Chicago Cubs: 3 players who could be traded with slow start

Willson Contreras

Willson Contreras‘ name has already been linked to a couple of teams in trade rumors, primarily in the would-be deal for Nolan Arenado. The 27-year-old is still entering his prime, and the Cubs have Miguel Amaya coming. Amaya, 20, was recently ranked as the 90th best prospect in baseball and the eighth-best catching prospect.

He’s projected to be ready at some point in 2021, and the Cubs could move Contreras in a deal at the trade deadline. He would be attractive to prospective teams, given that he’s under team control through the 2022 season. The Cubs also have a couple of other catching prospects in Ethan Hearn and Ronnier Quintero if Amaya never materializes into the player he’s projected to be.

In the short-term, the Cubs have Victor Caratini, who performed well with more at-bats last year, slashing .266/.348/.447 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI in 95 games. Caratini also has the added benefit of being under team control through the 2023 season and could be a formidable backup and mentor for Amaya when he’s ready.

Like Bryant, Contreras could net the Cubs a significant haul in a trade that would shorten the length of their rebuild with the right return.