Mutiny Simulation Baseball

   Building a quality farm system should take a while when starting from nothing. . . in theory.  The Bako Bums have thrown that axiom out the window and written their own truth.  Starting with the Rookie Expansion Draft last November and continuing through the trading season this past winter, the Bums have built an impressive base from which to build a talented, deep and sustainable system.  A trade with Brooklyn at the turn of the new year brought prized shortstop, Brendan Rodgers.  Climbing fast through the system, Rodgers promises an impact bat at a premium position.  Another January deal brought outfielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Victor Caratini (who’s bat may bring him to the major league roster as early as next season) and powerful arm Michael Matuella.  Verdugo has hit at every level and owns a career .305 average, shows excellent plate discipline and patience, and has one of the strongest outfield arms in the minor leagues.  The one question remaining for Verdugo: will he develop enough power?  The expansion draft brought the system a number of high quality outfielders; Anthony Alford, Jesus Sanchez, Heliot Ramos, Brandon Marsh, and Adolis Garcia.  Any one of that group has the talent and athleticism to break out this year and end up near or in the top ten rankings. Jorge Mateo may be the fastest player in the minors, and the team has already thought about moving him around defensively to see if there is a faster way to get him to the big club.  While the system is a little light on the pitching side, they do have fast riser Mitchell White, and talented arms in Hunter Harvey and Thomas Szapucki returning from injury.  And to further bolster the system the Bums have accumulated six of the first 43 picks in the upcoming Amateur Draft in July.

Top Prospects: 1. Brendan Rodgers (SS), 2. Alex Verdugo (OF), 3. Anthony Alford (OF), 4. Jorge Mateo (SS), 5. Jesus Sanchez (OF), 6. Heliot Ramos (OF), 7. Mitchell White (SP), 8. Adolis Garcia (OF), 9. Victor Caratini, (C/OF), 10. Brandon Marsh (OF)



   Another top heavy system with a lack of overall depth, Phoenix does possess one of the most intriguing story lines of the minor leagues.  Brendan McKay displays both the hit tool and defensive ability to play 1B at the highest level along with the pitching acumen and raw stuff to succeed in a major league rotation.  McKay has shown a disciplined, patient approach at the plate that has yielded as many walks as strikeouts so far in his young career and although there has not been a great show of power, the raw ability is there.  He has also completely overmatched the lower levels from the mound, striking out 11.2 hitters per nine while only walking 6 in his brief career.  As he climbs the ladder the question will continue: can he hit and pitch at the major league level, and will the team continue to allow him the opportunity? The Miners also claim a couple of high quality arms in Luis Gohara and Franklin Perez, both of whom could plant themselves in the top half of the teams major league rotation within the next couple seasons.  Second baseman Luis Urias has continued to hit at every level, showing the same patience and discipline as McKay and has walked more than he has struck out throughout his minor league rise.  He could be a top of the order anchor for the lineup if AAA goes as every other stop has for the keystone prospect.  Urias also shows plenty of range and the chops to turn the double play without fear.  A trio of outfielders gives the organization three very different talent profiles. Leody Taveras is a defensive standout who needs to show offensive improvement to move past his current profile as a late inning defensive replacement.  Tyler O’Neill may be the strongest player in the minors, but he has to show an ability to tap that power in game action.  Yusniel Diaz is the most well rounded of the three, but he is all raw ability at this point and needs to show a great deal of polish and maturity in his game.  Chance Sisco and Jorge Alfaro give the system a couple possibilities behind the plate.

Top Prospects: 1. Luis Gohara (SP), 2. Brendan McKay (1B/SP), 3. Luis Urias (2B), 4. Franklin Perez (SP), 5. Leody Taveras (OF), 6. Tyler O’Neill (OF), 7. Yusniel Diaz, (OF), 8. Chance Sisco (C), 9. Jorge Alfaro (C)



