This year’s most talented Minor League rosters
It’s extraordinarily early within the season, after all, however to this point, so good for the Rangers. Coming off their worst three-year successful proportion (.391) for the reason that franchise moved to the Texas in 1972, they opened this yr by sweeping the defending National League champion Phillies and at the moment share first place within the American League West with the Angels.
After shelling out almost $900 million in contract commitments totally free brokers over the last two offseasons, the Rangers are poised to develop from inside going ahead. They have baseball’s seventh-ranked farm system and a completely loaded Double-A Frisco affiliate that features 4 Top 100 prospects, led by outfielder Evan Carter.
The RoughRiders headline our rating of essentially the most gifted groups within the Minors, which options three repeaters (Frisco, Tulsa, Memphis) from final yr’s listing. Our 2022 prime 10 additionally included 4 Double-A groups that fed Triple-A golf equipment on this yr’s: Montgomery to Durham, Binghamton to Syracuse, Altoona to Indianapolis and Akron to Columbus.
1. Frisco RoughRiders (Rangers, Double-A)
Carter (No. 40 on the Top 100) has top-of-the-line batting eyes within the Minors, right-handers Owen White (No. 65) and Jack Leiter (No. 77) have frontline-starter upside and shortstop Luisangel Acuña (No. 70) is an explosive athlete if not fairly as explosive as his older brother Ronald. The defending Texas League champions additionally characteristic two extra of the very best hitters within the Rangers system in outfielder Dustin Harris and infielder Thomas Saggese, one other future rotation choice in right-hander Tekoah Roby and fast-track reliever Marc Church.
2. Norfolk Tides (Orioles, Triple-A)
If the mum or dad Orioles hadn’t promoted Grayson Rodriguez to the large leagues on Wednesday, Norfolk would have overwhelmed out Frisco for the highest spot. The Tides must accept matching the RoughRiders with a Minor League-high 4 Top 100 Prospects: outfielder Colton Cowser (No. 39), infielder Jordan Westburg (No. 73), left-hander DL Hall (No. 96) and shortstop Joey Ortiz (No. 98). Second baseman Connor Norby is on the verge of cracking the Top 100 as nicely.
3. Durham Bulls (Rays, Triple-A)
Durham is essentially the most persistently profitable Minor League franchise, having received 4 of the final 5 International League championships and three of the previous 5 Triple-A postseason occasions. The Bulls are equipped for an additional title run with right-hander Taj Bradley (No. 19), third baseman Curtis Mead (No. 32) and first baseman Kyle Manzardo (No. 72). Shortstop Oslevis Basabe offers them a 3rd sweet-swinging infielder and outfielder Kameron Misner is a premium athlete.
4. Tulsa Drillers (Dodgers, Double-A)
Tulsa would have a case for No. 1 if we had been rating rosters on sheer depth. Catcher Diego Cartaya (No. 13) and outfielder Andy Pages (No. 80) are the most important names in a formidable lineup that additionally consists of double-play companions Eddys Leonard and Jorbit Vivas and outfielders Johnny DeLuca and Jose Ramos. Nick Frasso and River Ryan might bounce onto the Top 100 after becoming a member of the Dodgers in minor trades final yr, and fellow right-handers Emmet Sheehan and Landon Knack additionally ought to attain the large leagues.
5. Syracuse Mets (Mets, Triple-A)
No different group can match Syracuse’s dynamic duo of elite prospects in catcher Francisco Álvarez (No. 2) and third baseman Brett Baty (No. 20). Shortstop Ronny Mauricio and third baseman Mark Vientos give the Mets two extra harmful sluggers. Their prime arm is right-hander Jose Butto, who includes a 92-97 mph fastball and the very best changeup within the system.
6. Indianapolis Indians (Pirates, Triple-A)
Indianapolis has a balanced membership. The lineup consists of catcher Endy Rodríguez (No. 54), second baseman Nick Gonzales and first baseman Malcom Nunez. Right-handers Quinn Priester (No. 59), Luis Ortiz and Michael Burrows entrance a top quality rotation. Priester, Gonzales and outfielder Travis Swaggerty are former first-round picks, whereas right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski was a supplemental first-rounder.
7. Columbus Clippers (Guardians, Triple-A)
Columbus has three Top 100 Prospects in catcher Bo Naylor (No. 63), right-hander Tanner Bibee (No. 64) and shortstop Brayan Rocchio (No. 74) and would have matched Frisco and Norfolk with a fourth if outfielder George Valera (No. 50) weren’t on the injured listing with a sore proper wrist. Logan Allen offers the Clippers a refined lefty starter and outfielder Jhonkensy Noel completed sixth within the Minors with 32 homers final season.
8. Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies, Double-A)
Hartford boasts 9 of the Rockies’ Top 30 Prospects, together with a pair of Top 100 guys in outfielder Zac Veen (No. 26) and catcher Drew Romo (No. 83). Coming off massive 2022 seasons, third baseman Warming Bernabel and first baseman Hunter Goodman add extra firepower to the lineup. Joe Rock is the very best left-hander in Colorado’s system.
9. Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals, Triple-A)
Shortstop Masyn Winn (No. 49) has the strongest infield arm within the Minors, Ivan Herrera is a possible massive league beginning catcher and outfielder Moises Gómez topped the Minors with 39 homers final season. As for the arms, Gordon Graceffo (No. 78) and Matthew Liberatore are a top quality righty/lefty tandem and southpaw Connor Thomas was the Arizona Fall League pitcher of the yr.
10. Tennessee Smokies (Cubs, Double-A)
Several gamers who received the 2022 Midwest League championship at High-A South Bend have made the bounce to Tennessee, led by outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (No. 27), the Cubs’ prime prospect and the consensus greatest defender within the Minors. Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown, Daniel Palencia and Porter Hodge give the Smokies one of many deepest rotations round. Outfielder Owen Caissie presents a number of the greatest uncooked energy within the system and catcher Miguel Amaya had a robust spring as he put 2021 Tommy John surgical procedure additional behind him.
