The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired prospects Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope in a trade that sent Yency Almonte and Michael Busch to the Chicago Cubs.
Ferris made 18 appearances for Single-A Myrtle Beach last season, posting a 2-3 record with a 3.38 ERA. He struck out 77 batters in 56 innings while allowing 35 hits. During his junior year at IMG Academy in Florida, Ferris went a perfect 8-0 with a 0.55 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.
The 19-year-old pitched for Team USA in the summer of 2021 before being drafted by the Cubs in the second round (47th overall) out of IMG Academy. Ferris signed with the Cubs for $3 million.
According to MLB Pipeline, Ferris has three above-average pitches with a 60-grade fastball and 55-grade curveball and changeup. He was ranked the No. 8 prospect in a deep Cubs farm system.
Hope appeared in 11 games for the Arizona League Cubs last season, batting .286/.419/.543 with three homers and nine RBI.
The 18-year-old was selected in the 11th round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Colonial Forge High School (Virginia). In his final high school season, the left-handed outfielder hit .538 with nine homers and 38 RBI while stealing 29 bases.
The trade cleared two 40-man roster spaces for the Dodgers to make the signing of Teoscar Hernández official, and gives them additional room for a future addition. The club has been searching for additional pitching help, both in the bullpen and rotation.
Why did Dodgers trade Yency Almmonte & Michael Busch?
Almonte made 49 appearances for the Dodgers last season, logging 48 innings and allowing 27 earned runs. He struck out 49 batters while posting a 5.09 ERA before going on the 15-day injured list with a right knee sprain on August 12 that ultimately ended his season.
In 2022, Almonte posted a 1.02 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 35.1 innings in his first season with the Dodgers. He has pitched parts of six seasons in the Major Leagues with the Colorado Rockies (2018-2021) and Dodgers (2022-2023), going a combined 7-6 with a 4.51 ERA in 196 games.
Almonte signed with the Dodgers as a Minor League free agent on March 16, 2022. He reportedly agreed to a one-year contract last November to avoid salary arbitration for the 2024 season.
Busch played in 27 games for the Dodgers last season, hitting two homers and collecting seven RBI. He was named Triple-A Player of the Year after finishing the campaign with a .323 batting average, 27 homers and 90 RBI for the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
In four Minor League seasons, the left-handed hitting Busch, batted .283/.390/.529 with 79 homers and 267 RBI. The trade allows Busch to get a shot at everyday playing time, something he did not have with the Dodgers.
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