A year ago at this time, the Braves had the best farm system in all of baseball. This year, they come in at No. 2. That might not seem like that big of a difference, but boy, have things changed.
A lengthy investigation by Major League Baseball uncovered several rules violations in the international market. As a result, general manager John Coppolella was forced out and banned from baseball, while international scouting director Gordon Blakeley was fired and executive John Hart stepped down. The Braves will be severely limited in how they will be able to operate in the international market for years to come.