Nobody Is Untouchable, All Prospects On The Table For The Chicago Cubs

[Matthew Lenz]

The Chicago Cubs are willing to go all-in on in 2025. Though their farm system isn't deep, their top-end prospects are very close to the big leagues, which provides an intriguing option for any team that is looking to retool in the short term rather than rebuild over a longer timeframe.

Mike Rodriguez is reporting "the front office is ready to consider offers for any young player, including top prospects, such as Moisés Ballesteros [sic], Jefferson Rojas, Kelvin Alcántara, and Cristian Hernández." Rodriguez doesn't mention Owen Caissie, but that's likely just an oversight rather than having a deeper meaning.

In Baseball America's latest prospect rankings, Ballesteros, Caissie, and Rojas all make the top 100 prospects in all of baseball. Alcantara, who fell out of their top 100 in May, didn't flash in his cup of coffee with the club and has been an average producer for Triple-A Iowa. Hernandez, their one top prospect who isn't near the big leagues, has also been an average producer at High-A South Bend.

As one of the best teams in baseball, are you open to the idea of the Cubs depleting their farm system in an effort to add at the deadline? Join the conversation in the comments!

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[Victor Reichman]

Our bench of Berti, Brujan and Turner have cost us games. None can field like Shaw who is now pounding the ball. We need to keep him and focus not on a rental like Suarez, but bench help and a starting pitcher under control or who agrees to an extension.

Our offense has been really good so far. Get the bench help which would come without top prospects being moved and focus on a starter. But don't give up the farm for a rental.

We did that for Tucker, who with Boras will leave us and we need Cassie to take that slot. Ironic that Bellinger and Tucker are not that far apart and Bellinger plays IB as well as all 3 OF slots. Beyond ignorant to pay $5 mil. of his salary to the Yanks for a 1 yr rental.

 

[Victor Reichman]

Here are the stats as of today: 

Bellinger .282 19 HR 58 RBI 840 OPS

Tucker.    .275 18 HR, 58 RBI 874 OPS

So, was it worth paying the Yanks, $5 mil and giving up Paredes, an All Star and Cam Smith who is having a great yr., + Hayden who is injured?

And I would give only a 10% chance that Tucker signs with us. And I doubt he will take a 3 yr. extension. Any longer would be dangerous. (e.g. Heyward )

[Derwood]

I love how everyone is so damn sure about Tucker when literally no one but Hoyer and Tucker's agent know anything about Tucker

[Bobson Dugnutt]

45 minutes ago, Victor Reichman said:

Here are the stats as of today: 

Bellinger .282 19 HR 58 RBI 840 OPS

Tucker.    .275 18 HR, 58 RBI 874 OPS

So, was it worth paying the Yanks, $5 mil and giving up Paredes, an All Star and Cam Smith who is having a great yr., + Hayden who is injured?

And I would give only a 10% chance that Tucker signs with us. And I doubt he will take a 3 yr. extension. Any longer would be dangerous. (e.g. Heyward )

If you’re only willing to give him three years you can move those odds down to 0%.

[BigSlick]

You have to overpay and overextend on years to sign superstars. That’s unfortunately just the terms of engagement. You sign a guy fully knowing the back half of the deal is bad, dead money - but you’re praying the front half is worth it. 

[JD94]

18 hours ago, Victor Reichman said:

Here are the stats as of today: 

Bellinger .282 19 HR 58 RBI 840 OPS

Tucker.    .275 18 HR, 58 RBI 874 OPS

So, was it worth paying the Yanks, $5 mil and giving up Paredes, an All Star and Cam Smith who is having a great yr., + Hayden who is injured?

And I would give only a 10% chance that Tucker signs with us. And I doubt he will take a 3 yr. extension. Any longer would be dangerous. (e.g. Heyward )

Tucker is also 2 years younger and has a higher fWAR (4 to 3.3 for Belli). Kyle is also coming off an abysmal month of baseball. He’s sure to heat back up again and I imagine by end of season, it will be significantly better than Bellinger. 

