NEWSLETTER
What started as a report about the Cubs acquiring a decent reclamation reliever in Yency Almonte just exploded into something WAY more significant.
Cubs-Dodgers Trade: Michael Busch
In the deal, reportedly, the Cubs will also be getting top prospect Michael Busch:
I mean holy crap. That was not on my radar, as Michael Busch was rumored to be POSSIBLY out there in trades for controlled starting pitching. And although the Cubs do have some controlled starting pitching they COULD move now that Shota Imanaga has arrived, I really didn’t see a Michael-Busch-level return coming. What the heck are the Cubs giving up?
Michael Busch, a 26-year-old lefty bat, was the Dodgers’ first rounder in 2019, and had worked his way up through their system, raking at every stop, and making his way into the top-50 prospects in baseball, depending on whom you ask. He can play first base, third base, or a corner outfield spot, so let’s call it TBD on what he’d do with the Cubs. He does also still have minor league options remaining, but he seems ready for the big leagues.
His stats, via FanGraphs:
Because of his age and because he didn’t show out in a limited opportunity in the big leagues, I expect that some of the shine has worn off of Michael Busch. Still, this is a very compelling addition.
More soon. The Cubs might have something else in the works, because having Busch allows even more flexibility for the Cubs to make moves on the positional side. My head is spinning a bit.
Updating as I type, Ken Rosenthal says it’s non-40-man prospects going back in the deal, which frankly terrifies me:
UPDATE: Ooooooof. If this is accurate:
That is a STEEP, STEEP price. Cubs must really love Busch and believe the bat translates. Ferris, as we all know, is one of the Cubs’ top 12 prospects, and one of the best pitching prospects in the system. Yes, he still has a long way to go, but that upside is front-of-the-rotation. And then Hope was looking like one of the steals of the draft, having come rocketing out of the gate in Complex Ball. Also a long way to go, but also a guy who was going to get some top-20-ish love on Cubs prospects lists.
Oh also, Cubs must really believe in their pitcher scouting and development infrastructure to get guys like Ferris on the semi-regular.
UPDATE 2: Yup, that’s the deal:
I am overall really happy about this move, because the potential for Busch to become a middle-of-the-order bat is there. Cost-controlled for a long time, too.
But yeah, it stings to lose Ferris, who really could become something special – especially there in the Dodgers organization, where they certain can pick ’em and develop ’em just as well as the Cubs.
One immediate question for me: did Christopher Morel just become even more tradable? There is some positional/bat-first overlap there with Busch, though he hits lefty. Should keep both imo …
