The Cubs and Dodgers have made a trade, one that will see Yency Almonte and prospect Michael Busch head to the Windy City. In return, the Dodgers picked up two prospects under the age of 20, the most notable of whom was highly-touted 2022 MLB Draft prospect Jackson Ferris. Here’s a look at the pieces in this deal.
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The Cubs’ Return
- RP Yency Almonte (5.06 ERA, 49 K over 48 IP)
- INF/OF Michael Busch (.167/.247/.292, 2 HR and 5 XBH over 27 G (81 PA))
The player in this trade with the most MLB experience is Yency Almonte. Almonte spent the last two seasons with the Dodgers after the veteran righty began his MLB career back in 2018 with the Rockies.
Almonte’s sinker/slider combination yielded him some success in Colorado and that remained true with the Dodgers. The 29-year-old put up impressive numbers in his first season with the Dodgers (24.4% K%, 1.02 ERA over 35.1 IP) in 2022 but saw his walk rate jump last year.
Almonte’s mechanics will cause him to yield walks. However, the righty boasts a mid-90s four-seamer and sinker, and his velocity does play up with an above-average extension. The new Cub ranked in the 83rd percentile in extension per Statcast.
The righty also owns a changeup that he mainly uses against lefties and a good sweeper that pairs well with his fastball. He’ll walk batters, but his sinker/sweeper/changeup combo will net him strikeouts and weak contact.
Chicago also acquired Michael Busch, a 2019 first-round pick that practically did it all in the Minors. Busch batted .323/.431/.618 with 27 home runs and 57 extra-base hits over 98 games in Triple-A this season. That came after a 32-home run campaign in 2022.
The former UNC standout’s got a short swing, above-average bat speed, and plate discipline, although that may not have shown up on the stat line in his brief time with the Dodgers. But, it did in the upper Minors.
Busch has the power and eye to be at least a regular in the Majors. However, Busch didn’t have much room to break through with the Dodgers. The 26-year-old mainly played second and third in the Minors, spots set to be filled by Mookie Betts and Max Muncy in 2024.
The Dodgers’ Return
- SP Jackson Ferris (3.38 ERA, 77 K over 56 IP (A))
- OF Zyhir Hope (.286/.419/.543, 3 HR in 11 G (ACL))
We’ll start with Jackson Ferris, a 2022 second-round pick by the Cubs out of the IMG Academy who received a $3MM bonus. With Myrtle Beach (A) in 2023, Ferris struck out 77 over 56, and opposing hitters batted just .179 off the lefty. However, the 19-year-old walked 33 with the Pelicans.
Ferris is still a few years away from the Majors. And, there are some negatives with the lefty, namely command issues, arm action, and delivery repeatability. On the other hand, he’s got a very good mid-90s fastball that’s tough to hit when pounded up and two good secondary offerings in a changeup and curveball.
The other piece to this deal is Zyhir Hope. An 11th-round pick out of the Virginia prep scene this past July, Hope hit three home runs, stole three bases, and posted a .962 OPS over 43 plate appearances.
Analysis
The Cubs landed a pretty solid middle reliever in Almonte, one with good stuff but fringe command. But the prize here is Busch, a power-hitting infielder who could wind up being a bat that can be plugged at the top of the Cubs lineup shortly given his ability to get on base.
Busch does have extensive experience at third, which is where he may ultimately wind up in the Majors. The Cubs have a standout defensive middle infield duo in Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson but third base is a different story. Patrick Wisdom and Nick Madrigal both received significant time at third this past year.
As for the Dodgers, Los Angeles has been busy this winter. However, the Dodgers’ activity has also meant that LA has needed to get creative with their 40-man roster. Los Angeles already moved Jorbit Vivas and Victor Gonzalez to add players to the 40-man roster, and now Almonte and Busch are the latest players to be moved out.
Still, the Dodgers were able to get some projectable talent for Almonte and Busch.