Sickels ranks the farm systems

[gunnarthor]

With the caveat that the top 5 are arguably interchangeable, he ranks the Twins #1.

 

1) Minnesota Twins: This system has everything you want: high-end impact talent like Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, and Alex Meyer, plus considerable depth backing them up and other prospects who could break through as big names in the next year (Kohl Stewart, Lewis Thorpe). There’s pitching and hitting and just a good general balance of tools, upside, and polish.

 

He likes KC, too but Det, Clev and Chi are in the bottom 10.

[Mike Sixel]

it is a great system, if bottom heavy.

[drock2190]

It sure helps when no one graduates too

[tobi0040]

The guy that is really impressing me is Kohl Stewart. I didn't really expect a great year as he is just out of high school and has not played year round basebal before. his 6 K per 9 is not great, but 2.81 ERA, 4.9 Hit per 9, and 2.81 K to BB is much better than I expected early on.

[gunnarthor]

It sure helps when no one graduates too

 

Last year they graduated three top 100 prospects in Arcia, Gibson and Hicks. In 2012 they graduated Dozier. This year they've already graduated Pinto. Admittedly, all five are complementary pieces and not foundation pieces but that's a pretty solid list. This year they are also likely to add two pitchers - May and Meyer - who should be part of the future rotations.

[gunnarthor]

it is a great system, if bottom heavy.

 

I'm not sure if it's bottom heavy. If you consider the top 20 prospects by mlb.com in AA/AAA/MLB we have Sano (DL for the year), Meyer, May, Santana, Vargas and Pinto and Buxton and Rosario should've been there if not for injuries/drug use.

 

In A+/A they have Stewart, Berrios, Polanco, Jorge, Harrison, Walker, Kepler, Vargas, and Eades,

 

In rookie ball they have Gonzalez, Thorpe, Romero and Bard (DL).

 

That seems to be a pretty decent spread of talent, esp when you see some pretty nice quality in the upper minors including three foundation type talents in Sano, Buxton and Meyer.

[Mike Sixel]

List the hitters in AA or AAA you expect up this year.....to start more than 10 games. I'd call that bottom heavy. Sure, injury played a role, but it is the deal. Like I said, great system, but it isn't helping the team much this year.

[Otto von Ballpark]

The guy that is really impressing me is Kohl Stewart. I didn't really expect a great year as he is just out of high school and has not played year round basebal before. his 6 K per 9 is not great, but 2.81 ERA, 4.9 Hit per 9, and 2.81 K to BB is much better than I expected early on.

 

The hit rate is definitely his standout stat so far. Will be interesting to see, not only if he will become a good pitcher, but what kind of good pitcher he will be.

[diehardtwinsfan]

Last year they graduated three top 100 prospects in Arcia, Gibson and Hicks. In 2012 they graduated Dozier. This year they've already graduated Pinto. Admittedly, all five are complementary pieces and not foundation pieces but that's a pretty solid list. This year they are also likely to add two pitchers - May and Meyer - who should be part of the future rotations.

 

What exactly does Dozier need to do to be considered foundation? He's one of the best OPSing 2Bs in baseball with elite defense to go on top of it.

 

I think Arcia might prove to eventually be one of those core guys too... If he can figure out major league pitching like he's done the minors, he's going to be a solid middle of the order guy for years to come, even if it's just a DH/RF guy.

[gunnarthor]

What exactly does Dozier need to do to be considered foundation? He's one of the best OPSing 2Bs in baseball with elite defense to go on top of it.

 

I think Arcia might prove to eventually be one of those core guys too... If he can figure out major league pitching like he's done the minors, he's going to be a solid middle of the order guy for years to come, even if it's just a DH/RF guy.

 

It's probably just semantics. When I say "foundation types" I'm thinking of guys that will be true aces or MVP type players, big middle of the order bats etc. Santana, Mauer, Morneau when he was healthy. I think Sano, Buxton and Meyer can be those type of players. Complementary pieces are guys like Hunter, Cuddy, Baker, Radke - all of whom were very important but not quite at the other guys levels although maybe in a career year they could be.