Marlins Trade Braxton Garrett to Cubs for Prospects

If you’re not going to use him, you might as well lose him. 

The Miami Marlins traded Braxton Garrett to the Chicago Cubs for Jonathon Long and Jace Beck, according to Fish on First. 

Long, the Cubs’ No. 10 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is batting .283 with an .819 OPS, 12 home runs and 62 RBIs over 99 games at Triple-A Iowa. 

The Cubs drafted him in the ninth round in 2023 after hitting 26 home runs through three years at Long Beach State. He went on to appear in the Arizona Fall League in 2024 and the Spring Breakout game last year. 

In his first Triple-A season last year, Long slashed .305/.404/.479 with 20 home runs and 91 RBIs. The 24-year-old was as high as the Cubs’ No. 6 prospect this season before the MLB Draft refreshed the rankings. 

Beck (No. 28) is a 26-year-old reliever who has been in the minor leagues since 2019. Beck was taken in the 22nd round by the New York Mets in the 2019 MLB Draft out of high school in Oklahoma. After never advancing higher than High-A Brooklyn, the Mets let him go in 2025 and he joined the Cubs as a minor league free agent. 

Beck posted a 2.87 ERA with 102 strikeouts over 59.2 innings in 20 appearances (six starts) in Double-A before being promoted to Triple-A Iowa. Given the Marlins’ recent run of cycling relievers from Triple-A Jacksonville to Miami and back, there is a possibility of Beck making his MLB debut at some point this season. 

Garrett has been one of the best pitchers in the International League this season, posting a 2.90 ERA with 83 strikeouts over 77.2 innings in 16 appearances and 15 starts for Triple-A Jacksonville. He was coming off an elbow injury that erased most of his 2024 season and all of 2025. 

Garrett missed out of the opening day starting rotation in favor of Janson Junk in spring training. He made two starts in May after an injury opened an opportunity for him. He was at his best in Jacksonville at the time but in two starts when Miami needed him he only lasted a total of 4.1 innings, yielding seven runs on seven hits. It was clear the Marlins lost faith in Garrett and would eventually trade him. 

The Cubs (63-49) are in firm control of the first wild card spot with a four-game lead. The Marlins previously traded Edward Cabrera to the Cubs for Owen Caissie, who at the time was their top prospect. Caissie has been a key bat for the Marlins in his rookie season while Cabrera has a 5.10 ERA and is currently on the 15-day injured list.