A year ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers traded one of their best prospects to the Chicago Cubs.
First baseman Michael Busch, who was a first-round draft pick in 2019, headed to Chicago alongside right-handed reliever Yency Almonte. Busch was the Dodgers’ No. 2 prospect and No. 40 across MLB.
This season with the Cubs, Busch started off hot, and even earned a National League Player of the Week honor in September. He was also ranked as the No. 17 rookie in 2024 by MLB Network and selected for Baseball America’s Major League All-Rookie Team.
Meanwhile, Almonte only made 17 appearances with the Cubs before enduring a season-ending shoulder injury. The 31-year-old reportedly underwent labrum surgery in July.
In exchange for the pair, the Dodgers acquired left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope. Since the trade, Ferris and Hope have developed into two of the Dodgers’ best prospects.
Ferris was already a top prospect before joining Los Angeles. He played two seasons with the notable IMG Academy and signed with the Cubs for more than $3 million in 2022. He was ranked as the Cubs’ No. 8 prospect, while Hope was unranked last year.
Ferris, who turned 21 in January, earned his first promotion to Double-A in August. The Dodgers assigned the second-round draft pick to the Tulsa Drillers, where he logged a 2.54 ERA across seven starts.
He threw a career-high 145 strikeouts in 2024 and boasts an above-average fastball and a solid changeup. The No. 5 left-handed MLB pitching prospect is expected to make his Major League debut in 2026.
Despite being unranked when he joined the Dodgers, Hope excelled at the Single-A level in 2024. Hope, who turned 20 in January, slashed .287/.415/.490 while hitting nine home runs and recording a .905 OPS.
The Chesapeake, Virginia native earned his first selection for the National League Fall Stars game, which showcases rising minor league stars. Now ranked as MLB’s No. 75 prospect, Hope is projected to enter the big leagues in 2027.