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Chicago Cubs: Looking at Rays, Mets and Dodgers trade targets
We are just two days out from the MLB trade deadline and the Chicago Cubs have slowly started their sale. Andrew Chafin was traded to the Oakland Athletics, following the trade of Joc Pederson, who was the first to go earlier in the month.
Craig Kimbrel and Kris Bryant are the highest-profile names left, along with guys like Zach Davies and Ryan Tepera, and potentially some others. Rumors have been flying for weeks and more teams seem to be jumping into the sweepstakes here at the finish line.
The market has been kind to the Cubs so far as they start their rebuild. Some of the names being thrown out for players like Bryant and Kimbrel are what the Cubs should be aiming for. The Rays, Dodgers and Mets have all been mentioned in the Kris Bryant sweepstakes, with Los Angeles also reportedly interested in Craig Kimbrel.
Chicago Cubs: Are the New York Mets a match for a Chicago star?
Mark Vientos – Double-A third baseman, .266/.342/.579, 18 HR
Ronny Mauricio – High-A shortstop, .247/.289/.459, 13 HR
J.T. Ginn – High-A pitcher, 2.44 ERA, 9 GS, 44 1/3 IP, 41 K, .201 BAA
Mark Vientos
Vientos is the Mets’ eighth-best prospect according to MLB.com and has loads of power. The Cubs’ system really lacks in this area and he would immediately start to remedy that. His power numbers have increased every season in the minors after being drafted in the second round in 2019. He’s only striking out 23 percent of the time, so the contact is there. His future value according to Fangraphs is 50 on the 20-80 scale, which is an above average Major Leaguer and he is estimated to be in the big leagues within two years.
Vientos would fill the empty void created by Bryant from a power department, but the jury is out on his defense, and Bryant is a solid defender no matter where you put him. The Mets are an interesting trade partner here, and Vientos was one of the names mentioned in a recent Sports Illustrated report. Chicago should want to upgrade the system power, and this would be the first step.
Ronny Mauricio
Mauricio, ranked as the Met’s second-best prospect by MLB.com, isn’t as prolific of a hitter as Vientos, but he’s only 20 years old and at High-A. The concerns here are that he doesn’t walk or slug, but the slugging has picked up this season, although he does hit the ball on the ground quite a bit. He is a highly projectable player and it’s understandable why the Cubs would want him. After all, a team can never have too many shortstops.
He is a switch-hitter and over the course of his career has done more damage from the left side, but this year his right-handed hitting has taken a step forward which could be key for development. Mauricio’s glove will keep him around the majors, but he has a bigger frame at 6’3, which may move him off shortstop. His ‘plus’ arm will play everywhere, and that’s an advantage. The tools are there, and maybe the Cubs think they can unlock more.
J.T. Ginn
A team can never have too much pitching, right? Ginn has been dominant with the Brooklyn Cyclones this year. The right-hander is ranked sixth in the Mets’ system, and this is his first professional season in any capacity and he’s still putting up gaudy numbers. He doesn’t walk anybody, and the Mets have had some success with pitchers in the past, so he’s getting some fine tutelage. He’s already been promoted from low-A to High-A and should continue ascending quickly if he keeps this up.
Ginn uses three pitches, the fastball sits 92-95 and has good sink to it. It can hit 97 at times when he gives max effort. The changeup is still developing and the slider has lots of movement and has gotten good reviews and could be seen as his “out” pitch. There is more room for development here and the Cubs love a good changeup, if he can get that developed he can raise his game to another level.
Chicago Cubs: A collection of Los Angeles Dodgers prospects
Michael Busch – Double-A second baseman, .241/.392/.435, 11 HR
Andy Pages – High-A outfielder, .243/.361/.514, 19 HR
Bobby Miller – High-A pitcher, 2.03 ERA, 53 K, 44 1/3 IP, .175 BAA
Ryan Pepiot – Double-A pitcher, 2.87 ERA, 81 K, 59 2/3 IP, .149 BAA
Michael Busch and Andy Pages
The first thing that jumps off the page is the on-base percentage for Busch. The .392 is a stellar number and offsets his lack of batting average. Like Vientos, he would cure the power problem in the Cubs’ system with his 11 home runs. He is striking out 27 percent of the time this year which may be a little cause for concern, but his production offsets the big strikeout numbers. Chicago will likely need a second baseman for the future as well should Baez leave in free agency. Primarily a second baseman, he has played some first as well, but in a limited capacity. Busch should be the starter of talks with the Dodgers, assuming Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray are off the table.
