Former Chicago Cubs prospect is going nuclear with the Dodgers in the AFL

When the Chicago Cubs traded for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte, it was an aggressive move focused on helping the team's near and long-term future with a steady first baseman. It was also a massive risk. Jackson Ferris was seen as one of the team's better pitching prospects at the time and a big price to pay, even if the team had no shortage of pitching prospects. Hopes were high (pun intended) for Zyhir Hope after a strong start at the Complex League too.

There was always the possibility that one or both of those guys popped in the Dodgers organization. Sure enough, that's what happened. Ferris continued to perform well through High-A and Double-A with a 3.20 ERA. Hope, however, exploded onto the scene as a rising star in Los Angeles' system. In 54 games at Low-A, he posted a .287/.415/.490 slash line with nine home runs, an improved strikeout rate, and a lot of power. He's already being hailed as not just one of the fastest risers for the Dodgers but in all of baseball.

That punctuated breakout has carried over into a white-hot performance in the Arizona Fall League thus far. In only his fifth game on Tuesday, he blasted his third home run for the Glendale Desert Dogs. The titanic blast also came after a three-minute at-bat that shows he's capable of fighting off pitches until he gets a mistake.

Between the minor league season and his AFL performance thus far, Hope looks like a diamond in the rough that the Cubs gave up. It's another testament to the Dodgers organization for being able to pick the prospects most likely to succeed. They've managed to be the envy of the league with a farm system that consistently ranks high - as of August, MLB ranked it as the fifth-best group - due to their ability to find those breakout prospects while also sporting a $339.9 million payroll with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and much more.

That's not to say this decision is worth bemoaning. Every team has their own needs and the Cubs finally fulfilled their need at first base by adding Busch. His rookie campaign was a strong showing with a .248/.333/.440 slash line, good for a 119 wRC+. On top of that, he looked like one of the better defensive first basemen in the sport, boasting five defensive runs saved and two outs above average on top of a 3.7 UZR/150. It all amounted to 2.3 fWAR, sixth on the team behind Pete Crow-Armstrong.

The Chicago Cubs can't be afraid to take risks with trades

The Cubs are heading into a pivotal offseason that may require a trade or two to succeed. They have a farm system flush with prospects to trade from, including a league-leading eight within the top 100. Not all of those players can be expected to find spots in the big leagues in Chicago and, certainly, not all of them can be expected to succeed right off the bat. It is priority number one at this point to start succeeding at the highest level, even if the cost is painful.

Hope's success is another reminder that there will be Cubs prospects that thrive in other organizations. They'll succeed in ways that will drive fans up a wall wondering why they were traded. However, none of that has to matter if you bring back value that can help the team catapult itself into contention. Busch won't hit free agency for another five years and he looks like a bat that can contribute in big ways going forward.

If another reasonable trade opportunity comes up, whether that be for a needle-mover like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or a rising young star like Logan O'Hoppe, there should be little hesitation in getting that deal done. It's better to have the sure thing than to cling to prospects hopinhg one of them will replicate their minor league success in the majors.