Coming into the 2018 season, the Baltimore Orioles had one of the worst minor league systems in MLB. When then-executive VP Dan Duquette was allowed to sell every available asset on the major league team at the 2018 trade deadline, the farm got a bit better. But much of Duquette’s work helped bolster the organization’s depth without adding star power near the top.
Duquette was able to acquire Yusniel Diaz in the Manny Machado trade, and Diaz immediately became the Orioles top prospect and one of just two (Ryan Mountcastle) ranked in MLB Pipeline’s top-100.