The Chicago Cubs have declared themselves “all in” when it comes to making postseason play this year. To put themselves into that position, the team had to make some big moves.
The biggest move this offseason came in December when the Cubs traded for Houston Astros multi-tool all-star right fielder Kyle Tucker. However, to get that elite-level talent, the team had to give up a lot– third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and highly regarded prospect Cam Smith.
What The Chicago Cubs Gave Up For Kyle Tucker
Giving up Smith, the Cubs’ 2024 no. 1 draft pick, was an especially controversial move, given the raves the former Florida State star has received from scouts and other experts. From the very moment the trade was announced, the word got out that this may be one trade Chicago regrets for years to come.
And, from the way things have been playing out this spring, Cubs fans may indeed wistfully regard Smith as the one that got away.
Batting .409 in the Grapefruit League, there is talk that the young talent, less than a month after his 22nd birthday, has a chance of making the big league opening day roster. He’s already moved his way to the no. 1 spot on MLB.com’s list of Astros top prospects and is regarded as the no. 20 prospect in all of baseball by Baseball Prospectus.
All of this, despite Smith only having 32 games of minor league baseball under his belt with a total of 134 plate appearances.
Cam Smith Is An “Aircraft Carrier”
Astros Dana Brown has already taken to calling Smith “an aircraft carrier,” possessed of the unique ability to carry a team on his shoulders for an extended period of time. The comment has led to social media memes and a “USS Smith” nickname.
“A lot of times it stems from, ‘Look, this guy can carry a team for a stretch,’” Smith told the Houston Chronicle. “And that’s basically the identity of it.”
“You get these young players who have a chance to hit in the middle of the order and impact the baseball? Those guys have a chance to be aircraft carriers, big physical guys who hit in the middle of the lineup.”
That certainly appears to be where Smith is headed.
This spring, the Astros have also started giving the third base prospect time in right field, to further improve his chances of breaking camp with the team. Like with everything the kid seems to touch, he’s excelled.
Smith Opens Up About Trade To Astros
In a recent interview with MLB Network, Smith talked about the shock that came from being traded by the Cubs just about five months after being drafted.
“Yeah, so honestly, you know, I didn’t even know it was possible to get traded that quick,” Smith laughed. “I had just got drafted in July and I really didn’t know the business side of it, but I found out quick I’d tell you that.
“[Cubs general manager] Carter Hawkins gave me a call and told me that I was traded to the Astros and kind of wished me good luck and then Dana Brown called me over here and he said welcome. Let’s get you to the campus ASAP.”
If, as a Cubs fan, you’re getting a queasy feeling about this trade, you’re definitely not the only one.
Kyle Tucker is indeed a unique talent and one of the very best all-around players in the sport. But he’s in the last year of his contract and likely expecting the kind of massive, long-term contract (possibly in the range of 10 years, $350 million) Cubs ownership has been loathe to give. Actually, they’ve NEVER given that kind of contract before.
So, if Tucker is allowed to walk and this one-year 2025 gamble doesn’t pay off with a deep playoff run, the Cubs will have nothing to show for this Astros trade– except for talk radio griping about letting the USS Smith drift away from port.
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