Chicago Cubs: Trade grades for every move following a hectic deadline

Chicago Cubs: Kris Bryant was the last man standing – until he wasn’t

The final blow to the iconic group of players came just a few minutes before the deadline. Bryant had been the one player most people thought would for sure be gone, and after having a bounceback year, many thought he’d get a nice haul for the Cubs. Ironically enough, however, Bryant might’ve gotten the least value back.

This isn’t a horrible return for Bryant, though it was cheapened by an untrue report that the Cubs would be getting catcher Joey Bart in the deal. Alexander Canario is just 21 and has good power and is an all-around solid hitter that Fangraphs rates as the Cubs’ 14th best prospect and gives an FV of 45 too. Caleb Kilian, meanwhile, is the Cubs’ 16th-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline and has four decent pitches and great minor league statistics this year.

Canario and Kilian are both solid prospects, and it’s better that the Cubs got something for Bryant rather than letting him walk, but it’s hard not to feel underwhelmed by this deal. The team had a great deadline for the most part, but this was certainly one of their weaker deals for one of, if not, the best player on the team.

Grade: C-

Watching all of these franchise icons leave in such a short period of time has left everyone in shock and sorrow, and it truly is a shame it had to happen. But in the long run, if the Cubs truly weren’t going to extend them, trading them was absolutely the right call and the Cubs put themselves in a much better position for the future. The trade deadline was the ending of a truly special chapter in Cubs history, but hopefully, it’s the start of another that’s just as special.