In an ideal world, from a club perspective, MLB teams would field an entire roster made up of draft picks and international signings that they developed through their farm system and turned into homegrown stars.
Of course, the finances of baseball and uncertainty of amateur talent make that impossible.
A small-market team is more reliant on cost-controlled, young assets to stay competitive, while big-market clubs can more readily afford to trade prospects when opportunities arise and then plug holes with free-agent signings.
Still, the in-house talent pipeline is a necessity for any team to win a title.