The Chicago Cubs elected to sign veteran infielder Justin Turner after their pursuit of Alex Bregman in free agency proved unsuccessful. After making the move, the Cubs were forced to designate Alexander Canario for assignment in order to create space on the 40-man roster for Turner. The decision to DFA Canario could pay off for the New York Mets, however.
While the Cubs likely would have preferred to hang onto Canario, the Mets jumped in and traded for the 24-year-old outfielder. The Mets gave up cash considerations for the talented minor leaguer, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers on X.
Canario was ranked as a top 12 prospect in the Cubs’ organization by MiLB.com and Baseball America in 2023. He was the 11th ranked player in Chicago’s pipeline in 2024. In his first major league start in 2023, Canario belted a grand slam against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He went 2-4 in the game with a double and a homer, totaling five RBI.
The Mets add Cubs’ minor league power bat in trade
So far, Canario has made 21 major league appearances. He’s slashed .286/.333/.524 with two doubles, a triple and two home runs, racking up eight RBI and scoring five runs. However, he struck out 19 times in 42 at bats while drawing just two walks.
Strikeouts have been an issue for Canario on both the major and minor league levels. But his power is undeniable. In 2022, across A+, Double A and Triple A, Canario cracked 37 homers and drove in 97 runs. He also struck out 147 times. Yet he still managed a .343 on-base percentage.
The Mets ultimately may not be the best fit for the young, corner outfielder. New York added Juan Soto this offseason and the team has Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte and Jesse Winker on the roster. So, assuming Canario makes the big league club, he’d be competing with four veterans for two outfield positions. The Mets plan to platoon Winker and Marte at DH with Soto and Nimmo starting in right and left respectively, so working Canario in at designated hitter likely won’t pan out either.
Still, good teams recognize the importance of depth. Even if Canario ends up spending the year in the minors or gets moved to a different organization, the Mets’ trade with the Cubs is a low-risk, potentially high-reward transaction.
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