CHICAGO – In their quest to build a team capable of returning to the postseason, the Cubs are looking to strengthen their future and address immediate needs. They achieved both in a trade with the Dodgers on Thursday.
The Cubs announced that they have acquired infielder Michael Busch (No. 44 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 list) and righty reliever Yency Almonte from the Dodgers. Chicago sent pitching prospect Jackson Ferris and outfield prospect Zyhir Hope to Los Angeles to complete the trade.
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, catcher Brian Serven was designated for assignment by the Cubs.
TRADE DETAILS
Cubs receive: 3B Michael Busch (Dodgers' No. 2), RHP Yency Almonte
Dodgers receive: LHP Jackson Ferris (Cubs' No. 8), OF Zyhir Hope
Busch, Chicago lands an intriguing left-handed power bat who checked in as the Dodgers' No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and got his first taste of the majors last year. The 29-year-old Almonte is a veteran of six MLB seasons and gives the Cubs a piece to add to a bullpen in need of reinforcements.
Pipeline described Busch as “one of the best all-around offensive prospects” in the 2019 draft class, in which the Dodgers selected him in the first round at No. 31 overall. There were questions about where the prospect would find a home on the diamond, and he has bounced around the infield throughout his minor league career.
As things stand, there is room for the Cubs at the MLB level for upgrades at both the infield corners and at-bats, potentially available in the designated hitter slot. The 26-year-old Busch has minor league options, but his offensive profile puts him in position to compete for a spot on Opening Day in Spring Training.
In 98 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City last season, Busch hit .323 with 27 home runs, 26 doubles and 90 RBIs. His .618 slugging percentage ranked fourth among all qualified minor league batters, while his OPS of 1.049 ranked seventh. Busch also showed strong plate discipline, posting an 18.8% strikeout rate and a 13.9% walk rate. He has a career .919 OPS in the minors.
The question the Dodgers were trying to answer — and which will now be the Cubs' job — is figuring out where Busch fits best positionally. He has spent most of his minor league career at second base, but moved to third base for most of 2023. Busch is also capable of playing first base and has been tested in left field.
In order to acquire such a highly touted hitter in Busch, the Cubs had to part ways with Ferris, who was ranked No. 8 on the club's Pipeline Top 30 list. Ferris, who turns 20 on Monday, was a second-round pick out of IMG Academy in the 2022 draft and had a solid pro debut last year at Single-A Myrtle Beach (3.38 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 56 innings).
Hope, who turns 19 on Jan. 19, was selected by the Cubs in the 11th round of last summer's draft. Last year, he played 11 games in the Arizona Complex League, switching between all three outfield spots and posting an OPS of .962.
Almonte should help a Cubs bullpen that collectively hit a wall in 2023 and needed more depth for the upcoming season. The 29-year-old right-hander avoided arbitration with the Dodgers in November and agreed to a $1.9 million '24 contract.
In 196 career games in the majors with the Rockies and Dodgers, Almonte has a 4.51 ERA. After posting a 1.02 ERA in 33 games in 2022, the right-hander had a 5.06 ERA in 49 games last year, recording 49 strikeouts and 24 walks in 48 innings. Almonte is around 95-96 mph with his fastball (sinker and four-seamer), but his arsenal was led by a sweeper (50.1% usage) in 2023.