Image Credits: https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2024/3/13/24099172/mariners-moose-tracks-3-13-24-gregory-santos-taj-bradley-and-dylan-cease

Tonight, the game of baseball was given some very large breaking news regarding White Sox ace Dylan Cease. After months of trade rumors, Cease has finally been dealt to the San Diego Padres for a very large prospect package in return. This package includes Jairo Iriarte, Drew Thorpe, and Steven Wilson.

Cease, a 28-year-old right-handed superstar has been in trade rumors for a very long time leading up to this moment. Cease was most recently involved in discussions with the New York Yankees following the potentially severe injury to last year’s Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole. However, Preller and the Padres prevailed, making an offer that the White Sox couldn’t refuse. Cease was coming off of a down year following his Cy Young caliber season the year before. He posted a 27.3% K% last season, alongside a 4.58 ERA, and a 3.7 fWAR. Cease still posted fantastic numbers with his raw stuff, most notably with his 115 Stuff+. Although Cease can get into some trouble sometimes with the way he prioritizes break over control, but this move is great for San Diego. The Padres have most notably had struggles with their pitching staff, and Cease is the ace they need to get back on track. He’s got two years of control left, and he’s in a good spot to be successful during those two years.

This trade isn’t a complete loss for Chicago however, as the prospect haul they’re getting back is far from something to scoff at. Most notably, Drew Thorpe is heading to Chicago. Thorpe was one of the headline pieces in this off season’s Juan Soto trade, and he’s one of the better righties in the Minor Leagues. Thorpe was ranked on the BSBWrites top 50 prospects list as the 35th best player in the Minors, and he honestly provides far more potential than just that. Drew Thorpe was named the best pitching prospect in the Minor Leagues during last year’s MiLB award show, as he struck out 182 batters in just 139.1 innings pitched last year. This was across two separate levels, but it’s still a testament to how good he was. His 65 grade changeup is one of the best in all of the Minors, and he’ll get a lot of time to shine early on with Chicago.

As for Jairo Iriarte, he’s a prospect who provides a lot of upside in the future. Iriarte is still very young, as he was just 21-years-old last year in the Minor Leagues. His raw stuff is some of the best in all of MiLB, and he’s even being considered a top 100 prospect in some lists. But, he was regarded as the Padres number eight prospect before the trade went down. He pitched 61 innings in High-A last year, posting a 3.10 ERA, 29.7% K%, and a WHIP of just 1.28. He would then be promoted to Double-A, where he’d pitch 29.1 innings to close out the year. He’d post a 4.30 ERA, 40.5% K%, and a 1.30 WHIP. Iriarte’s most notable concern is his high walk rates and control issues at times, but he still profiles as a great pitcher going forward. There’s a chance it could be in the bullpen if his control doesn’t improve, but there’s still a good chance he ends up elite no matter where he pitches.

The White Sox will also be receiving another notable prospect, outfielder Samuel Zavala. Zavala really began to make a huge name for himself, after being super underrated since joining the organization. Zavala spent almost his entire 2023 season at Low-A, where he played 101 games. Zavala was quite simply incredible in the box, as he hit 14 homers, 19.4% BB%, and a 140 wRC+. Zavala also put up a .409 wOBA, which is also incredible. Zavala would be promoted to High-A, where he began to struggle. But, Zavala only played 14 games, so I think it’s definitely too early to count him out. He has a really good swing, and he’s able to generate a lot of power. Zavala also hit 23 doubles across his season, and it’s been really impressive to see him fill out. Zavala is the perfect prospect to join the White Sox on the offensive side, as he has a really good shot to provide a lot of offensive value for a team with little offensive upside in their farm system.

The White Sox are also receiving Steven Wilson, a solid right-handed reliever from the Padres bullpen. In 2023, he pitched 53 innings in relief, recording an xERA of 3.45, while posting a 26% K%, and other good metrics from the bullpen. Wilson isn’t the headliner in this deal, but he’s certainly a solid piece of the White Sox bullpen in this upcoming season, as he’s a very reliable arm to turn to.

Obviously, White Sox fans aren’t super thrilled with losing their ace, but they have a lot to look forward to in the return they’ll be receiving. As for San Diego, there’s nothing to not be excited about when it comes to acquiring an ace in Dylan Cease. This is a huge blockbuster, with effects all across the league. This makes things much harder for the Yankees to find a stand in for Gerrit Cole while he’s hurt. But, this deal is extremely exciting, and I’m very excited to see it play out.