Making the case for and against the Cubs trading each of their young stars

Javy Baez

Of the players mentioned as potential trade candidates for the Cubs, infielder Javy Baez should be viewed as the least likely to be traded. The 26-year-old has become the heart and soul of the Cubs and has taken over as the face of the franchise from Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. He plays the game with a passion and exuberance matched by few in the league. It’s possible a trade of Baez would end with a fan rebellion in Wrigleyville.

Obviously the Cubs will make their decision based on more than intangibles and fan emotion, but there are also plenty of concrete reasons not to trade Baez, the youngest of the team’s core stars.

After rebounding from early career failures, the infielder has hit .282/.320/.525 over the past three years with 102 doubles, 15 triples, 86 home runs, 42 steals and 271 RBI. Baez had to win his full-time job back from Starlin Castro and Ben Zobrist and has come a long way from the player who hit .169/.227/.324 with 95 strikeouts in only 52 games as a rookie and spent almost all of 2015 in the minor leagues.

Baez will also become a free agent after the 2021 season but may be more willing to sign a long-term extension before hitting the open market than Bryant. The Cubs and their fanbase stuck by him through some difficult seasons of maturation, and both sides are reaping the rewards as he puts up MVP numbers.

The Cubs need to keep Baez, who is also an elite defensive shortstop and baserunner. He is the one player the front office must attempt to keep for the long term at all costs. Baez is only 26 and his production, leadership and energy cannot be replaced on the trade market.