Trade proposal: Willi Castro to Cubs, Jonathon Long to Twins

[Brock Beauchamp]

It's a little more complicated than that, but it's interesting. It improves both teams, though it would take more than Castro to get the deal done.

Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins Should Match Up on This Low-Wattage Trade - Twins - Twins Daily

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The Cubs have one of the more tempting farm systems in baseball, and the Twins might be in position to trade one or more impending free agents this month. One prospect from...

 

[BobbyD3]

I'm a hard pass on this, unless someone can change my mind.    

[Bertz]

Oh god, as the board's resident Jonny Long fanboy AND the guy who can't shut up about trading for Willi Castro this puts me in a bit of a bind.

Ultimately like you say I think Long is too big of a piece for Castro alone.  Probably not to a crazy degree, but if you look at rental hitters moved the last few years they have not netted guys with the combo of talent and proximity Long provides.

The dream, for both sides I'd guess, is probably Long as the second piece in a deal for Jax and Castro.

[chibears55]

I think Hoyer will end up getting a guy like Moncada, he'll be a cheap rental as far as money owed and likely wont cost him any of his better prospects. 

It will also allow Shaw an opportunity to return as a starter more then having Castro would, if that something Hoyer would want.

Edited July 17, 2025 by chibears55

[Rcal10]

32 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

I think Hoyer will end up getting a guy like Moncada, he'll be a cheap rental as far as money owed and likely wont cost him any of his better prospects. 

It will also allow Shaw an opportunity to return as a starter more then having Castro would, if that something Hoyer would want.

I have thought of Moncada as well. And if Long was the cost of Castro, Moncada could be the guy. That is too much for a rental. Obviously I would rather have Castro, but not for Long. 

[Rcal10]

59 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Oh god, as the board's resident Jonny Long fanboy AND the guy who can't shut up about trading for Willi Castro this puts me in a bit of a bind.

Ultimately like you say I think Long is too big of a piece for Castro alone.  Probably not to a crazy degree, but if you look at rental hitters moved the last few years they have not netted guys with the combo of talent and proximity Long provides.

The dream, for both sides I'd guess, is probably Long as the second piece in a deal for Jax and Castro.

Long as a second piece? What would the first piece be? I have Long at 6 or 7 in the Cubs system. The first piece can’t be a top 4, right? So maybe Alcantara? I feel that is a lot. I would rather see something like Long being the first piece with maybe Triantos as a second piece.

[I owned a Suzuki]

I would love getting Castro. I would not trade Long for him though. If that's the asking price for Castro, I really dont want Suarez.  

[Tryptamine]

14 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Long as a second piece? What would the first piece be? I have Long at 6 or 7 in the Cubs system. The first piece can’t be a top 4, right? So maybe Alcantara? I feel that is a lot. I would rather see something like Long being the first piece with maybe Triantos as a second piece.

Griffin Jax is pretty insane. I wouldn't at all surprised if the ask for him alone  was something like 1 of Caissie/Ballesteros/Wiggins/Rojas. 14.17K/9 with a 2.18 BB/9 is just absurd levels of good and he'd be a Cub for the next two years as well. There's also a number of people out there who feel he's a guy who could be converted to a starter. 

[Rcal10]

38 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Griffin Jax is pretty insane. I wouldn't at all surprised if the ask for him alone  was something like 1 of Caissie/Ballesteros/Wiggins/Rojas. 14.17K/9 with a 2.18 BB/9 is just absurd levels of good and he'd be a Cub for the next two years as well. There's also a number of people out there who feel he's a guy who could be converted to a starter. 

He is very good and you are probably right. But I don’t think the Cubs really need a pen arm that much to give a top prospect away for. I would rather get a starting pitcher. If they are losing on if the top 4 I hope it is for a controlled starting pitcher.

[We Got The Whole 9]

36 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

He is very good and you are probably right. But I don’t think the Cubs really need a pen arm that much to give a top prospect away for. I would rather get a starting pitcher. If they are losing on if the top 4 I hope it is for a controlled starting pitcher.

That could be Jax ala Michael King.

 

 

[Rcal10]

18 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

That could be Jax ala Michael King.

 

 

If they plan on him starting next year, it does make more sense. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

17 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Long as a second piece? What would the first piece be? I have Long at 6 or 7 in the Cubs system. The first piece can’t be a top 4, right? So maybe Alcantara? I feel that is a lot. I would rather see something like Long being the first piece with maybe Triantos as a second piece.

