3 prospects the Chicago Cubs should keep, and 3 they should trade

Keep: IF Matt Shaw

Matt Shaw was already a keeper for the Cubs, but his stay in Chicago became even more permanent after the team missed out on third baseman Alex Bregman. Shaw has been preparing to play third base for two straight offseasons and is now poised to step into the starting role for the Major League squad in 2025.

Shaw's abilities have been very convincing since he was drafted in the first round in 2023. He has stormed through the minor league system, hitting for both power and average at all levels with solid defense and great speed. He is the no. 1 prospect in the team's system and is currently at the top of the third base depth chart as well.

The Cubs need him and he seems to have the attitude and work ethic to excel in the Majors. It remains to be seen if he can live up to the hype, but his track record is impressive and his projections point to a great rookie season, with some considering him a candidate for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

Trade: Cade Horton

This is controversial, but I think there is a case to be made for trading Cade Horton, who is the highest-ranked pitching prospect in the Cubs' system. But just like Alcantara, this has nothing to do with Horton's talent level. When healthy, Horton has flashed some really amazing stuff on the mound, with a mid-to-upper 90s mph fastball and a wipeout slider that generated a 50% swing-and-miss rate last year. If he can develop his secondary pitches and stay healthy, Horton has ace potential in the future.

But the problem is that Horton's career has been riddled with injuries, and he has pitched just 176.1 innings over his last four seasons between the minor leagues and college. Yet he is still ranked extremely high (no. 52 in MiLB) due to his immense potential. This evaluation is precisely why Horton would be a great guy to trade as he can be a main piece to bring a high-level starter or hitter to the major league squad.

The positional need is also a variable here. The Cubs have a lot of starting pitching depth in the system, including Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown, and Brandon Birdsell among others. The Cubs don't have room for all of them in future iterations of their rotation, so the Cubs need to part ways with someone at some point. Horton may have the highest ceiling out of all those names, but he also comes with the most risk so trading him while his stock is high could be the only shot the Cubs have to maximize his value.

I could be totally wrong, and Horton may be the next version of Dylan Cease, who the Cubs traded at a similar point in his minor league career only to watch him blossom into a Cy Young-caliber pitcher. I certainly would not be mad if the Cubs kept Horton