MLB Pipeline Ranks Pirates’ Farm System Second-Best in Baseball

As all the dust has settled from the 2023 MLB Draft and the trade deadline, MLB Pipeline has re-ranked all 30 farm systems from best to worst, and the Pittsburgh Pirates received some high praise.

The Pirates are rated as the second-best farm system in baseball, trailing only the Baltimore Orioles.

Three of the Pirates’ National League Central foes round out the top five, in the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds.

It was a fairly substantial leap for the organization, who entered the 2023 season with the eight-best farm system.

Even with the graduation of Henry Davis and the looming graduations of Endy Rodriguez and Liover Peguero, the Pirates’ farm system is still in a good spot overall.

The Pirates had the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft and selected right-hander Paul Skenes, who tops Pittsburgh’s personal Top 30.

Three other 2023 draft picks join Skenes on the organization’s top prospects list including day one selections Mitch Jebb and Zander Mueth.

2022 first-round draftee Termarr Johnson (fourth overall pick) slots in as the Pirates’ second-best prospect behind Skenes.

In addition to Skenes (No. 3 overall) and Johnson (No. 23), the Bucs feature four other prospects on Pipeline’s Top 100 list — Endy Rodriguez (42nd), Jared Jones (74th), Anthony Solometo (89th) and Quinn Priester (98th).

The full rankings of all 30 farm systems can be found HERE.