Former Chicago Cubs Prospect on Dodgers' Trade Radar

A former Chicago Cubs prospect may find his way out to the west coast soon.

On Sunday USA Today reported that the Los Angeles Dodgers are talking with the Chicago White Sox about a trade for pitcher Dylan Cease.

While Cease plays for the cross-town White Sox, he actually started his pro baseball career with the Cubs as a sixth-round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. Out of Milton High School in Milton, Ga., Cease opted to pass on a Vanderbilt scholarship and join the Cubs, even though he couldn’t pitch until 2015 due to Tommy John surgery.

From 2015-17 he worked his way up to the Cubs Class-A affiliate in South Bend (now their High-A affiliate). Along the way he was a 2016 Northwest League Post-Season All-Star and a Baseball America Short-Season All Star with Eugene in the Northwest League, and a Midwest League Mid-Season All-Star with South Bend in 2017.

Midway through the 2017 season, the Cubs traded Cease, Eloy Jiménez, Matt Rose, and Bryant Flete to the White Sox for José Quintana.

Cease has been with the White Sox since then, making his MLB debut in 2019.

The Dodgers may be interested in Cease because they have a lack of experienced starting pitching. Clayton Kershaw recently had shoulder surgery and won’t be ready until midway through next season. He also remains a free agent.

Julio Urias has been on administrative leave since this summer after felony domestic violence charges were made against him. It’s possible he remains suspended through 2024.

MLB.com’s depth chart lists the Dodgers’ starting rotation for 2024 as Bobby Miller, Ryan Yarbrough, Walker Buehler, Emmet Sheehan and Ryan Pepiot.

Cease has two more controllable years left as he cannot be a free agent until after the 2025 season. That level of control makes him an attractive trade option.

Cease made more than $4 million in 2023 and in arbitration this offseason the expectation is that Cease could make at least $8 million. The White Sox may be ready to move him to a team that can handle his remaining controllable years, as the White Sox lost 101 games last season.

“I’ve made it very clear that the White Sox are willing to listen in on any of our players," White Sox general manager Chris Getz said recently.

Cease has emerged as a quality right-hander who finished second in Cy Young voting in 2022 after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA. In 2023 he went 7-9 and his ERA went up to 4.58. But he has a solid track record for his career with a 43-35 record and a 3.83 ERA. He also strikes out 10.8 hitters per nine innings and led the American League in the category in 2021 (12.3).