Philadelphia Phillies Have Middling Farm System for This One Reason

The Philadelphia Phillies have some high-end talent buoying their spot in the MLB farm system rankings.

Jul 13, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; National League Future infielder Aidan Miller (10) makes a catch during the fourth inning against the American League Future team during the Major league All-Star Futures game at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies have consistently been one of the better teams in baseball over the last few years.

A major reason for that is their front office isn’t afraid to make moves to put the team in the best position possible to win on the field. Whether it is spending a ton of money in free agency or making a blockbuster trade, they are not shy.

Of course, the price of doing business in that fashion and keeping the Major League roster as stocked as possible is normally being willing to surrender prospects.

That has been the name of the game in Philadelphia, as they have done a solid job of building up and developing younger players and turning them into established Major League players to fill a void on the roster.

It was done ahead of the MLB trade deadline last July when they acquired closer Carlos Estevez from the Los Angeles Angels.

Just a few weeks ago they did it again when acquiring starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo from the Miami Marlins to solidify their starting rotation, including the highly touted Staryln Caba, a slick-fielding shortstop.

Despite those moves being made, the Phillies have a farm system that is moving up the rankings put together by Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.

In his previous rankings, Philadelphia came in at No. 23 with a value of $158 million. This time around, they are now ranked No. 17 with a value of $188 million.

Buoying that total are two elite prospects; third baseman Aidan Miller and starting pitcher Andrew Painter. They certainly profile as the next homegrown stars that can anchor the team’s foundation in the future, following in the footsteps of Aaron Nola, Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott.

A little further down the list, they have another stellar prospect, outfielder Justin Crawford, who has an incredible pedigree. His father, Carl Crawford, played in the Major Leagues for 15 seasons and he could have a similar impact with his elite athleticism and defensive ability.

Currently among the few teams that can call themselves legitimate contenders, the Phillies will always consider pulling the trigger on a deal that can help get them closer to the ultimate goal of winning a World Series, even if it means including prospects in the trade package.

But, if this offseason has been an indication of anything, the team seems to value their highest-rated prospects a lot.

Painter will almost assuredly graduate from the list, as the team has big plans for him this summer. Miller and Crawford will likely start the season as teammates in Double-A but will have a chance to showcase their talent during Spring Training with invites to Big League camp.