Giants: 3 prospects to trade for Cubs catcher Willson Contreras

3) Giants prospect to trade for Willson Contreras: Ryan Murphy

Ryan Murphy started his professional career with the Giants last season with some promising results. He made 21 starts in Single-A and High-A, combining for a 6-4 record and 2.52 ERA in 107.1 innings of work. So far in 2022, Murphy had yet to factor into the decision but has a 3.00 ERA in 21 innings and 5 starts in High-A. He could be moving fast through the system.

Ranked 11th in the Giants organization, he also happens to have an ETA for the big leagues for 2023. Every team could use more arms. The Cubs are no exception.

Murphy is a fifth-round pick from 2020 outperforming expectations. At only 22, he might end up as a steal for the Giants in the draft — but only if they don’t trade him first.

After 128.1 innings as a professional pitcher, the young man has a rate of 2.3 walks per nine and a rate of 14 strikeouts per nine. Both are extremely promising. He has command. He has the ability to strike batters out. On a rebuilding team like the Cubs, he could be in the picture vying for a rotation spot quicker than he would be if he remained with San Francisco.

Only because he isn’t quite at the same level as the other two Giants prospects mentioned here, the Cubs would probably want to ask for more. Murphy has shown that he can headline a deal for a player like Contreras. Any trade involving him would probably have to include two other players.