Leody Taveras, the top-ranked prospect in an average-ranked farm system.

Jim Bowden, the former general manager of the Cincinnati Reds, whose team won the World Series in 1990, is now a contributing writer for The Athletic, the new online subscription-based daily national sports section.

He just came out with his ranking of all thirty farm systems based on the latest up-to-the-minute transactions, including deadline trades and deals done through this week.

His top-ranked farm system is the San Diego Padres.

The Rangers?

Twenty-second out of thirty, with a grade of C+.

His top eight Rangers prospects are:

Leody Taveras, OF
Julio Pablo Martinez, OF
Cole Winn, RHP
Hans Crouse, RPH
Taylor Hearn, LHP
Joe Palumbo, LHP
Taylor Phillips, RPH
Bubba Thompson, OF

Bowden explains the C+ grade he gave Texas is “because of their lack of quality depth.”

Over all, three teams earned an A, one an A-. Six teams earned a B+, five Bs, and three teams earned a B-.  He gave five teams a C+, including Arizona, Baltimore, Milwaukee and Miami. Two teams got a C, one a C-. Bringing up the rear were the Red Sox with a D, and Kansas City and Seattle with a D-.

Another reason the Rangers farm system scored so low is that so many of the players in that system are now in the major leagues. The Rangers have a bumper crop of under-25-year old players on the major league roster.

Unfortunately, as Bowden’s rating suggests, this core group has no pitching to support it, and there is none on the horizon for a while.

*****
TODAY’S GAME:

Walker Buehler (6-4, 2.96) vs. Ariel Jurado (2-3, 6.40)
Game time: 7:05

The Dodgers have never hit against Jurado.
The Rangers have never hit against Buehler.