Farm Futures: Top 10 Prospects: NL Central

For the next two weeks we will continue releasing the top-10 prospect rankings in each organization, moving this week to the teams in the N.L. Central. These rankings will be updated throughout the course of the season on RotoWire.com when players switch organizations, lose their rookie eligibility, or when a player's development dictates a change in where they are ranked within their team's system. These rankings are intended for dynasty league owners, as many of the players mentioned will not contribute in 2015.

Please feel free to start a dialogue in the comments section below, or @RealJRAnderson on Twitter.

Rank, Name, Position, Age, Projected Level For Start Of 2015

CUBS

1. Kris Bryant, 3B, 23, Triple-A
2. Addison Russell, SS, 21, Double-A
3. Jorge Soler, OF, 23, Majors
4. Kyle Schwarber, C/OF, 21, Double-A
5. Albert Almora, OF, 20, Double-A
6. Dan Vogelbach, 1B, 22, Double-A
7. Billy McKinney, OF, 20, Double-A
8. Pierce Johnson, RHP, 23, Triple-A
9. C.J. Edwards, RHP, 23, Double-A
10. Gleyber Torres, SS, 18, Short Season

Overview:

The Cubs have the best farm system in baseball, so it should come as no surprise that they also have the best top-three players of any system from a fantasy perspective. Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, and Jorge Soler are all household names and top-10 fantasy prospects. People like to point out that the Cubs have four young shortstops who are at or near the big leagues, but of those four, Russell is the one who will stick at the position since he is a better defender than Starlin Castro, and is a safer bet with the stick than Javier Baez or Arismendy Alcantara. It can be dangerous to devalue players based on them being blocked at the big league level, but it is certainly worth noting that the hitters in the middle of this list will all have some playing time obstacles to navigate when they reach the majors, barring a notable trade. Dan Vogelbach, in particular, will need a trade or for the National League to adopt the DH in order to play in the big leagues, as he is blocked by Anthony Rizzo and has no defensive versatility. I am the company high man on Pierce Johnson, which is fine with me, but I am even more comfortable being the resident C.J. Edwards pessimist. Edwards has only pitched more than 70 innings once in a season, and at 6-foot-2, 155 pounds, it should be difficult for anyone to say with confidence that he will make it as a starting pitcher. What makes this system so awesome is that they have the trade chips to acquire any player that could conceivably be on the trading block and the depth for such a trade to not significantly weaken any of their future plans.

Most Upside:

Kris Bryant - It seems like the hype surrounding Bryant for 2015 has reached a level where there is not much realistic room to profit, assuming he does not break camp with the team. (I just can't imagine the Cubs giving up a year of control of an asset like Bryant). However, in keeper and dynasty formats, Bryant profiles as the kind of guy who can anchor a team for a decade. The swing and miss in his game is very real, but to get something, sometimes a hitter has to give something, and what owners will get in exchange for Bryant's strikeouts is intense 35-40 homer power at his peak. It's difficult to say what his batting average will look like in peak years, but a .275/.400/.525 slash line could be the norm in two-to-three years. There is a chance that he eventually ends up in an outfield corner, but as long as everything clicks with the bat, he should still be a first-round pick in his prime years. Bryant is the No. 1 fantasy prospect in the game and a top-25 asset in dynasty leagues.

Best Bet For 2015:

Jorge Soler - This is a bit of a toss up between Soler and Bryant. In my latest top-350 rankings for the roundtable I had Soler about 20 spots ahead of Bryant, but I'm operating under the assumption that Bryant starts the year in the minor leagues. However, if he is the Cubs' starting third baseman on Opening Day, the answer here is quite easily Bryant. Soler seems like a pretty safe bet to hit around .255 with 25 homers and 70-plus RBI, but with some adjustments to his approach, he could clear all three of those numbers with ease. He was hopeless on pitches on the outer third of the plate in his debut season, so he will see a steady dose of those at the outset of 2015. Fortunately, Soler crushes mistakes inside, so the floor here should still be pretty useful in mixed leagues.

