Chicago Cubs: Prospects will be likely trade pieces, not core players

With four prospects in MLB Pipeline’s 2020 Top 100 rankings, the Chicago Cubs could once again look to the farm system in trades this season.

Nico Hoerner (51st), left-hander Brailyn Marquez (68th), outfielder Brennen Davis (78th) and catcher Miguel Amaya (95th) earned spots in the annual MLB Pipeline Top 100 rankings.  With the Cubs facing a competitive window that’s nearing its end, it’s not the core that will be disassembled, but this group of young prospects.

Theo Epstein has done it before.  Let’s look at the last time the Cubs had that many prospects in the top 100.  That was four years ago when Ian Happ (21st), Eloy Jimenez (23rd), Albert Almora (82nd), Dylan Cease (98th) and Jeimer Candelario (100th) all held spots in the Cubs system.  Three of them have since been moved in trades.

What about all the rampant and rabid trade noise about Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, Kyle Schwarber and others?  What about all this talk about a reckoning, how no one is untouchable, how they are willing to listen to any offers?  What about all the speculation about trading from the core for prospects to rebuild the farm?

Not to mention all the worry about losing the core in two years to free agency, how they can’t keep them all, how once Bryant’s grievance settled he’s gone.