The Top 105 Trade Candidates This Trade Deadline, Featuring Top Chicago Cubs Targets

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of © Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

One week from the 2025 MLB trade deadline, it feels important that we identify not only whom the Cubs are most interested in, but who's out there in the wide world of options—and how all those possible targets compare to one another. Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins will not successfully plug every hole on this team or land their ideal players, so ranking all their options gives us a way to evaluate competing possibilities. For the sake of simplicity, I've ranked these 105 players from throughout the league according to their likely impact on the pursuit of a championship in 2025. That slightly reduces (but does not eliminate, for reasons we can discuss further as we go) the role of team control in these rankings, but leaves very present the role of contract status and roster flexibility. Here's the list, with the players to whom we've heard the Cubs meaningfully linked getting some real discussion and the rest merely getting identification.

1. Joe Ryan, RHP, Twins: Although durability is a minor question, Ryan is pitching like an ace this year, and he's affordable—which would mean, for instance, that the Cubs could absorb some money on an underwater contract in a separate deal even after forking over much of their prospect capital to land Ryan. The big hurdle here is that, as an All-Star hurler with 2.5 years of team control remaining, Ryan would cost a ton. Start with Moisés Ballesteros and Jaxon Wiggins, and don't quite stop there.

2. Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Diamondbacks: This one has been talked almost to death. Suffice it to say, here, that Suárez's power and positional fit make him extremely in-demand, which might mean that Arizona will get a return from him considerably richer than we usually see for rental bats. The Cubs very definitely have interest, but the price could balloon beyond their comfort zone.

3. Dylan Cease, RHP, Padres: We discussed how this could come together earlier Thursday. It's a highly unlikely fit, based on the needs and constraints of each side.

4. Emmanuel Clase, RHP, Guardians: It's not a reflection of this list being posted here that the Cubs are "in," to one degree or another, on the top handful of names on the board. That fact is just a reflection of the urgency the front office feels to shore up their weaknesses. Now, with that said, this is the first player listed whom I profoundly doubt will actually be dealt at all. One member of a big-league front office earnestly believes that Cleveland leaked their potential willingness to trade Clase or Cade Smith just to drive down what the Twins might get for their own top relievers, who are actually available. Speaking of which....

5. Jhoan Duran, RHP, Twins: The Cubs prefer Duran to Griffin Jax, as most clubs do. However, the price tag on him isn't much lower than that on Ryan, so if they can get together with Minnesota on a big deal, they might as well make it be for the starter.

6. Edward Cabrera, RHP, Marlins: This, too, we have already discussed in detail this week. Cabrera is a whole new pitcher this year: new arm slot, new mix, new injury issues. (It was his shoulder the last two years. Now that he's dropped his slot a bit, it's his elbow.) He pitched very, very well in front of (among others) Cubs scouts in his latest start for Miami.

7. Jacob deGrom, RHP, Rangers: Obviously, he could have a huge impact for someone, at the front end of the rotation come October. Just as obviously, his contract would be so burdensome that an acquiring team might have to move someone else just to accommodate him, and even more obviously, he's a major injury risk.

8. Nathan Eovaldi, RHP, Rangers

9. MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Nationals: The Cubs are monitoring this one closely, but the front-office shakeup in Washington (while enough to open the door to a possible deal at all) seems to have most parties a bit unsure of what the price tag will be, or how to meet it.

10. Jarren Duran, OF, Red Sox

11. Seth Lugo, RHP, Royals: Kansas City and the Cubs were in contact about Lugo way back at the beginning of the month. Then, for a bit, the Cubs hoped and believed they could move the Royals over to a discussion about Kris Bubic, a lefty under control through 2026 who's had an even better season than Lugo's. Now, with Bubic having had a shaky first start out of the break, that's back in a holding pattern, and it's Lugo on whom there's more momentum. The Royals love Owen Caissie; the Cubs won't give him up without getting a player under control beyond 2025.

12. David Bednar, RHP, Pirates: Chicago has long loved Bednar, who's had some very visible wobbles the last two years but can be as unhittable as almost any relief ace in baseball—and has been, for most of this year.

13. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/OF, Orioles

14. Merrill Kelly, RHP, Diamondbacks: As I reported earlier today, the Cubs will lean hard toward Kelly if they end up choosing between the two available rental starters from Arizona. While his stuff isn't especially sexy, Kelly is an underrated mid-rotation arm, and would be a great get.

15. Kris Bubic, LHP, Royals: See the Lugo entry.

16. Sandy Alcántara, RHP, Marlins: My sense is that the Cubs have cooled on Alcántara, partly because he hasn't yet locked things back in since returning from Tommy John surgery—and partly because the Marlins seem content to bet that he will and try trading him for more this winter.

17. Jesús Sánchez, OF, Marlins

18. Cade Smith, RHP, Guardians

19. Robert Suárez, RHP, Padres: A move that might materialize as A.J. Preller tries to move money around and get all the items on his shopping list, this one would reinforce the Cubs' pen nicely. His peculiar contract structure would probably limit the prospect price, but the Cubs would have to spend big prospect capital elsewhere to get an affordable starter and/or bat after doing this.

20. Ryan Helsley, RHP, Cardinals

21. Griffin Jax, RHP, Twins

22. Willi Castro, UTIL, Twins: Chicago has asked about him repeatedly and he's almost a lock to move. This would be a backup and/or insurance policy across the outfield, a platoon partner for both Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner, and a well-liked clubhouse guy to round out the bench, all rolled into one. 

23. Drew Rasmussen, RHP, Rays: No buzz on this one recently, although there was a sense last month that the Rays would be open to moving Rasmussen. He's under contract through 2026, and comes with huge injury baggage, but he's a high-end starter when he can stay on the mound.

24. Taylor Ward, OF, Angels

25. Zac Gallen, RHP, Diamondbacks: See the Kelly entry.

26. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Rays: One report has the Rays hoping to retain Fairbanks, and he's very much the kind of player and person their clubhouse would miss as they chase a Wild Card berth in the American League. On the other hand, he's very much the kind of player the Rays usually end up cashing in while they can, regardless of what they say. The price tag on him is low enough to make him preferable to some of the other right-handed relievers of near-identical skill.

27. Harrison Bader, OF, Twins: I mentioned earlier today that Bader is a fit the team has explored a bit. That doesn't mean he'll actually end up with the Cubs; he's more likely to go to a team with a more pronounced and urgent need.

28. Carlos Santana, 1B/DH, Guardians

29. Sonny Gray, RHP, Cardinals

30. Ryan Jeffers, C, Twins

31. Yandy Díaz, 1B, Rays: If Justin Turner weren't essential to the structural integrity of the Cubs clubhouse, this would be a good fit. But Turner stays, so Díaz isn't coming.

32. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pirates: Hoyer and Ben Cherington have talked about deals that would send Keller to the Cubs alone, and about package deals that would include Bednar or others. Ultimately, though, the intradivisional trade stigma might foil any fit. The Yankees seem to like Keller more than the Cubs do, anyway.

33. Ryan McMahon, 3B, Rockies: His glove is underrated. His bat is underrated. His contract, however, is a real drag on his trade value, and the Rockies seem to want to keep him, even amid a historically atrocious season. If that changes very near the deadline, the Cubs might already have directed the funds they can add to their payroll for the stretch run elsewhere.

34. Charlie Morton, RHP, Orioles: Jason Ross wrote a great piece about why Morton is better than you think, especially lately. (Alas, we must note, Morton has backslid slightly since then.)

35. Trevor Larnach, OF, Twins

36. Cedric Mullins, OF, Orioles

37. Luis Severino, RHP, Athletics: Still a possibility, but this idea had a bit more steam a fortnight ago.

38. Aaron Bummer, LHP, Team from Suburban Atlanta

39. Ramón Laureano, OF, Orioles: Righty bats who can back up Ian Happ, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki in case of injuries or (in Happ's case) shaky showings are a little-discussed profile the team is looking at. Like Bader, though, Laureano likely ends up somewhere else.

