3 players the Cubs can't trade under any circumstances

The Chicago Cubs are no stranger to trades. Whether it be at the deadline or in the offseason, the Cubs have been willing to deal almost any player for the right price. The 2021 deadline saw the Cubs dismantle the core of the 2016 World Series champion club, with trades sending Anthony Rizzo to the Bronx, Javier Baez to Queens and Kris Bryant to San Francisco.

Those three trades brought in some serious talent. The Giants sent Alexander Canario and Caleb Killian, The Yankees sent Kevin Alcantara and the Mets let go of their best prospect in Pete Crow-Armstrong. All of these individuals are now featured in the Cubs' top prospects, with Crow-Armstrong leading the way at number one. 2022 was no different, with Chicago aquiring Hayden Wesneski in the Scott Effross trade and Ben Brown in the David Robertson deal.

However, there are players in every organization who've been hit with the 'untouchable' label. For some, it's primetime superstar talent, while for others it's 'can't-miss' prospects. The question for us is 'who are the untouchables' when it comes to the Cubs? Let's take a look at 3 players the Cubs can't move in a trade this year (who aren't named Dansby Swanson).

3 players the Cubs can't trade under any circumstances: #3 - Pete Crow-Armstrong

The first player the Cubs should not trade is Crow-Armstrong (PCA). As mentioned earlier, Crow-Armstrong came to Chicago in the deal centered around Báez. In his first year of professional baseball, he was only able to play six games. While playing for the New York Mets Low-A team. the 2020 first round pick tore his labrum in the non-throwing shoulder. This did not deter the Cubs at all from trading for him, and Crow-Armstrong tore it up in his first full season.

In the 2022 minor league season, the 20-year-old saw time at two different levels. In 423 at-bats, the former first-rounder slashed .312/.376/.520 while adding 16 home runs and 61 RBI. He has power at the plate, but what is just as impressive is his speed. To add to his 2022 stat line, Crow-Armstrong stole 32 bases and hit 10 triples.

Crow-Armstrong is going to be feared at the plate for a long time, but his baseball abilities do not stop there. The speedy outfielder won the Minor League Gold Glove award to finish off his season. With this combination of power, speed and defense, PCA is someone the Cubs need to keep for a long time. The farm system does have a plethora of outfield talent, but a lot of it is beat up, and the healthy players just do not have the upside and potential that Crow-Armstrong brings to the table.

The Cubs added Cody Bellinger to play center field for the upcoming season, and the only thing this ensures is that fans will likely have to wait until 2024 to see their top prospect play in the Friendly Confines. Now, if the Cubs do happen to contend in 2023 and become buyers at the deadline, it does not change the fact that PCA needs to remain in the organization. There are other prospects, such as Owen Caissie, that can be traded instead if teams are looking for young outfield talent in a deal. If the Cubs want to be good for many years to come, Pete Crow-Armstrong has to be a part of the team.

3 players the Cubs can't trade under any circumstances: #2 - Justin Steele

The next player the Cubs should not trade is Justin Steele. Steele really came into his own in 2022. His record is not an indication of how well he pitched. Although he was 4-7, the lefty had a 3.18 ERA and he averaged just over a strikeout per inning. One thing the Cubs would love Steele to improve is his batting average against. However, he is only 27, and his ceiling is very high. Our very own Michael Brakebill describes how Steele can continue his 2022 second half success here.

With Kyle Hendricks (hopefully) making his way back in the rotation in 2023 after being hurt and ineffective in 2022, Marcus Stroman leading the pack and Drew Smyly signing a deal to stay in Chicago, Steele slots in at the number 3-4 slot with the upside of a number two. The left-hander started every appearance he had last year, so it is hard to believe that he will take on a bullpen role as he did in his rookie year. Stroman, Hendricks and Smyly are not going to be in Chicago after 2024 (unless there are extensions), so Steele is going to have to be the heart of the rotation in the not-so-distant future.

When it comes to a trade, the Cubs have plenty of other pitchers that could be of value. As it is with the outfield, Chicago's pitching prospects are some of the best. Wesneski, Javier Assad, Caleb Killian, Jordan Wicks and Keegan Thompson could all be valuable chips for Jed Hoyer. Thompson is not so much a prospect anymore, but he has the starting pitching trade value clubs may be looking for. Steele will be entering his age-27 season and he has plenty of team control left. This should just be the start of his tenure at the Confines.