Recently Traded Chicago Cubs Prospect Cam Smith Becomes Astros Top Prospect
The Chicago Cubs and their fan base should still be celebrating the blockbuster trade they just pulled off for Kyle Tucker, bringing in one of the best players in Major League Baseball as they look to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Future decisions about if they can extend him will be determined at a later date, but right now, the Cubs have to be feeling good about what they have accomplished so far this winter.
To land someone of Tucker's caliber, it's never cheap.
Chicago had to give up three very solid pieces who all have high upside.
Third baseman Isaac Paredes is the most known commodity after being named to his first All-Star team last season, and Wesneski projects to be a future starter who can command a spot in the backend of a rotation for multiple years, but it's their prospect Cam Smith who could eventually hurt the most in this deal.
Taken 14th overall in the 2024 draft out of Florida State, Cubs fans might remember the tear he went on when he couldn't stop hitting home runs in consecutive games.
What's funny is power was one of the biggest concerns scouts had about his profile coming out of college, so to see him immediately start blasting deep shots was head-turning for a lot of people.
So, it should be no surprise that Smith has immediately become the Houston Astros' top-ranked prospect in their farm system per MLB Pipeline.
The Astros don't have a strong batch of minor leaguers to begin with, especially after shipping out their best over the course of their dynastic run, but it also shows the type of player Chicago parted with to bring in Tucker.
There are certainly Cubs fans who might think it was a bit much to give up these three pieces for what could amount to only a year of the star outfielder, but at a certain point, teams have to put their chips into the center of the table and go for it.
Smith could be a really good player one day.
Chicago knows they have one in Tucker.