If you like home runs, Andy Pages is your guy. Just 20 years old, he has 19 home runs in just 73 games. He has 48 career home runs in just 677 at-bats, so basically a bit above a full 162-games worth of ABs. That’s encouraging for when he hits the Major Leagues. There are some strikeout concerns as he’s got a bit of a long swing, but his athleticism is enough that he should be able to remain in the outfield, perhaps even moving over to center field in the long run.
Bobby Miller and Ryan Pepiot
The Cubs have been pretty open about needing to add more power to the system, and Busch and Pages would certainly do that, but pitching is always a focus, as well. The Dodgers system is loaded, and Miller is in his first professional season and has 53 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings with a 2.03 ERA. He went to college at Louisville, and Chicago’s front office loves them a college pitcher. He’s only given up 28 hits and has a BAA of .175. He can touch 99 with the fastball and throws a changeup in the low 80s, along with a split change that tops out in the high 80s. He is all about velocity, another thing the Cubs have shifted to in recent drafts/acquisitions. His 6’5 frame should hold up enough for him to remain a starter.
Pepiot is much of the same in terms of results, but he strikes out more hitters, 81 in 59 2/3, to be exact. The .149 opponent average jumps off the page as well. The fastball is 91-94 and can touch 96, but his changeup is the main weapon, and if it’s a good changeup, the Cubs likely want the player. Pepiot also uses a slider and curveball and will throw any pitch in any count. Another college pitcher out of Butler, he has a bit more experience than Miller, but either player would be a haul for the Cubs and should be a target.
Chicago Cubs: Are the Tampa Bay Rays for real this trade deadline?
Greg Jones – High-A shortstop, .278/.387/.519, 12 HR
Cole Wilcox – Low-A pitcher, 44 1/3 IP, 52 K, .200 BAA
Josh Lowe – Triple-A outfielder, .277/.351/.545, 14 HR
Greg Jones and Josh Lowe
Both of these players are the total package. Athleticism, speed, power, etc. Jones has 24 steals and has only been caught once. Lowe has 15 steals and has yet to be caught. Not only does that signal speed, it shows that they are good with picking their spots when to run and have top notch baserunning ability. Like the other power hitters in this slideshow, their home run totals would slot into the top, or near the top of home run totals in the Cubs’ system.
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The Rays are a fun team to trade with because they will trade absolutely anybody at any time. Lowe is nearly Major League ready, but does have some contact issues but shouldn’t be enough of a problem to worry anybody. This is his best season in Triple-A by far and he has struggled to hit a bit in years past, the year off may have done him some good in the long run.
Jones is a hitter and has hit everywhere he’s been. He didn’t skip a beat after the COVID layoff, and also has a strikeout problem, but again the production should offset that. The worst case scenario for Lowe is that he becomes a good fourth outfielder, but if all the tools come together he can be an above average everyday player.
He has all the tools to be one, and maybe his Triple-A changes are real. Jones has the athleticism and arm strength to stick at shortstop, but maybe with his speed he ends up in the outfield. Either way, these two are surefire Major Leaguers in some capacity.
Cole Wilcox
Wilcox was just acquired in the Blake Snell trade with the Padres. Famously, the very next day the Padres acquired Yu Darvish from the Cubs for four teenagers in a salary dump deal. Wilcox has been good with the Rays, with 52 K in 44 1/3 innings, a .200 BAA and only five walks. The control is impeccable, but what might hurt here is the fact that Wilcox is currently on the Injured List, and it’s rare that teams acquire a currently injured player. His fastball is 92-97, but he really only throws two main pitches. There are questions about his long-term role but he is doing just fine as a starter in the low minors. In today’s game, being a high-velocity bullpen arm is still valuable.
Next. Chicago Cubs: The likeliest trade destinations for the core. dark
The Cubs have their choice of options this deadline, and they need to make good choice to help make the rebuild go faster and smoother. There are of course other candidates from other teams but these are the few that jumped off the page. Jed Hoyer should still have his pick of the litter come Friday.