As MiLB.com continues to roll out its MiLBY awards, the Chicago Cubs just took him the most important one: best farm system.
The Cubs didn’t just win it, according to the MiLB.com staff, it sounds like it wasn’t particularly close. A snippet of praise: “[N]o team, in our estimation, could compete with the performance of Chicago’s top prospects. The best players took strides toward stardom, and it added even more impact talent at the trade deadline. The top pitchers were outstanding – at least when healthy – and at the lower levels, a second tier of high-ceiling prospects emerged as the initial cavalry began graduating to the Major League level.” The staff noted that, in terms of results and performance, the Cubs were one of the better farm systems, too, with a .520 winning percentage and three playoff appearances.
The article that accompanies the award is worth a read, especially if you’d forgotten just how huge this year was for the Cubs on the prospect side.
Another award the Cubs’ farm system nabbed: the best team, the Kane County Cougars. That’s pretty much a given when you lead all of the full-season minor leagues in winning percentage and win your league’s title. With excellent pitching and defense all year, the Cougars got just enough offense to keep winning. There won’t be a repeat next year for the Cubs in this award, at least not in Kane County. The Cubs’ Low-A affiliate will be in South Bend next year.