The Los Angeles Dodgers checked in at No. 5 on ESPN Keith Law’s 2017 ranking of the top farm systems in baseball. Los Angeles at this point last year boasted the second-best farm system in baseball per Law, but slipped to fifth in his 2016 midseason update.
The Atlanta Braves sit atop Law’s ranking, followed by the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates. After the Dodgers are the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox.
That the Dodgers still place in the top-half of Law’s ranking is impressive when taking into account the organization graduated the likes of Corey Seager and Julio Urias, and traded Jharel Cotton, Grant Holmes and Frankie Montas.
Cody Bellinger was named the Dodgers’ top prospect by Baseball America, though he was second to Yadier Alvarez in Baseball Prospectus’ ranking.
Alvarez leads a deep pool of pitching prospects that includes Walker Buehler, Jose De Leon, Chase De Jong, Jordan Sheffield and Brock Stewart, among others.
The Dodgers’ crop of position players is headlined by Bellinger, Willie Calhoun, Yusniel Diaz, Andrew Toles and Alex Verdugo.
What unfolds in the weeks leading up to Spring Training and Opening Day could affect the Dodgers’ standing, as De Leon has been mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason. Conversely, the organization is said to be staunchly opposed to trading Alvarez, Bellinger or Buehler.
De Leon was ranked the eight-best right-handed pitching prospect by MLB Pipeline. While other publications view Alvarez in high regard, he did not crack MLB Pipeline’s ranking, presumably in part due to a lack of professional experience.
