Top organizations based on pitching talent 2024

Good pitching can be hard to find — look at the flurry of activity at the Trade Deadline for evidence — so clubs that can develop talents on the mound themselves can get a considerable leg up on the competition.

Think of where the Phillies would be without homegrown talents Aaron Nola or Ranger Suárez this year. Think of the impact Paul Skenes and Jared Jones have had in Pittsburgh and what the arrival of Luis Gil (when healthy) has done for the rotation in the Bronx.

All organizations have their strengths and weaknesses. We’ve already covered the top organizations by infield and outfield talent. Here are the 11 farm systems (yes, we’re going Spinal Tap-style on this edition) most loaded with pitching right now.

1. Pittsburgh Pirates
No other team has as many Top 100 pitchers (three) as the Pirates, even with the graduations of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones. Bubba Chandler leads the way, and he and the other two (Braxton Ashcraft and Thomas Harrington) should impact the big leagues in 2025. They also have intriguing lefties in the top 10 in Hunter Barco and Anthony Solometo, and don’t forget 2024 draftee Levi Sterling, who has a huge ceiling.

2. Chicago White Sox
There aren’t many bright spots for the White Sox in the big leagues this season, though rookies Drew Thorpe and Jonathan Cannon have looked like viable starters for the future. More mound help is on the way, led by the two best lefty pitching prospects in baseball in Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith. Chicago has plenty of promising right-handers as well, including Jairo Iriarte, Grant Taylor and unheralded Mason Adams.

3. St. Louis Cardinals
No. 82 overall prospect Quinn Mathews has been arguably the most effective pitcher in Minor League Baseball this season as he’s led the Minors in strikeouts (193) while climbing four levels in his first full season, and he doesn’t even have the highest ceiling among arms in his own organization. That distinction belongs to No. 50 Tink Hence, who has elite pure stuff as he looks at a potential debut in 2025. Tekoah Roby and Cooper Hjerpe have battled injuries this summer but have rotation upside, while Michael McGreevy and Gordon Graceffo have already served as organizational depth with the chance to be more next spring.

4. Los Angeles Angels
The Angels’ farm system has been known mostly for getting draftees quickly to the big leagues, but they are starting to amass some mound talent as well. The group is led by top prospect Caden Dana, who recently made his big league debut at age 20, but thanks to trades and the Draft, they now have five hurlers in their top 10, with trade acquisition George Klassen possessing the most electric stuff. Half of the club’s Top 30 are pitchers.

5. Washington Nationals
You’d be forgiven for seeing the arrivals of James Wood and Dylan Crews and thinking the Nats have a bat-heavy organization. But the breakouts of 20-year-old hurlers Travis Sykora (MLB No. 94) and Jarlin Susana (No. 96) at the A-ball levels have given the organization a more well-rounded look with their high-octane stuff (Sykora’s three-pitch mix, Susana’s elite fastball velocity and killer slider). Left-hander Alex Clemmey was a hard-throwing pickup with upside at the Trade Deadline, and Cade Cavalli still has mid-rotation potential despite a rough Tommy John rehab process. A return to form from Andry Lara gives Washington more hope of a future rotation filled with internally developed arms.

6. Atlanta Braves
There are some question marks here, but no team has as many pitchers (22) on their Top 30 as the Braves do. Seven are in the top 10 alone, topped by 2024 first-rounder Cam Caminiti. It’s still unclear what AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep’s long-term roles will be, Owen Murphy had Tommy John surgery earlier this year and JR Ritchie is just back from his own TJ, but there’s no denying the pure stuff and upside — not to mention the sheer depth — in this system.

7. Miami Marlins
The Marlins invested $8.6 million in high school pitching with their first two picks in the 2023 Draft, and now left-hander Thomas White and right-hander Noble Meyer are their two best prospects — and two of the better mound prospects in the game. They’ve further bolstered their pitching supply via trades (Robby Snelling, Adam Mazur) and the Draft (Aiden May, Grant Shepardson) this summer. Keep an eye on 18-year-old left-hander Keyner Benitez, who succeeded as the youngest starter in the Single-A Florida State League.

8. Colorado Rockies
What’s this? The Rockies with pitching prospects? You better believe it. Their first-rounder from 2023, Chase Dollander, leads the way as the lone Top 100 guy, making it to Double-A in his first full year and putting up gaudy numbers all season. But they have some interesting arms in their top 10 beyond him, including 2024 draftee Brody Brecht, who has a triple-digit fastball, and lefty Sean Sullivan. Fellow southpaw Carson Palmquist should help out in the bigs next year, and there are 14 pitchers in this Top 30 overall.

9. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds make this list mostly because of their top two arms, but they’re really good ones. Picking college pitchers in the top 10 of each of the last two Drafts helps. 2024 No. 2 overall pick Chase Burns leads the list, followed closely by last year’s first-rounder Rhett Lowder, who has already touched the big leagues. There are some intriguing guys to keep an eye on in the top half of the Top 30, with Chase Petty finishing off strongly in Double-A, Julian Aguiar helping out in Cincy and this year’s Draft also providing Luke Holman.

10. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers would rank even higher if right-handers River Ryan, Nick Frasso and Kyle Hurt weren’t sidelined after surgeries. Left-handers Jackson Ferris and Justin Wrobleski are their best healthy arms, while righty Edgardo Henriquez may be the best relief prospect anywhere in the Minors. Righty Hyun-Seok Jang and lefty Maddux Bruns still are figuring things out but have massive upside.

11. Texas Rangers
While pitching injuries contributed to the Rangers’ inability to defend their World Series championship, there have been plenty of pleasant mound developments in the Minors. Right-hander Kumar Rocker has returned from Tommy John surgery, reclaimed his vintage stuff and will make his big league debut on Thursday. Alejandro Rosario, Emiliano Teodo and Winston Santos all look like legitimate starters, and Rosario (fifth round) and Izack Tiger (seventh) appear to be huge steals from the 2023 Draft.