ESPN ranks Yankees’ farm system shockingly high (and way above Red Sox)

The New York Yankees had more than enough farm system depth in 2021 to pull off a Joey Gallo trade at the deadline, surrendering significant depth (and interesting pieces) without ruining the top 10 of their farm system whatsoever.

Most people don’t view the Yanks as an upper echelon system, though, believing there isn’t enough high-end talent to match the depth.

Most people aren’t ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, though.

In his new Farm System Rankings for ESPN (subscription required), McDaniel ranks the Yankees well ahead of some serious contenders who are well known for their prospect muscle.

Following Keith Law’s list that was bearish (as per usual!) on the Bombers’ future outside of Anthony Volpe, ESPN gave the Yanks their flowers, ranking them seventh in all of baseball behind a whole bunch of tankers who’d better have great farm systems by now after so much losing — plus the Rays, who are second and will always be goddamned second.

Not only does McDaniel believe the Yankees could reap their farm’s rewards, but he also claims the team could pull off “five more” Gallo trades if they really wanted to.

ESPN’s Yankees farm system rankings are wild.

In case you’re keeping track, the eternal behemoth Dodgers rank just behind the Yankees in eighth. Behind the Yankees! That’s legal?!

The Red Sox? You can find them in the 16-spot, typically reserved for … well, the Yankees, who usually rank between 15-20 per most publications. Chaim, though, right?! Revitalized the farm! Unbeatable, top to bottom!

16th. Too bad, so sad.

You might remember McDaniel for also being the high man on Everson Pereira earlier this week when he ranked his Top 100 prospects in the game. He included four Yankees on that list — the three we’re all used to in Volpe, Jasson Dominguez and Oswald Peraza, plus Pereira at No. 69 fresh off a 20-homer season in 188 at-bats.

In his farm assessment, McDaniel cited those names (weirdly minus Dominguez), plus recent signee Roderick Arias and our man Ken Waldichuk, who turned himself into a serious name instead of just a great story this past season.

If McDaniel believes, we believe. We’ll also take any opportunity to troll Sox apologists who still seem to be a level or two behind the Yankees’ farm in many ways. Rough stuff. Thought that was, like, their thing.

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