MLB trade grades: Cubs take a massive swing on former Dodgers first-round pick

Thursday, the Chicago Cubs made a key trade to bolster their chances of winning the NL Central.

Chicago acquired reliever Yency Almonte and infielder Michael Busch from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In exchange, the Cubs sent left-hander Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope to the Dodgers. Jeff Passan provided the full details of the trade on Twitter.

Busch could potentially fill the hole at third base for the Cubs, while Almonte gives them a high-leverage relief arm. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have cleared out a logjam on their roster and added some solid prospects in exchange.

Busch was the Dodgers No. 2 prospect. He hit .283 with 79 home runs over the course of four minor-league seasons. He made his MLB debut last season.

Almonte owns a career 4.51 ERA and has fanned 195 batters over 207.1 innings of work.

Ferris was ranked the Cubs No. 8 prospect on MLB Pipeline and ranked 11th on Baseball Prospectus. The 19-year-old was drafted by the Cubs in 2022 and also ranked with the top High-School left-handers in the class. He even threw a no-hitter and won a tight pitching duel with Andrew Painter, who is now baseball's top pitching prospect within the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Ferris possesses swing-and-miss capability and a fastball that averages 92-95 mph and can even touch 97. He also possesses a mid-80s changeup and a curveball that averages 75-78 mph and features high spin rates. At its best, the curveball includes 12-6 break.

Hope was ranked as the Cubs No. 16 prospect on Baseball Prospectus.

Grading the Cubs-Dodgers trade involving Michael Busch

This looks to be a pretty balanced trade for both sides. Both teams are receiving some high upside with the players they've acquired.

We'll start by grading this move for the Dodgers. They get a top left-handed prospect to bolster their farm system. He isn't Major-League ready just yet, but his arsenal looks promising.

With Max Muncy already at third base and Chris Taylor in the third year of his four-year contract, there wasn't a spot with the Dodgers for Busch. Gavin Lux is also returning from a torn ACL.

The Dodgers signed Joe Kelly to bolster their bullpen and already have plenty of high-leverage pieces in place. This move was more to clear up a logjam for the Dodgers, but they have added some solid pieces in return.

Dodgers grade: B

The Cubs did really well with this deal. Busch should find a groove in Chicago now that he has a chance to play every day. He could potentially become a Rookie of the Year candidate if he comes into his own and performs up to expectations.

Almonte has struggled over the course of his career, but he does possess swing-and-miss capability, and the Cubs needed to bolster their bullpen in order to contend in 2024.

The NL Central is a weak division, but the Cubs now have a better chance at competing for a division title.

Cubs grade: B+