Imagining a Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves Kris Bryant trade

Chicago Cubs: Addressing a pressing need

Of the team’s top ten prospects, the Braves have five arms. Half of their top thirty are pitchers. It is a pretty loaded system if I say so myself. It also creates the perfect hub for Bryant and would give the Cubs much-needed help in the rotation.

The first player, Ian Anderson, ranks as Atlanta’s number three overall prospect. The Braves third overall drafted Anderson in the 2016 amateur draft. Another incredibly young prospect, Anderson, can legally buy a beer in the continental United States. He also has three seasons of professional baseball in his back pocket.

If you were realistic, you would understand most of Anderson’s experience in 2019 came at the Double-A level. The kid did impress, posting a 2.68 ERA across 21 starts. In five games at Gwinnett, Anderson struggled to a 6.57 ERA. Unfortunate ERA aside, Anderson has the makings of a future major league rotational piece. If the Braves refused to move off Anderson, though, there is another highly intriguing option to consider.

Now, we arrive to the Braves’ number four current overall prospect starting pitcher Kyle Wright. A little more seasoned than his younger cohorts, Wright has been with Atlanta since the team selected him fifth overall in the 2017 amateur draft.

Wright finished with the season at the major league level, posting an atrocious 8.69 ERA across seven games, including four starts. Not precisely the refresh he was hoping for on his second trip to the big leagues.

Turning into a mixed bag of results, Wright burst through the threshold in 2018, finishing with a 2.51 ERA in four starts. The 21-year-old matches a four-pitch repertoire to include a fastball (primary pitch), slider, curveball and a change-up. In his rankings, Wright has the potential to be a frontline starting pitcher. Only time and money will be able to answer that question.