big seasons. That might result in the Reds being ranked around 8-11 next season.

[nmculbreth]

Seems fair.

Outside of Mesoraco and Cozart there aren't many MLB-ready prospects left in the system. That said with all of the talent that was in Dayton last season and three top fifty picks in upcoming draft I'd expect their rank to be higher this time next season.

That said I'll take a legitimate playoff contender over a stocked farm system any day of the week.

[OGB]

Seems fair.

Outside of Mesoraco and Cozart there aren't many MLB-ready prospects left in the system. That said with all of the talent that was in Dayton last season and three top fifty picks in upcoming draft I'd expect their rank to be higher this time next season.

That said I'll take a legitimate playoff contender over a stocked farm system any day of the week.

Exactly, the current roster is comprised in a way, that they won't require prospects to fill many roster spots for 2-3 seasons. They just don't have much trade bait right now if a deadline acquisition becomes an issue.

[Alpha Zero]

The Reds still have one of the best groups of players 25 & younger in the game including Bruce, Mesoraco, Latos, Cueto, and Leake. All of those guys are under team control for at least four more seasons. Votto is still the best player on the team, but if he does choose to leave in two years, the core will still be strong for a while.

With all that said, I hope that the Reds can use those 4 high draft picks this year to re-stock the system and begin building the next wave of young prospects to hit Cincinnati. This year will be pivotal for the farm system.

[alett12]

I don't see how the cards are so high up on this list, you never really hear about any prospects they have so i just don't see how they can be that high.

[Spazzrico]

I know nothing about it, but It could be because they are the Cards and every lump of doodoo they get their hands on turns out to be a lump of gold in a doodoo shape that they just needed to wash. That club just seems to be so damn lucky to me at least.

[Grouse]

Alot of our guys in AA and A were there because our AAA team was loaded. Now that our AAA team is bare they will reload with those players. We needed to clean out the closet IMO. It does not matter what level our players are at, it only matters how good they will be.

[alett12]

I know nothing about it, but It could be because they are the Cards and every lump of doodoo they get their hands on turns out to be a lump of gold in a doodoo shape that they just needed to wash. That club just seems to be so damn lucky to me at least.

that is true, I've never seen a team have so much success with a bunch of nobodies with albert, holliday and berkman

[brad1176]

I don't know the Cards farm system, but having Shelby Miller and Matt Adams in it really drives their ranking up.

[nmculbreth]

I don't see how the cards are so high up on this list, you never really hear about any prospects they have so i just don't see how they can be that high.

They've done a much better job at drafting and player development in recent years, which is why they're so high on the list.

The Cards have six players on Keith Law's top 100 prospects list, which is linked below, including two fairly advanced / high ceiling starters (Miller and Martinez) in the top 25.

For what it's worth the Reds were fairly well represented with Mesoraco (#8), Corcino (#54) and Hamilton (#64) even after trading away Grandal (#65) and Alonso (#69). Add this to the number of home grown players on the MLB roster and it's hard not to be impressed by the job the Reds scouting and player development staff has done over the past few years.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7547690/mlb-top-100-prospects-2012-mike-trout-bryce-harper-more

[alett12]

They've done a much better job at drafting and player development in recent years, which is why they're so high on the list.

The Cards have six players on Keith Law's top 100 prospects list, which is linked below, including two fairly advanced / high ceiling starters (Miller and Martinez) in the top 25.

For what it's worth the Reds were fairly well represented with Mesoraco (#8), Corcino (#54) and Hamilton (#64) even after trading away Grandal (#65) and Alonso (#69). Add this to the number of home grown players on the MLB roster and it's hard not to be impressed by the job the Reds scouting and player development staff has done over the past few years.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7547690/mlb-top-100-prospects-2012-mike-trout-bryce-harper-more

ok, thanks for explaining that one

[Tadasimha]

I don't know the Cards farm system, but having Shelby Miller and Matt Adams in it really drives their ranking up.

By all accounts I've seen, Miller will be starting in AA this season but he won't be there long. Per the Lindy's preseason mag, he's got a good chance of a late season call up to the majors.

