3 likeliest landing spots if the Cubs trade top prospect Owen Caissie

Chicago Cubs' top prospect Owen Caissie is one of the likliest candidates to get moved at this year's trade deadline.

As a left-handed slugging corner outfielder, Caissie has climbed to no. 36 on MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects list and he has gotten hot at the right time of the year. With the Cubs on the cusp of acquiring a big-time starting pitcher or reliever, Caissie is the team's most valuable asset in the minor leagues, and the Cubs will likely have to part with him if they want a controllable pitcher.

Here are three teams that Caissie could be playing for by the end of the week.

1. Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins have the goods that the Cubs need. Starting pitchers Joe Ryan or Pablo Lopez would make excellent frontline additions to Chicago's starting rotation, giving them a third starter along with Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga to lock down a playoff series.

The Twins could also move their closer Jhoan Duran this year. Like Ryan and Lopez, Duran has several years of team control left and is a proven pitcher at the big-league level. The Twins are in a position where Caissie could immediately help them on the major league roster with a power drought in their lineup and a hole in the corner outfield depth.

2. Miami Marlins

The Marlins have two controllable starters that the Cubs are interested in - former Cy Young award winner Sandy Alcantara and intriguing young righty Edward Cabrera. Cabrera is the more desirable option right now since he entered the week with a 3.48 ERA through his first 17 starts this year, and the Cubs could slot him into their rotation for several years to come. He is also two years younger and has an extra year of control.

Alcantara is having a rough year on the mound with an ERA of 6.66 through 20 starts. But his track record was good before getting Tommy John and maybe a change of scenery, a boost from the Cubs' pitching development team, and contending for a division for the first time in his career could turn things around for the 29-year-old.

Pairing Caissie with Miami slugger Kyle Stowers would give the team two exciting young hitters to build around for the forseeable future.

3. Washington Nationals

Recent rumors have linked the Cubs to the Washington Nationals, who could be shopping their ace Mackenzie Gore this year. Gore is only 26-years-old with an impressive 3.52 ERA through his first 21 starts. The southpaw also has 144 strikeouts in 117.2 innings pitched, making him one of the few pitchers who could eclipse the 200 strikeout mark this year.

Adding Gore would change the dynamic of the Cubs for the next three years, but Caissie would likely be the first of a few top prospects the Cubs would have to move to acquire the former third overall pick.

Caissie could be the Nationals right fielder of the future to play opposite of James Wood, another left-handed power hitter emerging in Washington.