Having a bad (read: rebuilding) big league club often dovetails with a burgeoning farm system. When veteran players are dealt away, it’s with the future in mind - cashing in trade chips that other teams want for the now while plucking the future from them in return.
It’s what the Cincinnati Reds have been up to lately, acquiring and stashing prospects with aplomb while also doing some pretty well-regarded draft work. Their efforts have landed them a pretty applauded overall farm system, too - MLB Pipeline ranked them as the 4th best overall system in the game last August, while also congratulating them on the 2nd best development during calendar year 2022.