Group 6 - The Crown Jewels

June 10, 2018, 07:13:59 AM

Ankeny ACL’s

What a stable of talent Ankeny has amassed. They are led by outfielder Victor Robles and shortstop Gleyber Torres, both consensus top ten prospects and potential All-Star level performers at high end positions. Willie Calhoun and Willy Adames add quality depth. On the pitching side, Michael Kopech is arguably the top arm in the minors, and Mike Siroka, Jon Duplantier, and Brent Honeywell could all be quality rotation pieces. The ACL’s also boast two of the fastest climbers in outfielder Juan Soto and catcher Keibert Ruiz. Both could end up inside the top ten rankings by years end. The depth and quality of talent in this system is truly astounding. It is conceivable that within the next couple seasons the ACL’s could field a completely homegrown team with these current prospects joining the likes of Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, Miguel Sano, Willson Contreras, Javier Baez, and Michael Conforto, who have all been promoted just the past couple seasons, on the field and Kopech, Siroka, Duplantier, and Honeywell anchoring the rotation along with recently promoted Julio Urias and James Paxton. For all of you in the Harwell Eastern . . . I feel for you.

Top Prospects: 1. Victor Robles (OF), 2. Gleyber Torres (2B), 3. Michael Kopech (SP), 4. Willie Calhoun (OF), 5. Mike Siroka (SP), 6. Willy Adames (SS), 7. Juan Soto (OF), 8. Jon Duplantier (SP), 9. Brent Honeywell (SP), 10. Keibert Ruiz (C), 11. Austin Meadows (OF), 12. Ryan Mountcastle (SS), 13. Superman (Bench)

AZ Koi

Shrewd drafting of a number of previously unheralded fast climbers have set the Koi squarely in the discussion for top farm systems. The likes of Bo Bichette, Forrest Whitley, Mitch Keller, Sixto Sanchez have all shot up the prospect rankings over the past year. Bichette has had the most helium in the system (maybe in baseball overall), showing not only the ability to stick at shortstop but a hitting ability that may be second to none in the minor leagues. Bichette carries a career .364 batting average since he was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft, and he’s not just a punchless singles hitter. His .423/.569/.991 slash line proves that. And just for good measure, he’s stolen 31 bases over the year and a half as well. The system is dominated however by quality arms. Maybe more than any system in the league. Whitley and Keller head the list, but A.J. Puk, Sanchez, Triston McKenzie, and Cal Quantrill all have quality arms as well and any one of the bunch could end up the best of the lot. The loss of Whitley to a 50 game drug related suspension hurts in the short term, but the depth of the arms will probably alleviate any real issues concerning pitching in the system.

Top Prospects: 1. Bo Bichette (SS), 2. Forrest Whitley (SP), 3. Mitch Keller (SP), 4. Sixto Sanchez (SP), 5. A.J. Puk (SP), 6. Triston McKenzie (SP), 7. Franklin Barreto (SS), 8. Cal Quantrill (SP), 9. Michael Chavis (3B), 10. Dan Vogelbach (1B)

Windy City Rattlers

The Rattlers have a mix of high end talent and depth that is enviable. At the top is outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, and when your father is a Hall of Famer and some say you are a better prospect than he was at the same stage, that’s a little more than just high praise. Vlad Jr. could be a very special player on both sides of the ball. Windy City also has the top catching prospect in the minors, Francisco Mejia. Mejia is more than just his 50 game hitting streak in 2016, he is a very talented receiver behind the plate and may own the strongest catchers arm in the minors. Second baseman Scott Kingery has shot up the charts over the past couple seasons and should make an impact in Windy City as early as next season. Hunter Greene leads a talented list of rotation arms that includes Alec Hansen, Justus Sheffield, Adonis Medina, Brandon Woodruff, and Yadier Alvarez. Alvarez is a polarizing arm due to his electric stuff (100+ FB, plus slider) but a complete lack of command. With all of that talent at the top of the system, the most athletically gifted player the Rattlers have might just be 2017 draftee Jeren Kendall.

Top Prospects: 1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.(3B), 2. Francisco Mejia (C), 3. Hunter Greene (SP), 4. Scott Kingery (2B), 5. Alec Hansen (SP), 6. Justus Sheffield (SP), 7. Adonis Medina (SP), 8. Brandon Woodruff (SP), 9. Yadier Alvarez (SP), 10. Jeren Kendall (OF)

Re: Group 6 - The Crown Jewels

Reply #1 – June 10, 2018, 07:26:53 AM

good lord, there is a lot of talent here. You can't go wrong with any of them. I thought some of the others had a decent mix of talent but this is stupid good. All of them...

Vlad Jr might be the top prospect in baseball at this point, but I have to put the Rattlers behind the other two. And that's not a knock on the Rattlers by any means.

So then it's between the ACL's and Koi for the top spot. And I'd have to take the ACL's. Keep an eye out for that #13 ranked prospect, I hear he might be 'faster than a speeding bullet', and if he can learn to lay off his personal 'kryptonite' (aka the curveball) he could 'leap over tall buildings' and climb the prospect rankings next year.

Rankings:
ACL's
Koi
Rattlers

Re: Group 6 - The Crown Jewels

Reply #2 – June 11, 2018, 07:54:02 AM

I was a little offended when I saw where the Kraken farm system was ranked and still think my system is as good or better than a few listed ahead of me. But seeing these systems certainly puts me in my place. I'm just glad none of these teams are in my division. I haven't been ranking each tier that's been posted because I pretty much agreed with the original placements...except my own team of course.

Re: Group 6 - The Crown Jewels

Reply #3 – June 11, 2018, 09:27:57 PM

Well, I think I might be a bit biased in my opinion on this group. I do like my group overall and if it wasn't for the expansion draft, I might like it even a bit more than I do. I am a bit concerned that my pitchers might be a bit behind my pitchers as a group, but then again, pitchers have a lot more variance in them, especially with injuries. I will say as I have been doing my off-season research on minor league prospects, the Koi have a lot of talent there. They are nothing to be sleeping on with what they have. And Rattlers have Vladdy Jr, and I think he has the top potential of any player here (although he has no defensive position, but he can hit like daddy).

I guess my order would be:
ACLs (surprise, I'm sure)
Koi
Rattlers

Re: Group 6 - The Crown Jewels

Reply #4 – June 12, 2018, 07:26:49 PM

I'm going with the depth of each system, one player doesn't make a farm system or a team. Sure it does help to have a superstar, but one player cannot do it alone in baseball.

I would rank them just the way they are listed above: ACL's, Koi and Rattlers.