Despite being hit hard by MLB penalties earlier this offseason, the Atlanta Braves once again have the best minor league system in baseball according to ESPN.com’s Keith Law. The Braves were also rated No. 1 by Law in 2017.
Yep, I know they lost a few prospects in MLB’s punishment of the front office for rules violations, but the ones they lost hadn’t gained much value since signing, while the players they kept, mostly from the draft and trades, by and large took steps forward last year. New GM Alex Anthopoulos will be the beneficiary of the work of his predecessor, John Coppolella, who worked to accumulate young pitching at all costs, which puts Atlanta in position to build a young, cost-controlled rotation for years and will also free them up at some point to spend on their offense.