Jax doesn't become a free agent until after the 2027 season. It's going to cost a fortune to pry him away from Minnesota.

If you asked me whether I'd prefer Jax or Duran as a bullpen piece for 2+ seasons, I take Jax and don't think about it too hard.

[Rcal10]

25 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Jax doesn't become a free agent until after the 2027 season. It's going to cost a fortune to pry him away from Minnesota.

If you asked me whether I'd prefer Jax or Duran as a bullpen piece for 2+ seasons, I take Jax and don't think about it too hard.

He is very good. I just hate to lose a top 5 prospect for a pen arm. Hate it even more if we also add Long. I would rather get a starting pitcher we can control thru 2027. But as someone pointed out, Jax may be a starting pitcher option. If the Cubs really think he is that, maybe they do have to add a top 5 in their system. But, for me, only if he is in the rotation next year. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

5 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

He is very good. I just hate to lose a top 5 prospect for a pen arm. Hate it even more if we also add Long. I would rather get a starting pitcher we can control thru 2027. But as someone pointed out, Jax may be a starting pitcher option. If the Cubs really think he is that, maybe they do have to add a top 5 in their system. But, for me, only if he is in the rotation next year. 

Jax is definitely a starting option; there's a pretty vocal segment of Twins fans that would like to see it happen. The problem is that the Twins rotation is already in very good shape, so it's unlikely to happen in Minnesota.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Jax is definitely a starting option; there's a pretty vocal segment of Twins fans that would like to see it happen. The problem is that the Twins rotation is already in very good shape, so it's unlikely to happen in Minnesota.

That being the case, Cubs should consider a deal if him and Castro for one top 5 guy and another maybe 8-12 range. 

[javy knows my name]

2 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Jax doesn't become a free agent until after the 2027 season. It's going to cost a fortune to pry him away from Minnesota.

If you asked me whether I'd prefer Jax or Duran as a bullpen piece for 2+ seasons, I take Jax and don't think about it too hard.

It feels like not long ago that people were talking about Bednar this way. Now he's...fine and I don't think he has injuries to blame. What happened there?

[Hot Sauce]

Long has a lot of flaws and not many places you can put him on the field. No way Minnesota is taking him one for one in that deal. 

[Rcal10]

5 hours ago, Hot Sauce said:

Long has a lot of flaws and not many places you can put him on the field. No way Minnesota is taking him one for one in that deal. 

You think twins will get more than Long for Castro, who is a rental? I doubt that. I think that is actually too much for Castro. 

[NorthsideAvenger]

7 hours ago, Hot Sauce said:

Long has a lot of flaws and not many places you can put him on the field. No way Minnesota is taking him one for one in that deal. 

As Rcal mentioned, Castro is a rental. Cubs better not give a quality prospect like Long for a non impact rental bat like Castro.

I can be talked into Long for Suarez but not Long for Castro.

[Bertz]

7 hours ago, Hot Sauce said:

Long has a lot of flaws and not many places you can put him on the field. No way Minnesota is taking him one for one in that deal. 

Such as?  RHH 1B isn't the highest value demographic but Long's extremely well rounded

[Outshined_One]

On 7/17/2025 at 4:34 PM, javy knows my name said:

It feels like not long ago that people were talking about Bednar this way. Now he's...fine and I don't think he has injuries to blame. What happened there?

Palencia emerged as a legitimate closer, which alleviated the need to find someone who can finish out games. Bednar is solid, but his value is as a closer.

The Cubs' pen is in shockingly good shape at the moment. I'd like another power arm to give Palencia the occasional breather and to push Pressly down the pecking order, but otherwise I'd put pen arm behind 3B and two SPs at this point.

[Hot Sauce]

4 hours ago, Bertz said:

Such as?  RHH 1B isn't the highest value demographic but Long's extremely well rounded

 

5 hours ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

As Rcal mentioned, Castro is a rental. Cubs better not give a quality prospect like Long for a non impact rental bat like Castro.

I can be talked into Long for Suarez but not Long for Castro.

 

6 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

You think twins will get more than Long for Castro, who is a rental? I doubt that. I think that is actually too much for Castro. 

Okay guys, back up, back up. I was wrong. 😄 I over-valued Castro by quite a bit. Perhaps it's the name that got me in my feels.