Dylan Cease trade: Grading rumored return it would take for Rangers to land pitcher

MLB trade rumors surrounding White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease are heating up as Chicago sounds more and more likely to part ways with the star pitcher.

One team in particular got a mention from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on Tuesday night. He confirmed with sources that the Rangers and White Sox "engaged in recent discussions" regarding Cease.

But Rosenthal's reporting went further than just noting the link between the two sides. He also named three specific Rangers players that have been linked to a potential trade.

Let's assess that hypothetical trade...

Hypothetical Dylan Cease trade grade: Is pitcher worth three Rangers players?

It's important to note that Rosenthal referred to these players as being "in the range" of the White Sox asking price, "if not them specifically," But we're going to assume those three are the ones Chicago wants before any negotiating from the other side.

Utilityman Ezequiel Durán has major league experience, making his debut in 2022. He appeared in 122 games for the Rangers last year, slashing .276/.324/.443 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI. He played a variety of positions and was available to fill in wherever Texas needed him.

Pitching prospect Brock Porter, a 2022 fourth-round pick, is the top pitcher in the Rangers farm system, ranking fourth among their prospects overall. He last played in Single-A ball with a 2.47 ERA in 21 starts for the Down East Wood Ducks.

Jack Leitner, another righty, ranks eighth in the Rangers system after being selected in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft. Relative to his draft standing, his star has only fallen. In spring training this year, he took a loss in his one start. He has an ERA of 3.86 in seven innings.

If the rumors are true and the White Sox have urged the Yankees to include their No. 2 prospect, Spencer Jones, in any proposals for Cease, then the Rangers should snatch Chris Getz's hand off to make the above deal happen.

Losing Durán and Porter shouldn't be taken lightly, but adding Cease could be the difference in a World Series run. You have to take that deal.

On the other side of things, it feels like the White Sox would be settling for a return like that. It would be better than getting nothing for Cease in the long run. However, all the bluster about Cease's value would look pretty silly if that's what they ended up with.

Rangers trade grade: B+
White Sox trade grade: C-