ESPN insider's Top 100 prospects list confirms Yankees farm ranks among the elite

Good news, everyone! Every farm system in Major League Baseball must be terrible. Otherwise, how would the Yankees -- who we've been told have a dreadful farm system -- possess six top-100 prospects, according to Baseball America's list, which has long been the industry standard?

How would they also possess six top-100 prospects on ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel's just-released list? And how would they possibly place Jasson Dominguez higher on the list (No. 21) than Red Sox wunderkinds Roman Anthony (23) and Marcelo Mayer (28, slipping from No. 11)? Is the Red Sox farm also bad?

Surely, all this empirical data, lofty projections, and spread-out honors can't possibly mean that the Yankees have drafted well, signed impressive international free agents, and developed talent effectively, all while remaining competitive at the major-league level. That simply cannot be it.

Whatever the cause, McDaniel honored Dominguez, Spencer Jones (56), Roderick Arias (60, one spot ahead of Boston's Kyle Teel), Will Warren (69), Chase Hampton (81) and Austn Wells (82), placing recently-traded righty Drew Thorpe at No. 64 as well. Blasphemy. How such a failure of a system received so many accolades we'll never know.

Yankees rank six prospects in ESPN's Top 100 list, per Kiley McDaniel

Marcelo Mayer has also moved down this list below both Dominguez and Jackson Jobe (No. 10), the pitcher the Tigers were ridiculed for taking ahead of him. Feels worth noting.

But we're not here to talk about Boston's "Oops, All Hitters!" farm system. We're here to praise the Yankees for the work they've done below the surface -- and the best part is there are several more projectable players who could make an impact in 2024. If Jones can fix his launch angle, as McDaniel notes, he can rise up the list like Dominguez finally did this time around. If George Lombard Jr. or Henry LaLane make anticipated leaps, they, too, could be top-100 names. If Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza, no longer eligible, can polish off their major-league portfolios, the team's future gets even scarier. And hey, wait, where's Everson Pereira on this list?!

Of course, that's the downside. We've ripped Boston enough. It's worth ripping the Yankees' fissure between the minors and the majors that's resulted in realities like Volpe barely sniffing .200 and Peraza being unable to establish his footing and Pereira starting his big-league career 1-for-64 (estimated).

Whoever's been responsible for transitioning this talent to the majors deserves scorn. But those who've uncovered it and developed it, from low draft slot after low draft slot, have earned a tip of the cap in a sea of unfair reputations.