Cubs acquire Michael Busch, Yency Almonte in trade with Dodgers: report
Cubs acquire Michael Busch, Yency Almonte in trade with Dodgers: report originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Cubs have made a splash in the trade market, acquiring infield prospect Michael Busch and relief pitcher Yency Almonte from the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Full trade: The Chicago Cubs are acquiring third baseman Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for a pair of toolsy teenaged prospects, left-handed starter Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 11, 2024
In exchange, the Cubs are sending pitching prospect Jackson Ferris and outfield prospect Zyhir Hope to the Dodgers.
The move is seen as a way for the Dodgers to clear room on their 40-man roster, acquiring players who won’t need to be added to the mix for some time.
Busch comes to the Cubs after being the second-ranked prospect in the Dodgers’ system, according to MLB Pipeline. That publication ranked him as the 44th-best prospect in all of baseball during the 2023 season.
He blasted 27 home runs and drove in 90 RBI’s while batting .323 in 98 games at Triple-A last season. He also boasted a .431 on-base percentage thanks to his elevated walk rate.
He did struggle a bit after making his MLB debut, hitting two home runs and posting a .167 batting average, but the Cubs are hopeful he could compete for the starting job at third base in the 2024 campaign.
Almonte had a 3-2 record and a 5.06 ERA in 49 relief appearances with the Dodgers last season. In the previous year he had a 1.02 ERA in 33 games with Los Angeles.
Ferris was a second-round pick of the Cubs in the 2022 draft. He had a 2-3 record with a 3.38 ERA in 18 starts with Single-A Myrtle Beach last season, and was the 8th-ranked prospect in their system according to MLB Pipeline.
Hope was an 11th round pick in the 2023 draft. He posted a .286 batting average and hit three home runs in 35 at-bats with the Cubs’ rookie league team last season.