Baseball America Ranks Cincinnati Reds Farm System Among MLB's Worst

Nick Kirby and Mike Hart discuss the updated MLB Farm System Rankings by Baseball America that had the Cincinnati Reds fall from #19 to #25.

Baseball America’s latest midseason farm system rankings were not kind to the Cincinnati Reds, dropping the organization from No. 19 in the preseason rankings to No. 25 overall. While the six-spot drop may not seem dramatic on the surface, it reflects some growing concerns about the depth of the Reds’ minor league system, particularly on the pitching side.

The Reds remain a respectable farm system thanks to several high-end position player prospects, but Baseball America believes the organization has taken a step backward compared to many of the other systems across Major League Baseball.

One of the biggest positives highlighted by Baseball America is the Reds’ catching depth. Alfredo Duno continues to establish himself as one of the premier catching prospects in baseball and is now ranked No. 51 overall in Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list. The 19-year-old recently earned a promotion to Double-A Chattanooga after an outstanding first half of the season, continuing his rapid ascent through the organization.

Duno has long been praised for his combination of power, patience and offensive upside. While evaluators still question whether his large frame will allow him to remain behind the plate long-term, Baseball America believes his offensive tools are legitimate regardless of where he ultimately plays defensively.

The publication also singled out Jirvin Morillo as another reason for optimism. Morillo has quietly developed into one of the more intriguing catching prospects in the system thanks to his advanced bat and improving defensive skills. Having two young catchers with legitimate Major League potential gives Cincinnati one of the stronger catching pipelines in baseball, which is why Baseball America labeled that position as the organization's greatest strength.

Outside of catcher, however, the rankings begin to thin out.

The Reds currently have just two prospects inside Baseball America's Top 100 rankings: Duno at No. 51 and shortstop Edwin Arroyo at No. 81. Arroyo has worked his way back after missing all of 2024 following shoulder surgery and continues to project as an above-average defensive shortstop with solid offensive upside.

While having two Top 100 prospects is certainly valuable, it also illustrates one of the biggest reasons for the Reds’ slide in the rankings. Many of the organizations ranked ahead of Cincinnati boast four, five or even six players inside Baseball America's Top 100.

Pitching depth was identified as the biggest weakness throughout the organization.

The injuries suffered by several of the Reds’ top pitching prospects have significantly impacted the system over the past year. Ty Floyd, Luke Holman and Hunter Hollan were all viewed as potential future starting pitchers capable of climbing quickly through the organization. Instead, injuries have slowed or completely halted their development.

As a result, Baseball America believes the Reds are particularly thin in the upper levels of the minor leagues, especially at Double-A and Triple-A, where organizations typically develop starting pitchers who are close to contributing in the Major Leagues.

That lack of upper-level pitching depth has become increasingly noticeable as the Reds have relied on veterans and waiver claims to fill organizational innings throughout the 2026 season.

The rankings also reflect an organizational transition.

Several players who previously helped make the Reds one of baseball's better farm systems have graduated to the Major League roster over the last few seasons. Graduations naturally weaken a farm system unless they are replaced by equally talented prospects, and Cincinnati is currently in that transition period.

There is still reason for optimism moving forward.

Recent first-round picks such as Steele Hall possess significant upside, while international additions continue to give the organization intriguing long-term talent. Players like Hector Rodriguez, Sal Stewart, Tyson Lewis, Sammy Stafura and Carlos Jorge also remain capable of significantly improving their prospect stock over the next year.

If several of the injured pitching prospects return healthy and perform as expected, the Reds could quickly address what Baseball America views as their biggest organizational weakness.

For now, though, Baseball America sees Cincinnati as a middle-to-lower-tier farm system compared to the rest of baseball. Ranking 25th does not mean the Reds lack talent—it simply reflects a system that is currently top-heavy, with its greatest strength concentrated behind the plate while lacking the pitching depth and overall prospect volume that many of the higher-ranked organizations possess.

The good news for the Reds is that farm system rankings can change quickly.