REDS

1. Robert Stephenson, RHP, 22, Triple-A
2. Jesse Winker, OF, 21, Double-A
3. Raisel Iglesias, RHP, 25, Double-A
4. Michael Lorenzen, RHP, 23, Triple-A
5. Anthony DeSclafani, RHP, 24, Majors
6. Alex Blandino, SS, 22, High-A
7. Nick Howard, RHP, 21, Low-A
8. Amir Garrett, LHP, 22, High-A
9. Yorman Rodriguez, OF, 22, Triple-A
10. Nick Travieso, RHP, 21, High-A

Overview:

Cincinnati boasts one of the better collections of young pitching depth in all of baseball, highlighted by high-upside arms like Robert Stephenson and Raisel Iglesias and safe mid-rotation types in Michael Lorenzen and Anthony DeSclafani. The top hitter in the system is Jesse Winker, and it's not particularly close. Winker is quite easily a top-50 fantasy prospect, but he is also the only hitting prospect in the system worth owning in dynasty leagues where 150 or fewer prospects are rostered. While there is some impact potential at the top of the system, the two pitchers with the most upside (Stephenson and Iglesias) could also end up in the bullpen, which makes it difficult to rank this as a top-15 overall system. That said, the top five names on this list could all see action in the majors this season in some capacity, which makes it a very intriguing system for fantasy purposes in 2015.

Most Upside:

Robert Stephenson - For a pitcher with Stephenson's electric stuff who is this close to the big leagues, there is an unusual amount of risk surrounding his profile. This is not a Kyle Crick situation, where the organization should just move him to the bullpen now, but 2015 represents a very important year for Stephenson. He needs to demonstrate improvement upon the shaky control he showed throughout last season when he walked 76 batters in 136.2 innings at Double-A. If everything clicks, we could be looking at a high-end No. 2 starter in the big leagues who offers more than 200 strikeouts per season. Stephenson just turned 22 and he could spend the next year and a half in the minor leagues and still be young for the level, so it is definitely not time to panic. The worst-case scenario is Stephenson becoming a dominant reliever, so he should still be rostered in almost all dynasty leagues, but there are wide-ranging potential outcomes here relative to other starting pitchers with his pedigree who will presumably be starting the year at Triple-A.

Best Bet For 2015:

Anthony DeSclafani - DeSclafani served as a nice way for the Reds to supplement the rotation with a controllable arm without having to worry about re-signing Mat Latos. There seems to be some cause for optimism that the 24-year-old righty will be able to offer the production of a No. 4 starter in his first season with Cincinnati, and for fantasy purposes he can be an endgame play in deeper mixed leagues. DeSclafani's numbers could actually look a lot like rotation mate Mike Leake's, although Leake will pitch more innings if both starters remain healthy. The strikeout production will be somewhat underwhelming, which limits the overall ceiling, but the strikeout rate won't be so bad that he should be dismissed. If Iglesias were to break camp as a member of the rotation, he would be the pick here as his upside easily tops that of DeSclafani and neither pitcher will cost much on draft day.

BREWERS

1. Clint Coulter, OF, 21, High-A
2. Orlando Arcia, SS, 20, Double-A
3. Tyrone Taylor, OF, 21, Double-A
4. Monte Harrison, OF, 19, Short Season
5. Devin Williams, RHP, 20, Low-A
6. Kodi Medeiros, LHP, 18, Rookie Ball
7. Gilbert Lara, 3B, 17, Rookie Ball
8. Jorge Lopez, RHP, 22, Double-A
9. Taylor Jungmann, RHP, 25, Triple-A
10. Jacob Gatewood, SS, 19, Rookie Ball

Overview:

From a fantasy perspective, the Brewers' system may be the most difficult to rank. Anyone could jumble the first eight names on the list in any order, and it would be defensible. The three players with the most potential -- Gilbert Lara, Monte Harrison, and Kodi Medeiros -- might be the furthest away from the big leagues. Meanwhile, the player with the greatest likelihood of becoming an everyday player -- Orlando Arcia -- does not have anywhere near the upside to match the safety that accompanies his profile. Clint Coulter tops the list because he got on base at a .410 clip while belting 22 homers in 126 games at Low-A as a catcher last year. Now he is transitioning to right field, which should allow him to move quickly through the system as he focuses more on developing as a slugger. The one thing this system really lacks is a player with impact potential for 2015, as Jimmy Nelson no longer qualifies as a prospect. That said, the Brewers' system appears to be in pretty good shape compared to past seasons, and there are 10-to-12 names that should be considered in leagues that roster 200 or more minor leaguers.

