The Chicago Cubs are widely expected to target a new pitcher or two ahead of the trade deadline. At the moment, the North Siders are back on track and in a National League wild card place. They do, however, still have issues on the mound. In fact, Chicago does not have a single regular starting pitcher with an ERA under four. Ace Matthew Boyd has finally returned from injury, but has posted a 4.50 ERA in nine starts.
Overall, the Cubs’ rotation has a combined 4.33 ERA during the 2026 season. This currently ranks 21st among all Major League Baseball clubs. Typical starters Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon, and Ben Brown are also still on the injured list. As a result, top exec Jed Hoyer will almost certainly bring in another pitcher in the coming days. To do this, the Chicago Cubs will obviously have to give up a key player or two.
According to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, versatile prospect Pedro Ramirez is likely to be used as trade bait. “Like seemingly every contender, an impact starter and reliever could make the difference for the Cubs. Infielder Pedro Ramirez is a natural fit for a trade, as he’s blocked in the infield,” claimed Rogers. “Chicago has major league talent available to move.”
As the reporter hints, Ramirez does not have a direct path to a starting spot with the Chicago Cubs. The infielder has mostly played second and third base during his time in the minors. Chicago, however, has star veterans Nico Hoerner and Alex Bregman locked into these roles. Ramirez also made 25 appearances at shortstop as well, but Dansby Swanson is signed through 2029.
Pedro Ramirez has Risen Through the Chicago Cubs Prospect Rankings
GettyPedro Ramirez has impressed since being called up by the Chicago Cubs in May.
Ramirez was not always viewed as a top prospect during his time in the Chicago Cubs organization. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2021, the infielder previously rated as the 22nd-best Cubs prospect in 2023. He eventually moved up four spots to 18th in the rankings in 2025. Despite this, the infielder has proven to be a reliable hitter at essentially every level of the minor leagues.
The infielder previously slashed .280/.346/.386 in 129 games with AA Knoxville in 2025. Ramirez followed this up by getting off to a hot start with AAA Iowa earlier this year. While splitting his time between second and third base, the slugger slashed an impressive .312/.395/.547 in 43 games with Iowa. His stellar performances earned him a promotion to Chicago in May.
Chicago Will Have to Give Up Prospects to Make Major Trade
Potentially trading away Ramirez at the age of 22 could be a risky move by the Chicago Cubs. After all, the prospect may eventually become an everyday MLB player in the near future. Nevertheless, Chicago will have to give up promising talent to help land a quality veteran starting pitcher in the coming weeks. Hoyer and the Cubs could also be leery of Ramirez’s .083 batting average over his last seven games.
Because so many teams are looking for starting pitching, Chicago will have to come up with a particularly attractive offer to help land one. Including Ramirez in a deal would likely be enticing to several opposing clubs.
Cubs Expected to Trade Red-Hot Prospect to Land Star Pitcher