MLB Rumors: Red Sox-Snell, O's best asset for Cease, Montgomery-Cubs?

MLB Rumors: Orioles best trade asset for Dylan Cease

The Baltimore Orioles have long been seen as the best spot for Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease. They were one of the best teams in baseball this past season, but have a clear hole at the front of their rotation. Kyle Bradish is great, and Grayson Rodriguez pitched better and better as the season progressed, but the Orioles still lack the established ace that most World Series teams have.

While Cease is coming off a down year, part of it had to do with pitching in front of an atrocious White Sox defense. Moving over to Baltimore should help. When he's on, he's one of the best in the game, as shown by his runner-up status in the 2022 AL Cy Young balloting.

The White Sox understandably have an absurdly high price set on any Cease trade. It'll take a lot to get their ace with multiple years of control. One of the teams that can meet their crazy ask and not miss a beat is the Orioles who, despite having one of the youngest rosters in the league right now, also happen to have a loaded farm system.

We know Jackson Holliday is not going anywhere, but they have several top prospects who theoretically could, including Samuel Basallo, their best realistic trade asset. Teams have already reportedly been inquiring about the possibility of acquiring Basallo who broke out in a big way this past season, shooting up to the tenth-best prospect in all of baseball according to Baseball America's list.

Basallo is just 19 years old and made it all the way up to AA this past season. He also is notably a catcher, the same position Orioles superstar Adley Rutschman plays. Basallo can also play first base and DH, so the Orioles don't have to trade him, but he'd have more value as a catcher. If they can land an elite arm with team control like Cease, that's the kind of player worth moving Basallo for.