The Philadelphia Phillies farm system has come a long way since president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski entered the fray during the 2020 offseason. After inheriting a minor league system that had obvious room for improvement, Dombrowski and his associates in amateur and international scouting set out to add elite talent to the organization while also using the team's vast financial resources to overhaul the big league roster in free agency.
Nearly four years later, it's hard to argue against the fact that the Phillies front office has been successful in both regards. The team is on pace to make its third postseason appearance in as many years, and the farm system continues to climb up the ranks of numerous publications like Baseball America and MLB Pipeline.
The Phillies were well represented on the most recent update to MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospect rankings, with their new No. 1 prospect Aidan Miller (No. 29), Andrew Painter (No. 34), Justin Crawford (No. 58), and Starlyn Caba (No. 91) considered by talent evaluators as promising prospects to watch in the Phillies farm system. With the Phillies earning high marks in this year's draft, the number of prospects on this list is likely to increase before the season ends.
Phillies farm system is even better than we thought after midseason ranking updates
The Phillies made impressive gains as an organization when Baseball America and MLB Pipeline updated their farm system rankings earlier this month. Both outlets now have the Phillies listed within the top 20 minor league systems. When compared to preseason rankings, the Phillies have made a considerable jump in a short period of time. Even ESPN recently ranked the Phillies at No. 18.
Baseball America ranked the Phillies at No. 21 before the season started. With three of the top four prospects having solid minor league seasons and following another well-regarded draft, the Phillies now find themselves ranked No. 14 (subscription required) and closing in on the top 10. It's been quite a while since the Phillies have been ranked this high by Baseball America, having last been ranked No. 12 in 2019.
MLB Pipeline previously ranked the Phillies as the 22nd-best farm system before the season. Now the Phillies have jumped up six places to No. 16 on the list. This move up the rankings is significant, as the Phillies have been consistently placed in the bottom third of minor league systems since 2022. MLB Pipeline was especially impressed with the progress of three of the Phillies' best young hitters.
"It’s always a positive sign when your top prospects show upward mobility," wrote MLB Pipeline. "All three of the Phillies’ Top 100 hitters have each been promoted up a level in 2024, with Crawford particularly performing well in his new environment."
With Painter still on the mend from Tommy John surgery last summer and having not pitched in affiliated ball this season, his continued place on top prospect rankings speaks volumes about the type of talent the Phillies have in him.
"The system inches up a bit this time around and that’s without Painter throwing a pitch in nearly two years," according to MLB Pipeline. "He could very easily come back in 2025 and resume looking like the best pitching prospect in the game, which would clearly boost the Phillies’ ranking."
When you factor in trade deadline deals that sent top pitching prospects George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri to the Los Angeles Angels and infield prospect William Bergolla to the Chicago White Sox, to see the Phillies jump up the ranks on both lists speaks to an organization that has enough depth to make impactful trades without harming its future.