As Chicago targets elite arms like Sandy Alcantara, top-ranked shortstop Jefferson Rojas headlines a group of valuable trade chips potentially destined for new homes this summer.
The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline is on a lot of Chicago Cubs fans' minds right now.
They’ve already been linked to two starting pitchers in Freddy Peralta and Sandy Alcantara, and it’s never too early to start thinking about which pitchers could be logical trade targets for the Cubs later this summer.
That also raises the question of which prospects the Cubs could give away to acquire pitchers like Peralta and Alcantara.
There’s a good chance that youngsters like Jaxon Wiggins and Moises Ballesteros won’t be available in trade talks. The front office would likely be very hesitant to trade away Matt Shaw, and Pedro Ramirez is someone Chicago might want to keep amid a career year in the Minors.
So, who might be available for the Cubs to trade away at this year’s trade deadline?
Well, we sort of got an answer from Cubs beat writers Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic. Mooney and Sharma answered fans' questions about the trade deadline in a mailbag series.
A fan asked about the Cubs’ current farm system and whether they have “enough top prospects” to land an Alcantara-type pitcher.
Here’s what Sharma said in response to that question:
“Jefferson Rojas, Jonathan Long, Kane Kepley, Owen Ayers, Brooks Caple, Dominick Reid, Grant Kipp — these are names to keep an eye on as the trade deadline approaches. They may not be future stars, but to varying degrees, they hold value.”
It’s interesting to see Sharma group these prospects together as potential trade candidates. Rojas (No. 1), Kepley (No. 6), Long (No. 7), Ayers (No. 10), Reid (No. 15), Kipp (No. 28), and Caple (unranked) are all high-upside prospects in Chicago’s Minor League system.
The most interesting name on this list is Rojas. The 21-year-old recently became the Cubs’ top prospect after MLB Pipeline’s latest update. He rose up 13 spots to No. 84 overall and could headline any trade this summer.
The Cubs’ willingness to potentially trade Rojas could stem from him being blocked at his position. Rojas primarily plays shortstop and has also seen time at second base. However, Dansby Swanson is still under contract through the 2029 season, and Nico Hoerner just signed a six-year extension.
There is simply nowhere for him to play right now. That could make Rojas an intriguing trade piece in any deal for a top-of-the-line starting pitcher.
The Cubs have plenty of up-and-coming prospects they could trade away in the coming months. Rojas and Long are both blocked at their positions, Kepley is still only in High-A, Reid is only in Single-A, and Kipp continues to struggle at Double-A.
It’ll be an interesting few months before trades actually transpire. But these prospects could be on the move with the Cubs seeking a high-quality arm.