40. Kyle Freeland, LHP, Rockies: It's been a highly volatile career for the hometown kid who stayed and signed an extension to be a pitcher at elevation. He's having a good campaign this year, though, and could fortify a rotation even in one of the long series in October.

41. Zack Littell, RHP, Rays

42. Adrian Houser, RHP, White Sox: His transformation has been a bit oversold. His surface numbers tell some kind lies. Still, he's intriguing; he'd deliver some stability at the back end of the Cubs' currently paper-thin rotation. They know him well, not only because Craig Counsell managed him in Milwaukee but because Houser finished last season with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.

43. Danny Coulombe, LHP, Twins

44. John Schreiber, RHP, Royals: Two righty relievers in the middle of this list got significant bumps up on the basis of their roster flexibility. Schreiber is one. He can still be optioned to the minors, so though the team control isn't long-term and the sheer stuff is more seventh inning than ninth, he's a fantastic candidate to add to a team hoping that improved health will give them ample depth come September and October.

45. Anthony Bender, RHP, Marlins: Bender is the other guy who gets the "still optionable" bump here. Both guys would have been in the 50s, anyway, but it's important to have the ability to shuttle fresh arms into the roster late in a season, with a close race on for the division crown.

46. Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Nationals

47. Carlos Estévez, RHP, Royals: This is only the first year of a two-year deal worth $22 million, so if the Cubs do acquire him (likely as part of a Lugo or Bubic move), they'd want to make sure they weren't paying a premium in terms of talent.

48. Dennis Santana, RHP, Pirates: Though less famous and less dominant than Bednar, Santana could be a tremendous pickup from Pittsburgh. He has a plus slider, and has figured out how to really fill up the zone over the last year and a half. He's under team control through 2026.

49. Brock Burke, LHP, Angels

50. Adolis García, OF, Rangers

51. Michael Soroka, RHP, Nationals: I've consistently heard that the Cubs would have some interest in Soroka, at the right price. I wonder, though, if that was more true a few weeks ago, when he might have been an early move. Now, with Javier Assad getting ready to go back out on a rehab assignment, acquiring Soroka would feel almost like aiming too low. The Cubs are only likely to deal for one starter; they need to make it count. That said, the injury-prone Soroka has shown some really good stuff under the hood this year.

52. Luis Robert Jr., OF, White Sox

53. Phil Maton, RHP, Cardinals

54. Andrew Kittredge, RHP, Orioles: Good stuff, a bit of interest from the Cubs this winter before he signed with Baltimore. The problem is, Kittredge would be yet another 35-year-old with recent injury stuff to worry about. The Cubs bullpen has enough of that already. 

55. Yoán Moncada, 3B, Angels: Health is the huge worry, of course. He's been healthy for a bit, now, though, and Moncada is raking this year. 

56. Amed Rosario, IF, Nationals

57. JoJo Romero, LHP, Cardinals

58. Gregory Soto, LHP, Orioles

59. Jose Quintana, LHP, Brewers

60. Nestor Cortes, LHP, Brewers: Yes, the best team in baseball also has two spare lefty starters they can trade you, if you need them.

61. Taj Bradley, RHP, Rays: Tampa optioned Bradley to the minors Thursday. That's a somewhat surprising move, even amid an uneven season for him. It feels like a signal that they're ready to move on from him, and we know the Cubs have some level of interest.

62. Pierce Johnson, RHP, That Team Near Atlanta: A former Cubs draftee, Johnson just keeps slinging that snarling curveball and getting people out with ruthless efficiency. The Cubs like him, but he's probably not even the second-most likely pitcher in that bullpen to end up witb Chicago.

63. Jeffrey Springs, LHP, Athletics

64. Dane Myers, OF, Marlins: Though already in his late 20s and more of a fourth outfielder than anything, Myers offers some tools and can stay under cheap team control for a while. He'd be an especially nice throw-in if the Cubs and Fish get together on a Cabrera trade.

65. Randal Grichuk, OF, Diamondbacks

66. Brock Stewart, RHP, Twins

67. Kevin Ginkel, RHP, Diamondbacks: If Arizona is holding out fiercely for a player like Owen Caissie in talks for either Suárez or Kelly, don't be shocked if the Cubs finagle Ginkel as a second piece coming their way. Don't be fooled his hideous ERA this year, either. Ginkel still has a nasty slider and the skills to be a late-inning difference-maker.

