The Chicago Cubs certainly seem playoff bound this season, but they absolutely have some holes they need to address before the MLB trade deadline.
While the Cubs have dealt multiple top prospects over the last couple of years, they are still fortunate enough to have a nice stash of talented farmhands to dangler in trades, and Zachary Rotman of FanSided has identified one player he feels Chicago is “guaranteed” to move: Kevin Alcantara.
“Kevin Alcantara was considered one of the best prospects in the Chicago Cubs’ system not too long ago. Still, he hasn’t gotten a chance to play consistently at the big-league level to this point, and barring multiple injuries to outfielders, it’s hard to envision that changing anytime soon. Given that, why not trade him now for pitching? It feels too obvious,” Rotman wrote.
The Cubs initially acquired Alcantara in the deal that sent Anthony Rizzo to the New York Yankees midway through the 2021 campaign.
Since then, the 24-year-old has established himself as one of the top young players Chicago has to offer, although, as Rotman noted, it has yet to translate on to the big-league level.
Alcantara has been up with the Cubs multiple times since 2024, slashing .220/.256/.220 with no home runs and four RBI over a small sample size of 43 plate appearances.
Known for his bat and his versatility, Alcantara has not yet shown much in the majors, and he has made some baserunning blunders that clearly frustrated manager Craig Counsell.
In the minor leagues, though, Alcantara has been raking. The 6-foot-6 outfielder is slashing .273/.367/.569 with 17 homers and 42 RBI at Triple-A this season, and he owns a lifetime .819 OPS in the minors.
Alcantara is currently being blocked by a crowded Cubs outfield that includes Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki. Both Happ and Suzuki are slated to hit free agency over the winter, which should open the door for Alcantara.
However, with Chicago clearly going for a World Series this year (especially after signing Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract in free agency), the Cubs may feel they would be better off trading Alcantara for a player who can help them immediately.
Like Tarik Skubal, for example. Or any of the other top pitchers who may be available between now and Aug. 3.
Rotman is far from the only person who feels that the Cubbies will be moving Alcantara over the next week, so hold on to your hats.
