3 insane Cubs Mariners trade ideas to heat up the winter meetings

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly had trade talks with the Seattle Mariners involving second baseman Nico Hoerner.

The Mariners have a few very interesting names that the Cubs could be interested in. The Cubs have many high-end prospects to supplement a Hoerner trade and potentially solve some of Seattle's problems. Cody Bellinger could also be a factor, but his expensive contract may be too much for the Mariners to handle given their current payroll situation.

These scenarios range from reasonable to downright unrealistic so keep that in mind as we go through this thought exercise.

Trade 1

Cubs receive: RHP Bryce Miller

Mariners receive: 2B Nico Hoerner, RHP Cade Horton, LHP Jordan Wicks, and C/1B Moises Ballesteros

The Mariners have five elite starting pitchers who will be under team control for several years to come. If they are looking to improve their lineup, they need to be open to moving one of them. in this scenario, they send Bryce Miller to the Cubs, a 26-year-old starter who would immediately upgrade Chicago's rotation. Miller took a huge step forward in his sophomore season, posting a 2.94 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 171 strikeouts.

More importantly for the Cubs, given their shaky bullpen performance the past couple of years, Miller tossed 180.1 innings in 2024. If he were able to come close to that again, Chicago would finally have multiple workhorses who, if they stay healthy, have the potential to eat 150+ innings.

Prying a starter like Miller away would come at a hefty price, especially because he is coming off a career year and hasn't even hit his first year of salary arbitration yet. Wicks could immediately plug into the back of the Mariners rotation while Horton provides close to MLB-ready talent for rotation/ bullpen depth. Horton's inclusion in this deal is obviously risky, but the Cubs organization would still have ample starting pitching depth while simultaneously upgrading the rotation.

Ballesteros does not have a clear path forward with the Cubs and they project him to shift away from the catching position. He would give the Mariners a solid bat that could fill their need at first base and give their lineup more power. Hoerner would also be a gold-glove upgrade at second base while the Cubs would likely elevate Matt Shaw to the full-time second baseman.

Trade 2

Cubs receive: C Harry Ford, LHP Gabe Speier

Mariners receive: OF/1B Cody Bellinger, RHP Cade Horton, 3B Cam Smith, C Pablo Aliendo

One of the biggest needs for the Cubs right now is a quality starting catcher. Miguel Amaya is still young and only has one full year of major league experience under his belt. There are glimpses of hope for Amaya, but he has not yet shown he can put everything together to significantly impact the Cubs. This makes the catching spot one of the few spots in the lineup that can be upgraded given the contract structures the Cubs front office has given out.

Harry Ford is currently ranked as the 49th-best prospect by MLB, which features above-average power, a plus throwing arm, elite plate discipline, and apparent leadership qualities. The 21-year-old projects to be a starting catcher and could be the Cubs' long-term answer at the catching position. But young catchers like Ford have high price tags, as Hoyer found out at the 2024 trade deadline. Since the Cubs seem intent on moving Cody Bellinger this offseason to alleviate a logjam in the outfield, the Mariners could be a good fit.

Bellinger could slot in at first base in Seattle, giving them more power and defensive flexibility. Pablo Aliendo would replace Ford in the Mariners system, preserving their catching depth. Horton and Smith are the big acquisitions for the Mariners here, as top prospects would be needed to acquire Ford. Horton is currently ranked third in the Cubs' system and could help the Mariners bullpen as soon as 2025.

Smith is a power-hitting third baseman who would be tough for the Cubs to let go of, but he is currently blocked at the major league level by Isaac Paredes. Since Paredes is under team control for another three seasons, and Smith likely won't be ready for the majors until at least 2026, this is a prospect the Cubs can afford to move right now. Smith could also give the Mariners a long-term solution to their need at third base.

Speier is a left-handed reliever coming off a down year where he posted a 5.70 ERA. The 29-year-old has had major league success, though (3.79 ERA in 2023), and he generates a lot of strikeouts. The Cubs desperately need a lefty in their bullpen and Speier is a solid fit.

Trade 3

Cubs receive: Cal Raleigh

Mariners receive: C Miguel Amaya, 2B Nico Hoerner, 3B Cam Smith, C/1B Moises Ballesteros

Let me be clear, the Seattle Mariners are probably not going to trade Cal Raleigh and the above package may not even be enough if he were available. But this is my insane trade list so here we go.

The upside for the Cubs is clear, Raleigh is arguably the best catcher in the league. He is coming off a season where he led the Mariners in bWAR (4.7), hit 34 home runs, and drove in 100. Had he been on the Cubs, Raleigh would have led the team in all of those categories while also providing elite pitch-framing skills.

In this scenario, the Mariners receive Amaya as an immediate replacement for Raleigh. This is a clear downgrade, but Ballesteros could also provide catching depth until Ford gets to the majors. Ballesteros would also help fill the power gap left by Raleigh's departure and potentially take over at first base. Hoerner gives the Mariners a fantastic leadoff hitter and defensive wizard, while Smith, again is a solid third baseman for the future.