Houston Astros named top farm system by MiLB.com
Houston had seven farm teams make the postseason and finished with a won-lost record of 502-405 (.553).
By
Dave Brown
•
1 min read
After averaging 104 losses over the past four seasons, the Houston Astros made a meteoric rise to World Series contender in 2015, winning 86 games during the regular season and coming within one game of the ALCS. No less important to the future of the franchise, if not more so, the minor leagues also experienced the same kind of success.
For posting a .553 winning percentage, along with having seven affiliates make the minor-league postseason, the Astros were named the best farm system in Major League Baseball by MiLB.com on Thursday.
The seven minor-league teams in the playoffs equaled the 2010 Mariners system for the best among any team since 2005. Houston's affiliates include: Triple-A Fresno (Calif.), Double-A Corpus Christi (Tex.), Class-A advanced Lancaster (Calif.), Class-A Quad Cities (Iowa), Class-A Short Season Tri-City (New York), rookie Greeneville (Tenn.) and a rookie Dominican Summer League -- Astros Blue.
That says a lot about the work of Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow, farm director Quinton McCracken, scouting director Mike Elias and their respective scouts and staffs.
After graduating several top prospects to the majors in recent seasons -- including Carlos Correa, Lance McCullers, Vince Velasquez and Domingo Santana (who's now with the Brewers) -- they might be light on top major-league talent at advanced locations. Also gone is Brett Phillips, who went with Santana to Milwaukee in the Carlos Gomez-Mike Fiers trade. Still around: right-hander Michael Feliz, right-hander Mark Appel and third baseman Colin Moran -- perhaps a top 50 or so prospect. And there's A.J. Reed, 22, who looks like a slugger's slugger at first base.
And, as the farm system award might indicate, there's more where that came from.