[Stratos]

I would interpret this as "nobody is untouchable", rather than "they're willing to dump the farm to upgrade".

But honestly, nobody in the minors right now is particularly exciting enough to worry much about keeping if they can acquire some good players, especially controllable SP.  We have lots of "good" prospects but that's it. 

Only one I might prefer to keep is Ballesteros if they believe he'll be able to play an adequate catcher, since it's so difficult to acquire a good catcher from outside the org.

[Stratos]

On 7/26/2025 at 4:32 PM, Victor Reichman said:

Here are the stats as of today: 

Bellinger .282 19 HR 58 RBI 840 OPS

Tucker.    .275 18 HR, 58 RBI 874 OPS

So, was it worth paying the Yanks, $5 mil and giving up Paredes, an All Star and Cam Smith who is having a great yr., + Hayden who is injured?

And I would give only a 10% chance that Tucker signs with us. And I doubt he will take a 3 yr. extension. Any longer would be dangerous. (e.g. Heyward )

Just looking at 2025, the Tucker trade has looked like a wash.  WAR-wise it seems we've lost that trade, even when you factor Paredes getting a big bump playing at Minute Maid (or whatever it's called now).  Bellinger's HR haven't seen a bump at Yankee Stadium vs Wrigley according to Savant.  But when you factor the money we saved on Bellinger/Paredes vs Tucker/Shaw we were able to use to nab other players then the trade is more of a wash, just looking at 2025.

However, when you factor Paredes is controlled for another 2 seasons and Cam Smith for another 5-6 and can seemingly play a solid corner OF i'd say we probably lost that trade.  Bellinger is playing like he did in 2023 for us, plus could spell PCA in CF when he needs a day off, and hits LHP well so could platoon with Busch at 1B.  Oops.

[NorthsideAvenger]

3 hours ago, Stratos said:

Just looking at 2025, the Tucker trade has looked like a wash.  WAR-wise it seems we've lost that trade, even when you factor Paredes getting a big bump playing at Minute Maid (or whatever it's called now).  Bellinger's HR haven't seen a bump at Yankee Stadium vs Wrigley according to Savant.  But when you factor the money we saved on Bellinger/Paredes vs Tucker/Shaw we were able to use to nab other players then the trade is more of a wash, just looking at 2025.

 

However, when you factor Paredes is controlled for another 2 seasons and Cam Smith for another 5-6 and can seemingly play a solid corner OF i'd say we probably lost that trade.  Bellinger is playing like he did in 2023 for us, plus could spell PCA in CF when he needs a day off, and hits LHP well so could platoon with Busch at 1B.  Oops.

Not every trade has to have a winner and a loser, you know that.

To me, Tucker is a much better roster fit than Bellinger. 

I'm not losing sleep over either trade.

[JD94]

5 hours ago, Stratos said:

Just looking at 2025, the Tucker trade has looked like a wash.  WAR-wise it seems we've lost that trade, even when you factor Paredes getting a big bump playing at Minute Maid (or whatever it's called now).  Bellinger's HR haven't seen a bump at Yankee Stadium vs Wrigley according to Savant.  But when you factor the money we saved on Bellinger/Paredes vs Tucker/Shaw we were able to use to nab other players then the trade is more of a wash, just looking at 2025.

However, when you factor Paredes is controlled for another 2 seasons and Cam Smith for another 5-6 and can seemingly play a solid corner OF i'd say we probably lost that trade.  Bellinger is playing like he did in 2023 for us, plus could spell PCA in CF when he needs a day off, and hits LHP well so could platoon with Busch at 1B.  Oops.

 

There’s 100 ways to also look at this. I think if you’re talking about the next 10 years, nobody would choose Bellinger over Tucker over the next 10. And without getting Tucker in here this year, he may not have chose us in free agency had he just played out his final year in Houston. Maybe he goes to New York, Boston, LA, etc instead. I think having him play this season for us will be a major boost in his free agent decision though. I mean sure, he’s going to the highest bidder and might go elsewhere regardless, but I definitely think it helps him and us get to the point where he chooses to play here for 10 more years.