Want to experience a strange sense memory you can't quite place? The New York Yankees' farm system ranked sixth overall in baseball in Kiley McDaniel's pre-2024 rankings for ESPN. That's an actual thing that happened only 12 months ago.
Then, a whole bunch of stuff happened to lessen their system's shine, most of it very bad, but some of it actually very wonderful. Austin Wells graduated and nearly won the American League Rookie of the Year. That was good, but it diminished their minor-league ranks. Luis Gil also officially graduated, and actually won the aforementioned hardware. Jasson Dominguez, despite a downward-trending and disappearing season, is on the verge of graduation as well.
Unfortunately, below the surface, some far less encouraging things dominated the narrative. Spencer Jones' progression plateaued; those who predicted he'd rise into the consensus top 50 of most prospect lists whiffed harder than Jones himself. Roderick Arias also failed to take a considerable enough step forward for the experts. Helium alert pitchers like Henry Lalane barely pitched; established names like Chase Hampton and Will Warren battled injuries and ineffectiveness.
It was no great surprise to see only George Lombard Jr. and Dominguez ranked on any of the Top 100 lists that just dropped to precede the 2025 season. It was also far from shocking to see McDaniel drop the Yankees' system to 21st overall, though it was a little surprising they didn't fall even further.
Still, in his assessment, McDaniel made it clear that he expects some significant bounce back in 2025 after a nightmarish 2024, not even accounting for the toolsy power arms New York added in the draft.
Prospect rankings week comes to a close with all the farm systems ranked 1 through 30.
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) January 31, 2025
We have a new team with the best farm system for the first time in years, and the new team in 2nd is poised to possibly take the top spot by May https://t.co/fHERt8th20
The New York Yankees' farm system ranks in the bottom third of ESPN's list, but there's hope (not sarcasm)
McDaniel called the Yankees' last 365 days "clustered bad luck more than anything systemic," and expects a return to normalcy this year, as the rest of the farm "appreciates" in value. Pitching prospects like Ben Hess, Bryce Cunningham, and Gage Ziehl from the '24 draft class will be a part of that, even if Hampton struggles to harness his stuff and remain healthy once again. So will Lombard Jr.'s likely continued rise, as well as Arias, who figured out some significant things down the stretch and barely missed inclusion in McDaniel's Top 100, falling at No. 103.
Jones remains the all-time wild card, and his all-world tools will be challenged at Triple-A this year as he incorporates a toe tap and looks to get his whiffing under wraps. Even if only three or four of 100 uncertainties correct themselves, McDaniel believes the Yankees will inch closer to the top half of the game's farms next season. Add a few more high-ceiling breakouts from lower-level names like Brando Mayea, and you might even have something a bit more noteworthy.