At the start of the 2023 season, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ farm system was ranked 3rd overall by MLB Pipeline. Now, 17 months later, that ranking has dropped significantly, with the D-backs’ farm system falling to 21st in MLB Pipeline’s updated list, placing them in the bottom 10 in baseball.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The decline has been gradual since that initial 3rd-place ranking in Spring 2023. By mid-2023, they had slipped to 12th, and by the start of the 2024 season, they had dropped to 16th, officially landing in the bottom half of the league.
Meanwhile, in that same time, the Diamondbacks have gone from a 100+ loss team, to one of the best teams in the National League and on the verge of another deep postseason run.
Much of this decline of Arizona’s farm system can be attributed to the graduation of top prospects to the majors, such as Corbin Carroll, who went on to win the 2023 NL MVP. However, the performance of their new wave of prospects has also been a factor.
For example, Jordan Lawlar, who made his major league debut last fall, failed to make the Opening Day roster in 2024, losing out to Blaze Alexander. Listed as Arizona’s #1 prospect by MLB Pipeline and a first-round pick in 2021, Lawlar has played just 13 games in the minor leagues this year due to a series of injuries. A month ago, it was reported by the Diamondbacks’ farm league director that Lawlar would be sidelined for another 6-8 weeks with a hamstring injury.
Then there’s Druw Jones, currently ranked 92nd on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospect list. Since being drafted 2nd overall by the Diamondbacks in 2022, Jones has struggled with injuries and is still playing in A-ball with the Visalia Rawhide in the California League. This year, he’s posted a .271 batting average across 90 games.
“Lawlar has missed much of 2024 with thumb and hamstring injuries or else he would have been a candidate to graduate off this list. Fellow top-10 prospects Tommy Troy, Yu-Min Lin and Gino Groover have also been bit by the injury bug throughout the summer, halting their potential progresses. Arizona added a pair of solid-hitting outfielders in the Draft in Slade Caldwell and Ryan Waldschmidt, while Yilber Diaz has become a legit Major League option on the mound. But this system remains a few levels below where it was when Corbin Carroll topped it, a price to pay for being competitive at the top level for two straight years.”
Taking over the #1 spot on MLB Pipeline’s list are the Tampa Bay Rays, who were previously ranked 6th at the beginning of the season. The Rays are followed by the Twins, Orioles, Guardians, and Dodgers to round out the top five.
On the opposite end of the rankings, the Padres are 28th, the Angels 29th, and the Houston Astros are in last place, with no prospects in the Top 100.
