Cubs' trade package for Edward Cabrera proves Yankees never would've made deal

For a brief moment, it seemed as if the New York Yankees were on the verge of making a mistake. Edward Cabrera was in their crosshairs, and the talented, controllable, but flawed right-hander looked to be another in a long line of moves we've seen burn the Yankees before.

Their chief rival in these pursuits was the Chicago Cubs, who moved swiftly and stole Cabrera from New York's clutches. The only question remaining was whether or not the Yankees misread the market or the Cubs actually got a steal.

When the full trade details came out, it became clear that wasn't the case. Chicago sent three prospects to Miami for the 27-year-old hurler, headlined by their No. 1-ranked youngster, Owen Caissie.

The Yankees were never going to pay that price, and we can all rejoice. That's an absolutely massive haul for a pitcher who has amassed just 431 2/3 innings pitched over five years.

Marlins' haul for Edward Cabrera shows that the Yankees were never going to pay that price

Caissie, 23, is ranked 47th on MLB Pipeline's Top 100, and the power-hitting outfielder seemed poised to be one of Chicago's best internal options to replace Kyle Tucker in 2026. In 99 games at Triple-A Iowa last season, the lefty-swinging youngster slashed .286/.386/.551 with 22 homers before getting a big league cup of coffee.

That short big league stint consisted of just 12 games and 27 plate appearances, meaning you can't put too much stock into his dismal .192/.222/.346 line.

Caissie wasn't the only prime asset sent to South Florida for Cabrera's services. The Cubs also parted with speedy shortstop Cristian Hernandez, who stole 52 bases last season for High-A South Bend and ranked No. 11 in their system. The kicker was 18-year-old corner infielder Edgardo De Leon, a youngster who showed off some impressive power traits in the Arizona Complex League and looks to be a bit more than your standard lottery-ticket throw-in.

A comparable Yankees package would have had to start with top prospect George Lombard Jr., and would include another high-upside bat just outside the club's top 10, such as Brendan Jones or Dillon Lewis, both of whom have drawn buzz as potential breakout candidates.

That is simply far too much to surrender for a guy who has never thrown more than 137 2/3 innings in a single season, owns a well-below-average 11.7% career walk rate, and has surrendered 1.23 HR/9 over his career. Cabrera's 3.53 ERA from 2025 looks shiny, but he's just one season removed from a 4.95 ERA disaster of a year.

Every once in a while, the Yankees' hesitancy works to their benefit, and in this case they can be grateful that Chicago swooped in and snatched Cabrera away by offering a package they were never going to match, no matter how committed to making a mistake they were. With their trade options dwindling, we can only hope now that Brian Cashman shifts his focus to a real price like Freddy Peralta and leaves behind these nonsensical dalliances with spring on the horizon.