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Kyle Tucker Trade: Cubs & Astros Player Scouting Reports

2024-12-13

Image credit: Kyle Tucker (Photo by Kevin M. Cox/Getty Images)The Winter Meetings may have ended, but the excitement in the baseball world continues as the Cubs made a significant move on Friday. They acquired all-star outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Astros in exchange for third baseman Isaac Paredes, prospect Cam Smith, and right-hander Hayden Wesneski. This deal has sparked speculation about potential further trades for the Cubs, including a possible match with the Yankees and Cody Bellinger.

What the Cubs Gain

Kyle Tucker, 27 years old, was selected by the Astros with the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft. Over the years, he has emerged as one of the top outfielders in baseball. Tucker is a three-time all-star and won a gold glove in 2022 and a silver slugger award in 2023. He was also a key member of the Astros' 2022 World Series championship team. In 2024, despite missing 79 games due to a right shin injury, Tucker hit.289/.408/.585 with 23 home runs over 78 games. As a career player, he has a.274/.353/.516 batting average with 125 home runs and 94 stolen bases. With 2025 being his walk year, he is expected to hit the free agent market unless the Cubs can work out an extension.

Isaac Paredes - The New Addition

Isaac Paredes, 25 years old, is now on his fourth organization in five seasons. The Cubs acquired him in July. In 2023, Paredes had a breakout season with the Rays, hitting.250/.352/.488 with a career-best 31 home runs and 98 RBIs. He was selected as an all-star for the first time in 2024 after hitting 15 home runs in the first half with the Rays. However, after the trade to Chicago, he struggled, hitting just.223 with three home runs over 52 games. Paredes has strong bat-to-ball skills, with a career 7% swinging strike rate. He is adept at pulling the ball in the air and has an excellent feel for the barrel. This should suit his new home park, Minute Maid Park, and its famous Crawford Boxes in left field. In 2024, he had a 45.8% flyball rate and a 53.7% pull rate, which could potentially lead to a return to his 30-home run form of 2023.

Cam Smith - The Promising Prospect

Cam Smith, also 25 years old, was the Cubs' first-round pick in 2024 out of Florida State, signing for a little over $5 million. Although not considered one of the elite college hitters in the 2024 class, he was on the periphery. During the 2023 Cape Cod League and his sophomore season with the Seminoles, he stood out. His post-draft debut was remarkable, reaching Double-A and hitting.313/.396/.609 with seven home runs across all levels. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 224 pounds, Smith is a well-above-average athlete. However, his athleticism has not yet translated fully to the field, and there are questions about his defense. But he is an outstanding combination of power, bat-to-ball skills, and approach, and has the potential to develop into a well-above-average hitter in the future.

Hayden Wesneski - The Bullpen Asset

Hayden Wesneski, 27 years old, was acquired by the Cubs in the Scott Effross trade with the Yankees at the 2022 deadline. Since 2022, he has spent parts of three seasons with the Cubs, including time as both a starter and a reliever. After a strong debut in 2022, many expected him to become a regular in the Cubs' rotation in 2023, but he struggled initially. Since then, he has been shuttling between the minors and the majors before settling into the Cubs' bullpen in 2024. Wesneski's primary pitch is a low-80s slider, which he throws over 40% of the time. He also mixes it with a four-seam fastball at 94-95 mph, a sinker at 93-94, a high-80s cutter, and a changeup.