As Spring Training approaches and a new season nears, the New York Yankees continue to monitor the market. While the destinations of top free agents like Alex Bregman and Jack Flaherty remain uncertain, it’s evident the Yankees are unlikely to pursue players of that caliber. Other teams are poised to make significant upgrades by signing these free agents, which could open doors for the Yankees to explore the trade market as rosters take shape.
The Chicago Cubs have renewed their pursuit of Alex Bregman, potentially moving top prospect Matt Shaw to second base, which might make Nico Hoerner available in trade discussions. According to Jacob Zanolla of Cubs Insider, the Yankees expressed interest in the versatile infielder earlier this offseason. However, the Cubs’ decision to trade Isaac Paredes to the Astros ended that possibility at the time. If the chance to acquire Hoerner arises again, the Yankees should seize the opportunity to strengthen their infield.
Yankees Send 3 Players To Cubs And Land Nico Hoerner in This Mock Trade
The Cubs are looking to bolster their bullpen, an area of need where the Yankees could provide assistance with their surplus of controllable relievers. Ian Hamilton stands out as an ideal fit for the Cubs, given his ability to generate swings and misses while keeping the ball on the ground with his sinker-slider combination, complemented by a high-quality four-seam fastball that excels in the upper part of the zone.
Over two seasons with the Yankees, Hamilton has posted a 3.10 ERA with a 27.4% strikeout rate, a 50.4% groundball rate, and an elite bat-missing ability. With four years of team control remaining, Hamilton represents a cost-effective solution for Chicago’s bullpen issues, especially since he is still in his pre-arbitration phase. Acquiring him would provide the Cubs with a cheap, reliable upgrade to a bullpen currently projected by FanGraphs as the fifth-worst in MLB with a 1.4 WAR. Adding Hamilton, who is individually projected for 0.6 WAR, would elevate the Cubs’ bullpen ranking by five spots.
Another player the Cubs are likely to covet is Yankees pitching prospect Will Warren. According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the Cubs expressed interest in Warren during discussions with the Yankees involving Cody Bellinger, making him a potential trade target in future negotiations.
Will Warren had a challenging brief MLB stint last summer, but his potential remains evident. The Cubs could initially use him as a reliever, providing valuable long relief innings before potentially moving him into the rotation. Given the Cubs’ bullpen depth issues, Warren could be a solid addition, helping strengthen their pitching staff with his upside. Since the Cubs are not actively pursuing elite starters, a controllable, young option like Warren, who offers six years of control, would be highly appealing.
FanGraphs projects Warren for 0.2 WAR over 35 innings with a 3.67 ERA, further enhancing the Cubs’ bullpen. His path to a major league roster is clearer in Chicago, where he could have an opportunity to contribute. Another arm the Cubs could target from the Yankees organization is Cam Schlittler, who had a standout 2024 season with significant improvements in fastball velocity and movement. In his age-23 season, Schlittler posted a 3.36 ERA and 3.60 FIP, reaching Double-A and showcasing a promising future. His fastball averages around 94 MPH with 15 inches of induced vertical break, and his sweeper and gyro slider offer versatility in getting strikeouts. Baseball America selected him as a breakout prospect for 2025, generating optimism for his future.
With these three pitchers, the Cubs would acquire notable value for a player like Nico Hoerner, who has two years of control left at an annual cost of about $11 million. While another team might make a more aggressive offer, this package seems like a reasonable starting point for a deal between Jed Hoyer and Brian Cashman. As for why the Yankees would be interested in Hoerner, it’s simple—he’s one of the best second basemen in baseball.