Rays honored by Baseball America as top organization

ST. PETERSBURG — A team-record 100 wins and second straight American League East championship highlighted the Rays’ 2021 accomplishments.

But their success extended well beyond what they did at the major-league level, and that led to another impressive achievement, as the Rays on Thursday were named Organization of the Year by Baseball America.

Further, they were an obvious pick by the industry-leading magazine staff.

“The Rays were an easy choice as Baseball America’s Organization of the Year in 2021, their second win in the last three years,” executive editor Matt Eddy said.

“Tampa Bay completely epitomizes what our award strives to recognize: success in the big leagues, success in the minor leagues and successful player development.”

Five Rays domestic minor-league teams posted a composite .653 record — best in modern minor-league history (since 1963), per baseball-reference.com research — with four of the teams recognized as league champions and the fifth coming up a game short in the final round.

Plus, they graduated to the majors a number of prospects — led by Wander Franco — from a farm system that has been ranked among the game’s best for several years.

“The Rays won a franchise-record 100 games in the rugged American League East, ultimately taking the top playoff seed in the AL,” Eddy said. “Their minor league affiliates won at the highest rate in the modern era of the minor leagues, encompassing nearly 60 years. And the farm system that ranked as the most talented in baseball before the season delivered key talent to Tampa Bay, notably in the form of Wander Franco, Randy Arozarena, Shane McClanahan, Luis Patino and Shane Baz.”

This is the third time the Rays have won the award in the last 14 years (also 2008 and 2019), more than any other team. The Cardinals and Dodgers each won twice in that span. The award has been given out since 1982.

Organizations of the Year

1982 Oakland Athletics

1983 New York Mets

1984 New York Mets

1985 Milwaukee Brewers

1986 Milwaukee Brewers

1987 Milwaukee Brewers

1988 Montreal Expos

1989 Texas Rangers

1990 Montreal Expos

1991 Atlanta Braves

1992 Cleveland Indians

1993 Toronto Blue Jays

1994 Kansas City Royals

1995 New York Mets

1996 Atlanta Braves

1997 Detroit Tigers

1998 New York Yankees

1999 Oakland Athletics

2000 Chicago White Sox

2001 Houston Astros

2002 Minnesota Twins

2003 Florida Marlins

2004 Minnesota Twins

2005 Atlanta Braves

2006 Los Angeles Dodgers

2007 Colorado Rockies

2008 Tampa Bay Rays

2009 Philadelphia Phillies

2010 San Francisco Giants

2011 St. Louis Cardinals

2012 Cincinnati Reds

2013 St. Louis Cardinals

2014 Kansas City Royals

2015 Pittsburgh Pirates

2016 Chicago Cubs

2017 Los Angeles Dodgers

2018 Milwaukee Brewers

2019 Tampa Bay Rays

2020 Los Angeles Dodgers

2021 Tampa Bay Rays

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