Matt Adams can flat out rake. Saw him play here in the QC two seasons ago and he utterly crushes the ball and he hits for a high average for a power guy. He'll probably be in AAA this season and if he keeps hitting, he'll be the starting 1st baseman in 2013. He's not a gold glover but he's a pretty decent 1st baseman.

[joshua]

The Cards have two really good almost-MLB-Ready pitching prospects that could come up this year or next. Not good news for us knowing that Carp is getting old and Wainright could fall off after TJ.

The Reds will stock back up. That Latos trade is all that tore us down, but a lot of those guys had no where to go in our organization.

[alett12]

The Cards have two really good almost-MLB-Ready pitching prospects that could come up this year or next. Not good news for us knowing that Carp is getting old and Wainright could fall off after TJ.

The Reds will stock back up. That Latos trade is all that tore us down, but a lot of those guys had no where to go in our organization.

that is very true I almost would've prefered to see them trade two more minor league starters and try and keep Grandal just because of the value of the cather posistion but I see the reds just going out and drafting best avalible for all three, possibly four 1st round picks

[brad1176]

I'd say Grandal was in the trade with the thought that Tucker Barnhart will be ready by the time Hanigan is done.

[alett12]

I'd say Grandal was in the trade with the thought that Tucker Barnhart will be ready by the time Hanigan is done.

True, i forgot about him

[Can Of Corn]

It wasn't but 5 years ago people were saying the Cards had a terrible farm. And, IMO it's still not THAT great outside of a handful of players. These rankings revolve around nothing but potential and speculation on potential. It can change very quickly. Injury here, trade there and you're farm looks totally different.

[OGB]

It wasn't but 5 years ago people were saying the Cards had a terrible farm. And, IMO it's still not THAT great outside of a handful of players. These rankings revolve around nothing but potential and speculation on potential. It can change very quickly. Injury here, trade there and you're farm looks totally different.

I read through Keith Law's top 100, and I was amazed at how many of the players were 21 or younger. At that age, a lot can still go wrong on the way to the majors. I'm pretty sure a lot of the Cardinals that were featured were between 19 and 21.

[RedsfaninMT]

I read through Keith Law's top 100, and I was amazed at how many of the players were 21 or younger. At that age, a lot can still go wrong on the way to the majors. I'm pretty sure a lot of the Cardinals that were featured were between 19 and 21.

Agreed. But Keith Law's point about the Reds was exactly that - they have a lot of younger talent in A ball that could jump their ranking big time - or drop them. I, for one, will be very interested to see how Billy Hamilton does a year after learning to switch hit.

[10xWSChamps]

It wasn't but 5 years ago people were saying the Cards had a terrible farm. And, IMO it's still not THAT great outside of a handful of players. These rankings revolve around nothing but potential and speculation on potential. It can change very quickly. Injury here, trade there and you're farm looks totally different.

A handful of players is all it really takes. If you could take a vote on best pitching prospect in the minors I imagine Shelby Miller could come out on top, certainly among RHPers. Miller is certainly the most talented in the minors right now, although LHPers get a deserved handicap in rankings for obvious reasons. Carlos Martinez is not far behind. Combine those two with Oscar Tavares (OF) and Matt Adams (1B/LF) and it is a serious list of prospects.

Whomever comes after those four doesn't really matter a whole lot... It's all about the top list of prospects. "Depth" is really neither here nor there in farm system rankings, everyone has depth or can easily acquire depth. It's all about who has the most guys who are projected to be all-star caliber players.

[10xWSChamps]

I should also say that indeed, as a couple posters mentioned, the Cardinals farm system was not good 4-5 years ago. It can be quickly remedied though if you're willing to spend the money.

Carlos Martinez was a high priced prospect the Cards signed in the Dominican. We also just signed another a few weeks ago, Oscar Tavares. He was also from the Dominican, a 17 year old that cost $1.75M (signing bonus). If you are willing to spend, not only on players but also on scouting in these Latin countries, you can build a nice farm system.

With the loss of Pujols and Edwin Jackson we will also have a great deal of high picks in the upcoming draft, the Cardinals farm system could quite easily be the best in baseball in 2013.