Fansided

Five young prospects the Cubs could target on the trade market

By Joshua Sadlock

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 06: Gavin Lux #48 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up prior to the start of game three of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on October 6, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 06: Gavin Lux #48 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up prior to the start of game three of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on October 6, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – JULY 07: Cristian Pache #16 of the National League Futures Team looks on during batting practice prior to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Progressive Field on Sunday, July 7, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – JULY 07: Cristian Pache #16 of the National League Futures Team looks on during batting practice prior to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Progressive Field on Sunday, July 7, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

3. Cristian Pache

Watching the Nationals lift the World Series trophy couldn’t have been easy for the Atlanta Braves, who bested them in the race for the NL East crown and beat them 11 times in the regular season. The Braves were unable to get the job done in the NLDS when it mattered most, falling flat on their face in an embarrassing Game 5 loss.

Despite coming up short, the Braves should still be viewed as the favorites to win the division again in 2020. They have a well-rounded lineup led by Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna, and saw Mike Soroka and Max Fried take over to lead the rotation.

Like the Nationals, the Braves do have a major free agency decision of their own to address this winter with Josh Donaldson’s one-year deal coming to an end. It was a very good one-year pairing between with All-Star, who was coming off two injury-plagued seasons. The Braves loved Donaldson’s leadership and personality in the clubhouse and he gave them a third legitimate superstar to go with Acuna and Freeman.

The first priority for the Braves this winter is keeping Donaldson. If they do that, they will not need to seek out a replacement bat on the trade market. Donaldson figures to have plenty of suitors, though, and he won’t be giving anyone a hometown discount. If the Braves miss out on Donaldson, turning to the trade market to acquire another star is a possibility. They have five of the game’s top-100 prospects, led by Cristian Pache. Pache is an exciting 20-year-old center fielder who will likely win multiple Gold Gloves before the end of his career. If his bat continues to develop, he will be an All-Star.

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