NEWSLETTER
MLB Pipeline was the last of the mainstream prospecting punditry to wrap its rankings season thanks to the lockout, but we recently got the Cubs’ full top 30 prospect list, and now the farm system rankings are out.
And, like the lists that preceded this one, the Cubs’ farm system wind up somewhere in the middle-of-the-pack, for reasons we’ve discussed before:
We’re down to the Top 10!
Who has MLB’s top farm system? https://t.co/g1pwyfa23S pic.twitter.com/x0JecQBuFb
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 30, 2022
18. Chicago Cubs
2021 midseason rank: 18
2021 preseason rank: 22
2020 midseason rank: 26
2020 preseason rank: 23
Top 100 Prospects: Brennen Davis (No. 15), Cristian Hernandez (No. 92)After building up a formidable farm system and parlaying it into the 2016 World Series championship, the Cubs are trying to travel that same route again. Six of their seven best prospects have arrived since the start of 2021: shortstop Cristian Hernandez from the international market, infielder James Triantos and left-hander Jordan Wicks from the Draft and right-hander Caleb Kilian and outfielders Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kevin Alcantara via trades.
As you can see, it’s once again a situation where the prospecting service sees a significant improvement for the system from where it was at the depths of 2020, but also dings it for a lack of top 100 type prospects at the upper levels. The potential is there for the Cubs to rocket up the farm system rankings as soon as midseason this year (I would bet on consensus top ten status by the end of the year, with some services saying top five, just sayin’). But the many young prospects have to actually continue to show out as they move into full season leagues, and/or move up to higher levels of competition.
For divisional reference, the Brewers rank 25th, the Cardinals rank 16th, the Reds rank 15th, and the Pirates rank 7th.
