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MLB

Cubs Named Top Farm System In Baseball

Baseball America The Latest Publication To Bestow Honor
By Andrew Green
February 6, 2015

The Chicago Cubs received another top honor this week, with Baseball America naming the Smokies' parent club as possessing the top farm system in baseball. The Cubs have also recently received top minor league system honors from ESPN.com's Keith Law and the Sporting News.

MLB.com last week named their top 100 prospects in baseball, with the Chicago Cubs seeing six of their prospects among the best 57 in the game, five of whom wore a Smokies uniform in 2014. In addition, third baseman Kris Bryant (No. 2) and shortstop Addison Russell (No. 5) were each rated among the top five prospects in baseball by the site as announced on MLB Network.

Baseball America will also be announcing their top 100 prospects list on MLB Network on Thursday, February 19 at 9:00 p.m. ET. The publication on Thursday released their annual Prospect Handbook guide, with Bryant gracing the cover, with eight Smokies alums rated among the top 30 Cubs prospects, including four of the top five. The lone exception is catcher/outfielder and 2014 first round draft pick Kyle Schwarber, who could possibly don a Tennessee Smokies uniform in 2015.

This upcoming season will mark the Smokies' ninth year aligned with the Cubs, with 51 different players going on to make their Major League debuts with the Cubs since the partnership began in 2007. The two clubs last season announced a four-year extension to their player development contract (PDC), which will keep the affiliation alive through the 2018 campaign.

The Smokies are slated to begin the 2015 campaign on the road against the Mississippi Braves, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, on Thursday, April 9, before returning to Tennessee to begin their 2015 home slate on Wednesday, April 15 versus the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, with a special 11:30 a.m. start time. Opening Night at Smokies Stadium will be the very next evening on Thursday, April 16, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Season ticket and multi-game voucher plans are currently available and can be purchased online by clicking here, or by calling the Smokies Ticket Office at (865) 286-2300.