68. Sam Haggerty, OF, Rangers

69. Seranthony Dominguez, RHP, Orioles

70. JP Sears, LHP, Athletics

71. Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Nationals: Why the Cubs didn't just sign Finnegan for around $7 million this winter, I'm really not sure. They liked him last July; they liked him this winter; they have circled back to Washington about him this July. He can be maddening to watch, with a hard but not bat-missing fastball and a splitter that makes many save opportunities long sweats, but he'd be a solid addition.

72. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, SS, Pirates

73. Jake Cronenworth, IF, Padres: This is a player who would be higher on the list, but for the fact that a team would have to take on his contract along with him and might find themselves needing to make some lateral move to make that work. He's a fine player, but he's 31 and under contract for five years beyond this one. Prellerism run amok. The Cubs would only take him on if it were part of a Cease deal, although if you believe he can still play a solid second base, he'd become a pretty interesting medium-term replacement for Hoerner.

74. Wandy Peralta, LHP, Padres

75. Tommy Pham, OF, Pirates

76. Zach Eflin, RHP, Orioles

77. Raisel Iglesias, RHP, Rich Men South of Richmond: This is one player whose name isn't out there in connection with the Cubs all that much, but about whom there's lots of chatter behind the scenes. He's something just this side of a reclamation project; the Cubs would just be trying to scoop him up without spending major prospect heft.

78. Jorge Soler, DH/RF, Angels

79. Josh Bell, 1B, Nationals

80. Royce Lewis, 3B, Twins

81. Michael A. Taylor, OF, White Sox: Another great clubhouse guy who'd also be a great defensive substitution or all-purpose backup to Pete Crow-Armstrong and company.

82. Caleb Ferguson, LHP, Pirates

83. Mike Tauchman, OF, White Sox

84. Chris Paddack, RHP, Twins

85. Tyler Kinley, RHP, Rockies

86. Kenley Jansen, RHP, Angels

87. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pirates

88. Miguel Andújar, 3B/DH, Athletics: His glove and legs are too leaden to make acquiring him to play in lieu of Matt Shaw viable. If the team wants just a bit more offensive depth from the right side, though, he could replace Vidal Bruján without anyone really noticing.

89. Ramón Urías, 3B, Orioles

90. Luis Rengifo, IF, Angels

91. Austin Slater, OF, White Sox

92. Enyel De Los Santos, RHP, The Team By the Highway: Going back two years, De Los Santos has popped up on the Cubs' radar multiple times. He's a very low-grade target, but if he shakes loose just when they have an opening, they might well decide to scoop him up this time.

93. Luis Urías, 2B, Athletics

94. Christian Vázquez, C, Twins

95. Ty France, 1B, Twins

96. Andrew Chafin, LHP, Nationals

97. Aaron Civale, RHP, White Sox

98. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Cardinals

99. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Pirates

100. Jakob Junis, RHP, Guardians

101. Kyle Hendricks, RHP, Angels

102. Sean Newcomb, LHP, Athletics

103. Tomoyuki Sugano, RHP, Orioles

104. Luis García, RHP, Nationals

105. Tyler Anderson, LHP, Angels

Obviously, not all of these players will be traded. Heck, it's likely that fewer than half of them are traded. Less obviously, some players not named here—some dark horses—will be dealt. This is just a guide—a way to loosely gauge, when you hear a rumor or see the Cubs make a transaction, where in the world of potential transactions that one falls.

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[harmony]

No Seattle Mariners?

With Seattle's trade for the lefthand-hitting Josh Naylor, speculation is that the Mariners might make available the lefthanded bat of Luke Raley or Dominic Canzone.

Raley, who comes with three more years of team control, has posted 6.3 bWAR and an OPS+ of 124 since the start of the 2023 season.

Canzone, who comes with four or five years of team control, has posted 0.8 bWAR and an OPS+ of 147 in 36 games this year after posting a .296/.360/.564/.925 line in 45 games at Triple A Tacoma.