The Chicago Cubs find themselves in a spot where clearly the product that team brass has put on the field in recent years has not been good enough.
The team has missed the playoffs for four straight years, and even after making Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in the history of baseball last year, 2024 was a repeat of the same record in 2023 at 83-79 and not being particularly close to the postseason.
The good news for Chicago is that they have one of the richest prospect pools in all of baseball with a staggering nine of the top-100 across the league. While in an ideal world, you want to build a winner through the farm system, there will not be room for everyone and fan's patience is running thin. If a blockbuster deal becomes available, Jed Hoyer must not hesitate to move some of his young talent.
If a superstar who can help the team now becomes available, they must make the move.
Zach Pressnell of FanSided suggested that the Cubs move one of the best they have in No. 55 overall prospect in the league James Triantos as there may not be a spot for him anytime soon in the infield.
"It'd hurt a ton to watch [Triantos] succeed elsewhere, but the Cubs have the prospect capital to make a major move or two and not even blink," Pressnell wrote. "If Jed Hoyer wants to win right now, Triantos, a player without a clear future in Chicago, should be very available."
Triantos has played some time in the outfield, but the team is of course loaded for the future in that area as well as the infield, where he projects. Pressnell pointed out that Nico Hoerner has second base locked down, Isaac Paredes is at third, Michael Busch at first, and Matt Shaw likely taking whatever infield position is available as the team's top prospect.
As a player who lacks power but has been a reliable .300 hitter throughout his career at multiple levels in the minor leagues along with a defensive ability that projects to be strong, Triantos will certainly eventually be capable of being an every day player. But the team must not hesitate to move him if they have a chance to acquire a player who can contribute in 2025.