Most Upside:

Gilbert Lara - It's hard to pick between Lara, Harrison, and Medeiros here, because they are each so far away from the upper levels of the minor leagues that the way we look at them could change drastically over the next couple years. However, Lara has the most power potential in the system, with the possible exception of Jacob Gatewood, and despite being just 17 years old, Lara has a better chance of actualizing his raw power in games thanks to an average or better hit tool. He will almost certainly move from shortstop to third base as he grows into his 6-foot-3 frame, but he's so far away that owners should not focus too much on where he will play if and when he does reach the majors. Extreme patience is required to roster Lara, whom the Brewers signed out of the Dominican Republic last year, but the payoff could be huge in four or five years.

Best Bet For 2015:

Taylor Jungmann - If you prefer utility middle infielders over sixth starters, then Luis Sardinas would be the pick, but there is relatively no chance that Sardinas would be very useful in fantasy even if he was seeing regular at-bats, whereas with Jungmann there is at least a chance. Brewers fans may never get over the fact that Jungmann was selected ahead of Jose Fernandez, Sonny Gray, and Kolten Wong in 2011, but it was not too long ago that even the notion that he would make it into the team's big league rotation would have been a stretch. Now, it seems he would be the first guy in line if something happens to one of the team's top-five starters. Jungmann is a back-end guy all the way, so there is not much long-term upside in ERA, WHIP, or strikeouts, but he could always pitch above his head for a couple months until the league figures him out, and guys like that can be useful in deeper formats.

PIRATES

1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, 21, Double-A
2. Jameson Taillon, RHP, 23, Rehab (Tommy John surgery in April 2014)
3. Josh Bell, 1B/OF, 22, Double-A
4. Austin Meadows, OF, 19, High-A
5. Jung-Ho Kang, SS/3B, 27, Majors
6. Alen Hanson, 2B/SS, 22, Triple-A
7. Nick Kingham, RHP, 23, Triple-A
8. Harold Ramirez, OF, 20, Low-A
9. Cole Tucker, SS, 18, Rookie Ball
10. Mitch Keller, RHP, 18, Rookie Ball

Overview:

This is the second best farm system in the division behind Chicago, and it offers fantasy owners a variety of options across the positional and developmental spectrum. I do not see that one high-impact fantasy hitting prospect here, as I am probably a little lower on Josh Bell and a lot lower on Austin Meadows relative to the rest of the industry. However, both of those players will be big league regulars, and will warrant ownership in 12-team mixed leagues. It is looking like Bell will be a first baseman when he debuts given the Pirates' ridiculously young and talented outfield, which will force fantasy owners to adjust the way he is valued. Meadows was taken as a top-20 pick in a recent industry prospect mock draft I was a part of, and I don't see that at all. The best realistic scenario here is that he resembles the pre-breakout version of Michael Brantley during his peak years, with the hit tool being the only true asset. Alen Hanson is a better in fantasy than reality option in the middle infield, and Reese McGuire (who just missed the list) is going to be much more valuable to the Pirates than to fantasy owners behind the dish. Cole Tucker and Mitch Keller have two of the five highest ceilings in the system, but both are forever away from the big leagues, and should only be owned in leagues where more than 150 prospects are rostered.

Most Upside:

Tyler Glasnow - With the possible exception of Carlos Rodon and Lucas Giolito, no pitching prospect can match Glasnow's ability to miss bats. This gives him the edge over Taillon here, who is safer and closer to contributing, but profiles more as a 175-200 strikeout guy. Glasnow could realistically punch out 250 batters in his peak seasons if everything clicks. The one issue he will run into, and the reason he is not a top-15 prospect in baseball in my estimation, is his command and changeup both lag behind the rest of the profile. At 6-foot-7 with a plus-plus fastball and plus curveball, striking out 157 hitters in 124.1 innings at High-A is not a spectacular feat, and carrying a similar rate over against better competition without making certain improvements could prove difficult. For dynasty league owners who can contend for a title this season, now would be a fine time to try to sell high on Glasnow to a rebuilding owner.

