The Chicago Cubs may be in contention for a playoff spot this season, but according to one expert, they could be poised for a prolonged period of success based on the strength of their farm system.
According to the ranking from ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, the Cubs currently own the second-best farm system in baseball, behind only the Baltimore Orioles in that category.
McDaniel has praise for outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, whom MLB Pipeline has ranked as the No. 12 prospect in all of baseball. He also believes that pitcher Cade Horton could “potentially become the top pitching prospect in all of baseball” by next summer.
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Crow-Armstrong is crushing the ball in Triple-A Iowa, with four home runs and 11 RBI’s in 78 plate appearances. He’s already walked 10 times and has five stolen bases, with a .965 OPS. Cubs GM Carter Hawkins also recently indicated that Crow-Armstrong could be called up before the end of the season to help bolster the team’s playoff push.
As for Horton, he is currently in Double-A Tennessee. He has a 3-4 record and a 2.91 ERA in 18 total starts this season, with 101 strikeouts in 74.1 innings of work.
McDaniel said that Cade Horton could potentially become the top pitching prospect in all of baseball by next summer.
The Pittsburgh Pirates checked in at No. 3 in the ranking, with the Texas Rangers in fourth and the Milwaukee Brewers in fifth.
MLB
Finally, the St. Louis Cardinals are in the No. 22 spot.