The Cubs and Royals have exchanged reliever José Cuas for outfielder Nelson Velázquez, the teams announced. It’s a one-for-one swap.
Cuas, 29, bounced around the minors before cracking Kansas City’s roster last summer. He has made 92 appearances in middle relief over the past two seasons. The right-hander owns a 4.08 ERA across 79 1/3 career innings. He has seen a big jump in whiffs year-over-year, pushing his strikeout rate from a modest 18.9% as a rookie to 27.1% this season. He’s picking up swinging strikes on an above-average 13.3% of his offerings.
The University of Maryland product works with a sinker-slider mix from a lower arm slot. He doesn’t throw especially hard but has missed plenty of bats with his low-80s slider. He’ll step into the middle innings mix and can bounce between Chicago and Triple-A Iowa for a while. He still has two minor league options year remaining and won’t be eligible for arbitration until at least after the 2024 campaign.
In exchange, the Royals get a look at Velázquez. A right-handed hitting outfielder, he picked up some prospect attention on the strength of his power potential early in his career. The former fifth-round draftee struggled to a .205/.286/.373 line while striking out almost 32% of the time in 77 games as a rookie last season. He has mashed in a small big league sample this year but spent the bulk of the season with Iowa.
Over 330 trips to the dish there, the 24-year-old Velázquez owns a .253/.333/.469 batting line. He’s connected on 16 home runs but struck out in just under 30% of his plate appearances. He’s playing mostly center field but has generally been viewed as a better fit for a corner by prospect evaluators.
In recent years, the Royals have rolled the dice on a few upper level outfielders with above-average tools but swing-and-miss concerns. Kansas City has given looks to the likes of Edward Olivares and Drew Waters. Velázquez has a generally similar profile and will compete for reps in an uncertain outfield at Kauffman Stadium. He has one minor league option beyond this season and is at least two years away from arbitration.
Minor trade, Cuas is a inconsistent pitcher.
There are no minor trades – Bill Shakespeare. Royals just traded a reliever they had zero use for a outfielder that has some upside. Love it for them.
And conversely, the Cubs traded their #6 OF for 2023 (and probably #8 OF for 2024) for a reliever for the Iowa Shuttle.
Not a huge win-win, but it makes sense.
Meanwhile this makes room for Crow-Armstrong at Iowa, he was promoted today.
Baseball moves like this are important rather you believe so or not… I’d hate being locked with a roster like a Playstation 2 video game…
Guessing you guys get 2x your hourly rate this week? Appreciate the Sam Moll and Cuas posts.
But last 2 Trades just small ones.
Are you kidding? This is that special trade cubs fans have been waiting for! This trade will vault the cubs into the PO!
As opposed to the White Sox trading half the team for another rebuild?? You’re a joke.
Well, better than the Lopez deal – at least this guy’s 24 with halfway decent MiL numbers. Maybe an OF trade is coming (Oliveras?)
Much better. That Lopez trade was awful.
Surprised all they got was Hearn when they could’ve picked him up for much much less when he was DFA’d
The Cubs are going to the Post Office? Better that than mailing it in
Cuas has a big reverse split…looks like he’ll be handy vs LH hitters
The jury is out on this one. I liked Velazquez, maybe some Royal fans can let us know about this guy cubs are getting.
As a Royals fan I’m pretty happy with this deal. Velasquez looks like a solid pickup relative to the cost. Cuas is an inconsistent arm that is already approaching 30 but is controllable and has faired decently against lefties in his early MLB experience. Think of him as a filler bullpen arm that will take care of the middle innings and be better than the 26th man out of the bullpen but nothing impactful
Is Canario a younger version of Velazquez?
Canario has the higher upside IMO. At least before his injury last winter. But Velazquez plays good defense and a strong arm – and power. Same profile as Canario.
The Cubs starting OF in Iowa next year will be Canario-PCA- Caissie from LF to RF. Velasquez was about to be passed by just like Brennan Davis. They should trade him too but I don’t even think you could get a case of Skunk Beer for Davis. Unless you threw in paying his Dr. Bills.
Davis for Adell challenge trade…
Challenging the fans ability to watch without vomiting profusely? Stroman puking again and making me vomit.
He has a really inspiring story. I can’t give you all the details but I believe he was a position player at one time in the Brewers system and then he kind of started to walk away from baseball. He was working as a FedEx driver I believe and I can’t member the rest of it, but the Royals gave him a chance. I’m not sure if he was playing for independent ball or what the deal was.
Yay?
I have no idea who Cuas is but Velasquez was expendable the second the ink dried on Happ’s extension.
Looking at this guys age I fail to see who he unseats in this years BP or the future so they must know something about him that doesn’t leap off the page at you.