   While not a deep system, the Cutthroats do boast a very high top end.  Along with Ankeny, River City is the only organization to boast two top ten prospects.  Eloy Jimenez has developed into one of the most complete hitters in the minors and may have the minors best game situation power.  There are others who can claim equal raw power, but the completeness of Jimenez’ full offensive game allows him to tap his power when it counts come game time.  Third baseman Nick Senzel was supposed to be one of the best pure, contact oriented hitters in the minors as soon as he signed, but questions about his ultimate power potential and his ability to stick at the hot corner defensively left some wondering what his eventual role would be and whether he could become a middle of the order impact bat playing a premium position.  So far those questions seem to be unfounded.  Senzel not only showed the pure hitting ability, but also impressed with a patient approach and plenty of game time power to make himself that impact bat the Cutthroats hoped they were getting.  He has also quelled any concerns about his defense at third base.  A trio of outfielders follows the two top tens, led by defensive standout and speedster, Lewis Brinson.  Jahmai Jones began to tap into his vast athletic ability, and Kyle Lewis has shown plenty of talent when he’s been healthy enough to be on the field.  The system drops off from there and although there are a couple intriguing arms in the lower levels, the pitching side is thin.

Top Prospects: 1. Eloy Jimenez (OF), 2. Nick Senzel (3B), 3. Lewis Brinson (OF), 4. Jahmai Jones (OF), 5. Kyle Lewis (OF), 6. Colin Moran (3B), 7. Davis Peterson (SP), 8. Wander Franco (SS), 9. Franklyn Kilome (SP), 10. Yairo Munoz (SS)

Now we're talking!  Though I would've been nice to be in that next grouping.

Were your rankings mostly based on external sources of personal opinion?  I.E. Tyler O'Neill's start at STL has been ... not bad.  .856 OPS, 3 home runs in 34 AB.

Also, I love the focus on McKay - he's probably the guy in my minor league team I'm most excited about because of the "sky is the limit" thing with him.  Averaging approximately 12 K/9 with a WHIP of 0.4 in high A.

I'll go with:

Miners
Cutthroats
Bums

Not a lot of pitching talent in these systems. The difference for me is Gohara and talent of McKay for the Miners and behind the dish the talent of Alfaro for the Bums. I do love Jimenez coming from the Cubs system and I saw Senzel live here in Columbia. He was playing SS for the Vols and he flashed leather all weekend, but what impressed me the most was taking 2017 first rounder Tanner Houck deep to straight away CF in back-to-back AB's to lead off innings.

1. Miners
2. Bums
3. Cutthroats

Rankings are based on both.  Compiled lists of the ten prospect rankings you can see on the Excel sheets gave me a starting point, but then I do a lot of my own research and reading.  And, admittedly, I also insert my own philosophy and feelings as well.  And these write ups were also done before much of the season had started, so someone like O'Neill hadn't moved up as he has.

Ive been watching Ohtani this season so far to see how the two-way thing plays out at the major league level with an eye toward McKay as he develops.  He's been outstanding so far both pitching and hitting, but I still have reservations on two-way players.  In Ohtani's case, he's already been skipped in the rotation for "workload management" and I wonder how he (or anyone) will hold up over the long haul trying to do both.

I'm just wondering how O'Neill can possibly bend his arms enough to pick up a bat.  This dude lifts: https://www.mlb.com/cut4/the-newest-cardinal-tyler-oneill-might-be-the-strongest-man-in-baseball/c-272755594

No doubt, I'm surprised O'Neill can get his arms around. I played a ton of slow-pitch softball and I loved pitching to the steroid freaks, they just couldn't get through the zone. If they connected they hit it a country mile of course. But I'll take my chances against guys like that.

Anyway. This was tough as you get up near the top.

My ranking:
Miners (clearly a step above the other two in my opinion)
Bumthroats (I couldn't decide)

I'd put the Cutthroats first, but again that's the two top talents. If I would be going down the line a bit, I would favor the Bums, but again, getting top talent is the key. I would then go Bums and Miners. I do like the idea of McKay getting to be a two-way player and I think the Rays are the team most likely to allow that to happen.

I'm also very glad to see a team not mentioned yet. :)

This is tough.  I've actually written this message with all three teams at the top.  So I backed off and started looking at some prospect lists and I feel pretty strong in putting the Miners at the top.  I'd follow it up with the Bums and then Cutthroats.  I'm a little stunned to put the team with the highest ceiling player last.  It's so close it could go either way and I better hit post before I change my mind about   whose at the top and have to go through all of this over again.