2022-2023 Cubs Offseason Free Agent & Trade Thread

[chibears55]

He's 24. 0 success at AAA. 0 success in MLB. Has no spot on the field. Other prospects are better. There's absolutely 0 reason for a team like the Cubs to be holding on to someone like him as he runs out of MiLB options and just might be a decent throw in for a deal.

Let a team like the Pirates try and develop a MLB hit tool on a 24+ year old prospect.

I dont know, I think Morel and Velazquez are on the OD roster as of now unless they add another bat or they get totally outplayed in ST by someone else

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[rcal10]

He's 24. 0 success at AAA. 0 success in MLB. Has no spot on the field. Other prospects are better. There's absolutely 0 reason for a team like the Cubs to be holding on to someone like him as he runs out of MiLB options and just might be a decent throw in for a deal.

Let a team like the Pirates try and develop a MLB hit tool on a 24+ year old prospect.

If they use him in a deal I am ok with that. I am not suggesting I am counting on him. I am just not writing him off as fast as you are.

[Stratos]

I dont know, I think Morel and Velazquez are on the OD roster as of now unless they add another bat or they get totally outplayed in ST by someone else

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I think they brought Velazquez up when he wasn't ready and he needs to play everyday in AAA. I don't see a lot there anyways.

[JBears79]

I think they brought Velazquez up when he wasn't ready and he needs to play everyday in AAA. I don't see a lot there anyways.

I see an alright 4th OF at the moment. Not much more. If i recall right Velazquez usually struggled initially at each minor league level and really hit the ball well. I think we find out what he really is in the first couple months of the year. Maybe hes something more but its unlikely

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[Crusader]

I kind of hope that Bote gets a chance to be the utility bench guy - not that I see a particularly high ceiling for him, but it gives Morel a chance to get AAA experience and work on some things. Hopefully they can trade Madrigal and get a decent swap. If anything maybe it gives them a chance to flip Bote for a flier if it works out. Maybe I'm being pessimistic here, but I don't really see this team making a run on the division unless just about everything goes their way. I don't think Bote is even on the 40 man at this point, so it's probably not happening.

Fangraphs had an article about predicting success based on exit velo's, and he was one of the folks averaging pretty high exit velo's

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/some-bre...y-percentiles/

[chibears55]

I see an alright 4th OF at the moment. Not much more. If i recall right Velazquez usually struggled initially at each minor league level and really hit the ball well. I think we find out what he really is in the first couple months of the year. Maybe hes something more but its unlikely

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Right, I mean it not like they have much to choose from for the 4th spot going into ST, unless they go with an IFer who also plays OF.

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[rcal10]

I think they brought Velazquez up when he wasn't ready and he needs to play everyday in AAA. I don't see a lot there anyways.

I agree that he should have played all year at AAA. As for not seeing much anyway, I don’t believe he did enough to have an opinion either way. He was a kid who should have been at AAA trying to figure things out in the majors. I just think people react was too quickly on guys. Morel came up and many wanted the Cubs to extend him based on 100 AB. Velesquez get about 200 AB and people are tossing him aside. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if Velesquez had a better career than Morel. Also wouldn’t surprise me if neither ended up any good. To me, it is just too early to make that evaluation.

[WOwolfOL]

I agree that he should have played all year at AAA. As for not seeing much anyway, I don’t believe he did enough to have an opinion either way. He was a kid who should have been at AAA trying to figure things out in the majors. I just think people react was too quickly on guys. Morel came up and many wanted the Cubs to extend him based on 100 AB. Velesquez get about 200 AB and people are tossing him aside. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if Velesquez had a better career than Morel. Also wouldn’t surprise me if neither ended up any good. To me, it is just too early to make that evaluation.

Maybe a better career as a hitter but Morel has other skills to raise his overall ceiling quite a bit higher. I'd still try to extend him cheap.

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[1908_Cubs]

Maybe a better career as a hitter but Morel has other skills to raise his overall ceiling quite a bit higher. I'd still try to extend him cheap.

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I wouldn't at this stage. I like a lot of what Morel does, but it's pretty clear he's not a real CF, nor is he going to be the SS, so he won't be playing a premium position very often. If he can't hit, then you very well might be extending a defense only guy at non-premium positions. There just might not be a reason he needs to be around in 5 or 6 years, and he isn't likely going to break any banks in arbitration. I need to be more conifedent in his bat to guarantee him years and money.

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[Stratos]

I agree that he should have played all year at AAA. As for not seeing much anyway, I don’t believe he did enough to have an opinion either way. He was a kid who should have been at AAA trying to figure things out in the majors. I just think people react was too quickly on guys. Morel came up and many wanted the Cubs to extend him based on 100 AB. Velesquez get about 200 AB and people are tossing him aside. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me if Velesquez had a better career than Morel. Also wouldn’t surprise me if neither ended up any good. To me, it is just too early to make that evaluation.

Agree basically. Morel did poorly after the hot start. Jury is still out. Morel is still high in athleticism and lacking on skill.