MLB 26-and-Under Team Rankings: No. 20-16
Yahoo Sports senior MLB analyst Jake Mintz evaluates several MLB teams based on their top young talent.
Video Transcript
JAKE MINTZ: Let's dive right in. Young talent rankings teams number 20 to 16. At 20, the Kansas City Royals a legit Cy Young candidate in Cole Ragans. A legit MVP candidate in the recently extended Bobby Witt Jr, but besides Vinny Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia, there's not a whole lot in this organization going to help in the next few years.
At number 19, the Washington Nationals. Got a lot of flak for the "I don't care how hard you throw a ball four" stuff, but they definitely care how hard their prospects hit the ball. James Wood, Dylan Crews two of the best offensive outfield prospects in the minor leagues, but the Nats really need that young core to solidify at the big league level.
At number 18, the Pittsburgh Pirates. Oneil Cruz missed all of last season due to injury, but he's back. He's healthy, he's going to play every day, and he's still potentially a game changing force for Pittsburgh at shortstop. At 17, the Texas Rangers. A young core led by Evan Carter helped the Rangers to their first World Series championship last October. Carter is back and he's still only 21 years old.
At some point this year though he's going to be joined by Wyatt Langford, one of the best prospects in all of baseball. The number four overall pick in last year's draft out of the University of Florida. A big hulking corner outfielder with the potential to hit 40 home runs a year.
And at number 16, the Tampa Bay Rays. A team with a track record of homegrown pitching development. Taj Bradley is supposed to be the next great young Rays starting pitcher. He's been dealing with a couple of injuries so far in spring training, but if he can work past that this is a guy who could really pop this season. That's teams number 20 to 16. Be on the lookout for our next batch.
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