Cubs should trade these players to help build another World Series winner

3. Javy Baez

If the Cubs expect to add a significant starter to team with Hendricks, Lester and Quintana, it is not going to be cheap. The return going to the other team is going to hurt. Make no mistake about it, trading Javier Baez would hurt.

Baez is arguably the best defensive infielder in the game of baseball. He is a human highlight reel at second base and was an incredible defensive shortstop when he filled in for Addison Russell during a stretch of the season. Baez’s defensive ability and versatility makes him an extremely valuable player on its own.

At the plate, Baez is far from a perfect player. He undoubtedly has too much swing and miss in his game and simply does not control the strike zone well. That being said, he has ridiculous raw power and can single-handily change the game at any time.

Personally, I think Baez’s offensive struggles have been overblown. No, he is not an elite offensive asset at the moment, but he is not a liability at the plate either.

According to FanGraphs, Baez .273/.317/.480 last season. His 28.3% strikeout rate is pretty ugly, but he did hit 23 home runs in 2017. You take the good with the bad. Also, while his 5.9% walk rate leaves plenty to be desired, it is a strong improvement over last year’s 3.3%. Baez is always going to be a free-swinging player who makes mistakes at the plate, but he looked more in control of his at-bats this year than in the past. There is a lot to like about his long-term upside.

With elite defensive ability and incredible offensive upside, it is easy to see how other teams would value Baez highly. That being said, why would the Cubs trade him? Well, they certainly have the depth to do it if they wish.

Addison Russell has the shortstop position on lock. Baez should be the Cubs’ regular second baseman, but they could easily plug a combination of Ian Happ and Ben Zobrist in there and be okay. It all depends on the return, but if a team wants to trade a high-level starting pitcher with team control, I could see the Cubs parting with Baez.

The price would be high, but it’s not impossible. That being said, out of the three guys on this list, Baez being traded is the least likely.