José Cuas Was an infield prospect drafted (twice) couldn’t make it out of A ball and converted to pitching. Legend around here is that he’d quit baseball and was working for Amazon (or was it FedEx ) driving a truck. One day playing catch with his brother in the back yard and his bro was like “dude you can drop down and get people out. The rest is history. Likable dude and a great story.
I hope Velasquez works out better for you than Soler did. He’s a better fielder and just as much power. Thanks for the Cuas enlightenment!
Just as much power is an incorrect statement… there are few men in the league with Soler’s power. Not to say Nelson doesn’t have plenty of it but Soler is on a different level.
I believe it was FedEx
Can you FedEx him to Wrigley tonight? Stroman Blows Chunks again.
Finally, the blockbuster we’ve all been, oh wait.
Velazquez would have been Rule 5 this winter…
He was already on the 40 man
They would’ve had to make a decision on that though. He’s had a tough year and I think would’ve lost his spot in favor of up and comers who need to be protected.
I don’t like this trade. I wanted Nelson Velasquez to be recalled later this year so I would have a reason to get a Morelquez jersey. (Christopher Morel and Nelson Velasquez name combined. Morelquez with the number 54. Nelson wore #4 more wears 5.
Your dream is still alive… Luis Vazquez could get a look. He wears #7. Since Swanson owns that, Luis would obviously take #4.
That is if he’s not traded. I really want to see what Luis Vazquez has. He’s been raking in AAA. I think Jeimer Might take #4. If and when Vasquez gets called up. I’ll find a way to still make the Morelquez jersey.
You might not be able to dream as big and go for the Morelario #54 jersey then.
Why was Luis Vazquez traded?
Or wait that’s for Morel and Candelairo?
No, just a backup plan in case he is. Always good to have a contingency plan.
It is…
40 year old virgin gif
For show
Edit:
Not even sure how to say Morelario.
Good change of scenery. I like this better for KC. Prefer the outfielder for them. Reliever wasn’t doing anything for them. Let someone else get him to throw more strikes.
He throws strikes for the most part. The Royals rotation is so bad this guy was pitching almost every day.
How much Tequila was involved in this trade?
The Cubs need to make at least one high-quality relief pitching acquisition if they have genuine postseason aspirations. This ain’t it.
Nope. When I saw KC I thought Barlow. Silly me. Still hoping for Bednar but not sure if I’m willing to pay the price.
No, this is just clearing out space at Iowa so PCA can get regular playing time.
Velasquez has hit 19 HR’s between AAA/MLB this season and the Royals need offense. Cuas has been a bit inconsistent but throws strikes. Nice little minor trade here
You do know that the K is the hardest ballpark in baseball to hit home runs – right? There’s a reason the Royals have only ever had 2 players hit 40+ home runs in a season – and they did most their damage on the road.
I love this for the royals! You get a controllable outfielder that has some upside. However I like it for the cubs too, you get a controllable decent reliever that has shown some success against Major League caliber bats and strengthen an area of some weakness. This guy has the potential to be your 7th inning guy for years in the future. Everyone wins!
I like Velazquez but he wasn’t going anywhere but Iowa with Cubs. Cuas looks like an interesting bullpen arm. Minor trade for both teams.
Expecting the Cubs to make a few more deals. One of which will clear a roster spot for Candy Man and one for a lefty reliever.
Cubs have a 40 man open for Jeimer. Asad working long for the Cubs tonight. So you DFA Wisdom as he is no longer needed and you send Asad down to reload until you need him again for Cuas. Works for me anyway.
I guess you can send Assad down and go with one less pitcher for a couple of days, and let Wesneski handle the long role for those ten days. But they will eventually have to add another pitcher, probably this Cuas guy, and remove a position player.
I’m still holding out hope that Tampa or Texas will want Barnhart since they both have one of their top two catchers injured.
Barnhart not leaving I don’t think. Rossy loves his 3 C setup. What are you going to get for Barnhart I mean Cmon.
Salary relief, given that Barnhart has a player option for next year.
Also, they might get some gift certificates ro buy the administrative assistants some fruit baskets at the holidays.
Great … another Royal with a +30% K-rate. Delightful.
Someone tell this chump to put his hat on straight
“Two minor league options year remaining?”
The cubs need to be sellers there not going to win the central or make the playoff you heard it here first
Sorry… But this makes about the ten thousandth time that’s been seen on these boards.
Ten thousand that many really I didn’t count them like you did but hey ok
But you saw them…which means, you weren’t first. And if you weren’t first, you were last.
Did not see ten thousand did you count them to make sure ten thousand he did say ten thousand right
Be sellers cubs improve that system