Yesterday, I began a series of posts that will cover the top-15 prospects in each system over the next few days. After some talking with Dave, we've decided to take things a step further and build top-100 lists that we'll present together next week. We'll also do some side-by-side lists for a few of the top farm systems in the game- Kansas City, Toronto, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and New York. But we'll be leaving those posts for last, so before we get into the elite farm systems and the top-100 lists, I thought we would continue our team-by-team lists today. I'll keep posting these lists over the next few days, so expect to see the aforementioned side-by-side lists and our top-100 lists some time next week.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
1) RHP Jameson Taillon
2) C Tony Sanchez
3) RHP Stetson Allie
4) RHP Luis Heredia
5) OF Starling Marte
6) LHP Rudy Owens
7) LHP Jeff Locke
8) RHP Bryan Morris
9) RHP Zach Von Rosenberg
10) SS Chase d'Arnaud
11) LHP Justin Wilson
12) RHP Diego Moreno
13) LHP Colton Cain
14) OF Mel Rojas Jr.
15) LHP Zach Dodson
Considering where this system was a couple years ago, looking at this list has to make Pirates fans a bit excited. Taillon, Allie and Heredia all have top-of-the-rotation potential, and Taillon is among the very best pitching prospects in the game. The lack of position player talent is somewhat concerning, but with McCutchen, Alvarez, Tabata and Walker at the MLB-level that's also somewhat due to graduations. Sanchez should emerge as one of the better catchers in baseball, and Marte could emerge as one of the better outfield prospects in baseball with a strong 2011. You have to love the club's willingness to spend on amateur talent, which has manifested itself in the likes of Alvarez, Taillon, Allie, Von Rosenberg and Heredia.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
1) RHP Shelby Miller
2) RHP Carlos Martinez
3) 3B Zach Cox
4) RHP Tyrell Jenkins
5) RHP Lance Lynn
6) RHP Seth Blair
7) 3B Matt Carpenter
8) RHP Eduardo Sanchez
9) OF Oscar Taveras
10) RHP Jordan Swagerty
11) 1B/OF Allen Craig
12) RHP Joe Kelly
13) 2B Daniel Descalso
14) RHP Maikel Cleto
15) OF Adron Chambers
There's not a ton of depth considering that the team's been aggressive in trades over the past couple years, but there's still some premium talent in this organization. Miller is among the top-10 pitching prospects in baseball, and Martinez could easily join him in those ranks by next year. There's not a ton of elite talent beyond those two, as the estimation of Cox's upside tends to polarize evaluators. There are some potentially solid role players and/or second-division starters here, guys like Carpenter, Sanchez, Craig and Descalso, but there's probably not much chance for a star to emerge behind the top-4 guys.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
1) RHP Mark Rogers
2) RHP Wily Peralta
3) RHP Cody Scarpetta
4) RHP Amaury Rivas
5) OF Kentrail Davis
6) RHP Kyle Heckathorn
7) 2B Scooter Gennett
8) RHP Tyler Thornburg
9) OF D'Vontrey Richardson
10) C Tyler Roberts
11) OF Caleb Gindl
12) RHP Jimmy Nelson
13) 2B Eric Farris
14) 1B Hunter Morris
15) OF Erik Komatsu
This isn't going to shock anybody, but this is clearly the worst farm system in baseball right now. I mean, damn, that MLB starting rotation looks solid for next season, but it cost them every premium prospect their system had. There's not really a clear impact player in the system anymore, although Rogers is intriguing with his returning velocity and they have some raw guys with upside, like toolsy center fielder D'Vontrey Richardson. But there's not a top-100 prospect in the system unless you're particularly high on Rogers, and the depth isn't fantastic.