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There are four full-season levels in the minor leagues. This includes A-Ball, High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. For the Pittsburgh Pirates, their minor leagues consist of the Bradenton Marauders (A-Ball), Greensboro Grasshoppers (High-A), Altoona Curve (Double-A), and Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A). With as good of a farm system as the Pirates currently have, each of these four minor league affiliate teams has some good talent spread throughout each roster.
But when you compare each of the Pittsburgh Pirates' minor league teams to one another, which one is the best? It is a tough question considering the talent the team has accumulated recently, not to mention the talent that has graduated as well. For instance, no one expected Jared Jones to start the year in the Majors with fans assuming he would be in Triple-A. So things have shaken out a little differently than originally expected.
Today, we are going to rank each of the Pirates' affiliates, starting with the worst and working our way up to what I consider their best current minor league team. The criteria are based on the overall strength of the affiliate's roster. This includes how many prospects they have, how good those prospects they have, and their team's overall depth. So let's get started with #4, which some may be disappointed to see which team that is: