After being dealt to the Miami Marlins for Edward Cabrera, Owen Caissie’s early spring training performance is reflecting the same offensive questions that led to the Chicago Cubs trading him.
The Chicago Cubs took a significant risk earlier this offseason when they acquired right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins, sending a package of top prospects back to Miami in the process.
Chicago parted ways with outfielder Edgardo De León, infielder Cristian Hernández, and most notably, outfielder Owen Caissie — the organization’s No. 1 prospect and a top-50 prospect in all of baseball.
It was a bold move by Jed Hoyer. With Kyle Tucker departing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Caissie appeared to be next in line to take over right field. And even if the Cubs ultimately roll with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki in the corner outfield spots — as they are currently positioned to do — both players are scheduled to become free agents after the 2026 season. Chicago does not have a clear long-term solution in place.
Cam Smith could have been that long-term option, but he was moved in the Tucker deal. Caissie could have been that option, but he was shipped out for Cabrera.
My concern — then and now — is that the Cubs may have acquired a pitcher who profiles as a serviceable mid-rotation arm rather than a true frontline starter, while surrendering an outfielder with more than five years of club control remaining. Caissie is still just 23 years old and possesses legitimate 30-home-run potential from a corner outfield spot. That is a steep price to pay.
Of course, spring training numbers are rarely predictive. Still, Cubs fans are undoubtedly monitoring how Caissie is performing with the Marlins in the Grapefruit League.
As of Monday morning, Caissie had recorded just one hit in four spring appearances, going 1-for-9 with two walks and six strikeouts. That strikeout rate is the very concern that made many Cubs fans more comfortable with the trade in the first place.
In 2025 at Triple-A Iowa, Caissie posted a .937 OPS with 28 doubles and 22 home runs across 99 games — production that speaks to his offensive upside. However, he also struck out 121 times in 370 at-bats. That level of swing-and-miss raises questions about whether he will consistently access the raw power generated by his 6-foot-4 frame against major league pitching.
In 12 MLB games last season, Caissie hit .192. Across 26 big league at-bats, he struck out 11 times while drawing just one walk. The early spring returns have followed a similar pattern.
Until he proves he can make consistent, quality contact against major league arms, it will be difficult for Cubs fans to fully regret the decision to trade him.
That said, I still was not a fan of the deal from Chicago’s perspective. The Cubs could have addressed their rotation needs through free agency rather than moving the top prospect in their system. That path would have preserved long-term outfield flexibility while still strengthening the pitching staff.
But there is always the possibility that Caissie simply struggles to make the leap from the upper minors to sustained big league success. Perhaps that was a risk the Cubs’ front office no longer felt comfortable betting on.