The Miami Marlins surprising farm system ranking by Fangraphs

The Miami Marlins have improved the farm system. MLB.com took notice and rated The Fish's system at #15 on their list. As a new core is being built up, it's interesting to see what other publications think. Does Fangraphs agree with MLB.com? Do they rate the system in the same way?

Fangraphs has a different rating for the Miami Marlins farm system.

It's very important that the Miami Marlins have an elite farm system. With low expectations for owner Bruce Sherman to spend big in free agency, making sure that there is a steady pipeline of talent coming through the system is simply essential to The Fish's long-term success. Prospects such as Thomas White and Noble Meyer will hopefully become key parts of a hopeful dynasty in the near future.

So what does Fangraphs think about this? Do they agree with MLB.com? Interestingly, both lists have the Tampa Bay Rays in possession of the best farm system in the Major Leagues. They disagree on some other teams though. The Baltimore Orioles are second on Fangraphs but third on MLB.com.

Let's take a look at where Fangraphs places the Miami Marlins' NL East division rivals. The New York Mets are ninth on the Fangraphs list. They're rated thirteenth on the MLB.com list. The Philadelphia Phillies are sixteenth on Fangraphs and ironically the same on MLB.com. The Washington Nationals are thirteenth on the Fangraphs list, but are tenth on the MLB.com list. These teams are clearly in the same tiers, but the changes are interesting to see.

The Atlanta Braves are rated eighteenth on the Fangraphs list, but are twenty seventh on the MLB.com list! That's a pretty big discrepancy that I don't agree with. I believe that the MLB.com list is correct on this one. Finally turning to the Miami Marlins, the difference is a bit small between the two lists.

MLB.com has The Fish rated as possessing the fifteenth best farm system. Fangraphs has The Fish rated as seventeenth. Naturally, I much prefer the MLB.com rating, that I also consider to be more accurate. The important thing however is that the farm system produces the next competitive Miami Marlins team and keeps it sustainably competitive.