Best Bet For 2015:

Jung-Ho Kang - After hitting 40 homers in the Korean Baseball Organization last year, there have been wide-ranging opinions on what he'll be able to do against big league pitching this season. More importantly, however, it is not clear how many plate appearances he will see, as the Pirates appear to have Kang poised to be a utility player to start the year. In theory, he could play his way into a share of the starts at shortstop with Jordy Mercer, but Kang should not be drafted as if he is going to get 500 plate appearances this season. In mixed leagues where he does get drafted, it would not be surprising to see him get dropped in April or May and then become a hot waiver wire target when someone on the Pirates suffers an injury.

CARDINALS

1. Marco Gonzales, LHP, 23, Triple-A
2. Alexander Reyes, RHP, 20, High-A
3. Stephen Piscotty, OF, 24, Triple-A
4. Rob Kaminsky, LHP, 20, High-A
5. Jack Flaherty, RHP, 19, Rookie Ball
6. Magneuris Sierra, OF, 18, Short Season
7. Randal Grichuk, OF, 23, Majors
8. Jacob Wilson, 2B, 24, Double-A
9. Tim Cooney, LHP, 24, Triple-A
10. Malik Collymore, 2B, 19, Short Season

Overview:

This is not the kind of Cardinals farm system we have grown accustomed to in recent seasons. Not only is there not much impact talent, but there is not much depth. After the first seven names on the list, there is nobody who should be considered in dynasty leagues unless more than 250 prospects are rostered. Alexander Reyes and Magneuris Sierra are the only guys who could realistically rank as top-25 prospects some day, and neither player has made it to High-A yet. Marco Gonzales, Stephen Piscotty, and Randal Grichuk are all more than ready to help at the big league level, but other than Gonzales' changeup and Piscotty's hit tool, there's not much in their profiles to get excited about. Rob Kaminsky and Jack Flaherty could make it as No. 3 starters one day, but given how far they are away from the big leagues and how hard it is for young pitchers to crack the Cardinals' rotation, there is no need to be overly aggressive with either guy in dynasty leagues. The graduations of Kolten Wong, Matt Adams, Michael Wacha, Trevor Rosenthal, Carlos Martinez, and Shelby Miller in recent years has been pretty amazing -- not to mention the tragic passing of Oscar Taveras, who was primed to be a young building block for this team for years to come. But it's also nearly impossible to graduate that much talent in a two-to-three year window without the farm system taking a major hit. It's a testament to the Cardinals' scouting and development departments that they are still a top-20 system, although once Gonzales, Piscotty, and Grichuk graduate (presumably this season), we could be looking at a bottom-five system.

Most Upside:

Alexander Reyes - The 6-foot-3 righty out of the Dominican Republic has the upside to be a legitimate No. 2 starter, which separates him from the rest of the solid arms in this system. He has two plus pitches in his fastball and curveball, which should allow him to overpower High-A hitters this season. Whether or not his changeup can also get to solid-average or plus could be the deciding factor on how effective he eventually is in the Cardinals' rotation, but the hype surrounding this 20-year-old arm should only grow as he moves up the organizational ladder.

Best Bet For 2015:

Marco Gonzales - As has been the case in recent years, the battle for the No. 5 spot in the Cardinals' rotation will be one of the top competitions to watch in spring training. Gonzales will factor into things along with Martinez, who is the front-runner, and Jaime Garcia, who some might consider a dark horse. My money would be on Martinez getting the job, but if it were up to me, Gonzales would be the pick based on what he was able to do last season after less than 150 career innings in the minor leagues. He rode his plus-plus changeup to a 4.15 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 34.2 big league innings as a 22-year-old. Gonzales added a cutter this spring and will have another big league camp under his belt, so I could see him taking off as a mid-rotation starter this year if given the opportunity. He is not someone who needs to be drafted in most formats right now, but that could change in deeper leagues if he were named to the Cardinals' rotation.