Photo by Allen Greene Photography
Every year since 1984, Baseball America has ranked each team in Major League Baseball for who has the best farm system. In their first two rankings back in 1984 and 1985, the New York Mets topped their list for having the best farm system in baseball.
The Tampa Bay Rays have now accomplished that same feat, becoming just the sixth team to ever receive back-to-back No. 1 rankings in Baseball America’s Farm System rankings. The other five were the Mets (1984,1985), the Braves (1994-1995), the Brewers (2003-2004), the Rays (2007-2008) and the Braves (2017-2018).
When looking over Baseball America’s rankings this year, one has to scroll all the way down into the 20s before finding the Mets. Last year, the Amazin’s ranked 25th compared to the other farm systems in baseball. Despite trading for Francisco Lindor, New York has risen a bit in those rankings this year.
Baseball America has the Mets ranked between the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers for having the 23rd-best farm system in the game today. Baseball America says the following about the Mets system right now:
The top of the Mets’ system packs a punch but lacks proximity. Trades of quality prospects from recent draft classes—Jarred Kelenic and Simeon Woods Richardson (2018), Josh Wolf (2019) and Isaiah Greene (2020)—have thinned system depth significantly.
Former GM Brodie Van Wagenen certainly played a part in this low ranking, as he was quick to trade prospects like Kelenic in win-now moves throughout his two-year tenure with the Mets.
Still, Baseball America notes that there are very talented prospects to keep an eye on down in the farm, as Francisco Alvarez (48), Ronny Mauricio (65) and Matthew Allan (98) all rank in their list of top 100 prospects.
