Just days after an agreement with Shoto Imanaga was announced, the Chicago Cubs have struck a deal with the Dodgers. The current number two prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers pipeline, Michael Busch headlines the deal alongside right-handed reliever Yency Almonte.
Former Tar Heel Coming to Wrigleyville
Busch is a former first-round pick from UNC back in 2019. The 26-year-old infielder has struggled to find footing at the big league level. The Cubs acquire a talent that hopes a change of scenery can be beneficial. His 30 homerun potential stands out amongst all of his tools. It’s just tough for any prospect to find sustainable playing time in Los Angeles due to the multitude of log jams at certain positions within the organization.
Almonte is coming off his sixth season in the bigs, and it wasn’t a very impressive one. The 29-year-old posted a 5.06 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP over 48 innings pitched. He was sharp in his first year as a Dodger in 2022, possessing a 1.02 ERA across 35 innings tossed. He has nasty enough stuff to be a potential impact arm in this Chicago bullpen moving forward.
Cubs Lose a Top Ten Prospect
In return, the Dodgers receive the number eight prospect in the Cubs farm system, Jackson Ferris. The 2022 second-round selection will turn 20 on Jan. 15 and has shown some early promise in the minors. At Low A Myrtle Beach, Ferris had a 2-3 record in 18 starts. He threw 56 innings, having 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He also had a 3.38 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.
The Cubs are sending over 2023 11th-round selection Zyhir Hope alongside Ferris to Los Angeles. Hope hit three homers in his first 11 games of rookie ball and is seen as a prospect with a high ceiling. His speed and ability to generate high exit velocity is what got scouts excited and made him an easy candidate to be a high school selection in the draft process.
The Dodgers definitely got the high-risk but high-reward side of this deal. It will be interesting to see how Ferris pans out, and if Busch receiving consistent opportunities in the show will tap into his first-round potential. Only time will tell if this is the only talent the Cubs acquire via trade this offseason, but this is a solid deal at the end of the day.
Photo Credit: G Fiume/Getty Images
