Milwaukee Brewers plummet 20 spots in the Baseball America organizational talent rankings

Baseball America has released its 2019 MLB organization talent rankings, and the outcome doesn’t bode well for the Milwaukee Brewers. The publisher ranked Milwaukee at 26th overall, well down from the 6th place position they held to start 2018.

The decline has two predominant causes: trades and graduations. Many of the players that helped propel the Milwaukee Nine’s system are gone. Whether it was Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta coming out of eligibility, or players like Brett Phillips, Isan Diaz and Luis Ortiz being sent to other organizations, the farm took a heavy hit.

Right now, Baseball America gives the Crew just two prospects on the top 100, Keston Hiura and Corbin Burnes. The team states that those two players could have major contributions in 2019, and should do very well beyond that, but the system’s hopes are very dim from there.

While some sites give the Brewers a bit more credit for prospects like Zack Brown, Corey Ray and Tristen Lutz, the ranking does not feel unfair. It still gives a glum indicator for the team’s ability to acquire talent via trade or other methods. It is Milwaukee’s worst ranking since 2014, when Baseball America placed the Cream City Crew at 29th.

Just because I know you’re curious, the four teams worse than the Brewers are the Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox.