Grading The Cubs' Trade For Edward Cabrera

The Chicago Cubs have been adamant about what they wanted to do this offseason, and that was to add another arm to their starting rotation. However, it was the first week of January, and a new face hadn't been added yet.

The team lost a bidding war for Dylan Cease, and their reported interest in Tatsuya Imai turned out to be more hype than accurate. That's when the Cubs reportedly shifted their focus to former up-and-comer Edward Cabrera.

President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer successfully worked out a trade for the starting pitcher, but had to give up key pieces from the Cubs' farm system, including No. 1 prospect Owen Caissie. Prospects Cristian Hernandez and Edgardo De Leon were also included in the deal.

Grading the Cabrera trade: A-

Edward Cabrera throwing a pitch for the Marlin — Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Ultimately, Hoyer made one thing clear: the team is looking to win, and Cabrera will help them do that. There's not a person in the organization (or the fan base) who disliked Caissie, and the general consensus was he was likely to take on a lion's share of the workload in 2026.

However, Caissie didn't prove himself against the big league pitchers when he got his shot in the majors, however brief it was. There were definitely times of promise, including the Brewers series where he had multiple hits and a home run, but by the end of the 12 games he played, he was hitting under .200.

On the other hand, the starting rotation was begging for another arm to complement the rising superstar that is Cade Horton, who posted a 1.08 ERA in the second half of the season. Cabrera is only 27 years old and has consistently shown improvement over the years.

Can I show you real quick why people are so high on Edward Cabrera’s stuff?

Yeah, this is why: pic.twitter.com/xWNU2aRxCv
— Brett Taylor (@Brett_A_Taylor) January 7, 2026

Since becoming a primary starter back in 2022 (minimum of 20 starts), Cabrera has increased his WAR, posting a career-best 3.53 ERA with 150 strikeouts in 26 starts in 2025. While he has yet to establish himself on the level of someone like Paul Skenes, he is trending toward a nonexistent ceiling.

The other two prospects that were bundled together with Caissie showed plenty of promise, but were still a ways out from seeing a major league field. Hernandez was the furthest along in the system, playing in the A+ league, while De Leon ended 2025 in the rookie league.

Neither had batted under .250 in the minors, but with little experience against stronger arms, it is still hard to say what their futures will look like, and Hoyer's roster is on the brink of something special.

Cabrera's low-risk, high-reward capabilities made this a no-brainer, but as always, it's hard to see pieces of the Cubs' future dealt away. With the addition of a starter and plenty of depth in the bullpen, it is now time to find a bat.

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