Reds rank seventh in ESPN's MLB Future Power Rankings

The collective baseball geniuses at ESPN published their second annual edition of MLB Future Power Rankings this week. The likes of Jim Bowden, Keith Law, and Buster Olney were each asked to rank all 30 teams based on five different categories in an attempt to measure how well each team is set up for success over the next handful of years.

The categories included majors, minors, finance, management, and mobility. The majors and minors categories were given full weight in the power rankings measurement, while finance and management received two-thirds weight. Mobility, or perceived ability to move players if needed, was given one-thirds weight.

ESPN published teams ranked 30 through 16 on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Reds made an appearance when they released the top 15.

Cincinnati came in at the No. 7 spot overall and fourth among National League teams.

Here is what they had to say about the Reds:

Notables:
- Two division rivals finished higher than the Reds (Cubs-6th, Cardinals-1st).
- According to the chart, the trio basically ranked the Reds as having the third-best team in the majors.
- The biggest weakness for the franchise moving forward is finances.
- Their ranking is a big improvement from the most recent installment last August in which the club was ranked 15th.
- Cincy ranked 16th in these same rankings exactly one year ago.