Monday, February 4, 2013

Keith Law Ranks Yankee Farm System 10th In MLB

As the hot stove season continues to wind down, prospect season continues to heat up with the release of the latest organizational MiL rankings, this one from Keith Law of ESPN (Insider Only).  Law saw the Yankee system as the 10th best in baseball, right in line with previous rankings (Baseball America 11th, John Sickels 14th) and right within the 10-15 window that has become the general expected range in which the Yankee system falls.

(** Broken record warning **) Like the other previous organizational rankings, Law saw the Yankees' crop of A-ball hitters as their greatest strength, saying that group "could produce as many as three above-average or better regulars plus several other guys who'll have big league value."  I think the Yankees would absolutely kill to have that prediction play out over the next couple years, as it would give them the opportunity both to plug roster holes internally and control costs and package guys together in trades.

Law also followed the trend of rating the Yankees down for their lack of high-impact pitching prospects, and stated he would have ranked them higher had ManBan and Jose Campos not gotten hurt in 2012.  It's worth pointing out that Law opened this post by commenting on his perceived lack of high-impact players and depth across MLB, calling it "fewer than in any of the previous years in which I've gone through this exercise."  Seeing as how the Yankees already have strong depth, more draft picks coming, and a few guys who could make the leap to high-level status, that could bode well for their ranking under Law's criteria next year.

** Shameless self-promotion- If you haven't already, now would be a great time to check out the 2012-2013 AB4AR Top 30.  It's easily the best prospect ranking post I've done all year. **

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