The Chicago Cubs have acquired right-handed starting pitcher Edward Cabrera in a trade with the Miami Marlins. Top outfield prospect Owen Caissie, infielder Cristian Hernandez and infielder Edgardo De Leon are headed back to Miami.
Cabrera, who turns 28 in April, is coming off a strong 2025 campaign for the Marlins.
The numbers above were good for an ERA+ of 125, which he backed up with a career-best FIP of 3.83. As well, Cabrera’s 137 ⅔ innings this past season were a career high. For his career, he’s put up an ERA+ of 108 and a WAR of 7.1 across parts of five MLB seasons.
Edward Cabrera trade grades: Cubs nail deal for frontline starter, Marlins get ‘B’ compared to prior returns
R.J. Anderson
CBS Sports had previously ranked Cabrera as one of the top potential trade candidates of the 2025-26 offseason. That’s not only because of his strong top-line results in his most recent campaign, but also because of his arm talent. In 2025, Cabrera ranked in the 87th percentile among major-league pitchers with an average fastball velocity of 96.9 mph. Compare him to starters only and he would’ve placed even higher. He was also around the 75th percentile among all pitchers in strikeout percentage, chase rate, whiff rate, and groundball percentage. Cabrera boasts a five-pitch repertoire and last season he earned better than a 40% swinging-strike rate on his curve and his slider. As well, Cabrera’s high trade value reflects the fact that he’s not eligible for free agency until after the 2028 season.
Over his career, Cabrera has dealt with a number of arm problems, including stints on the injured list for elbow tendinitis, a shoulder impingement, and just last September an elbow strain. However, the Cubs are no doubt hoping that Cabrera will be able to avoid any major arm maladies on their watch and build off his career-high 26 starts last season. If indeed he is healthy and durable moving forward, then Cabrera promises frontline upside in the Cubs rotation.
Cabrera would join a Cubs rotation that already has lefties Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga along with righties Jameson Taillon and Cade Horton, the latter coming off a very promising rookie season. Colin Rea adds depth and lefty Justin Steele will be returning from Tommy John surgery at some point.
In the return, Caissie is the headliner, a top outfield prospect who had a short, underwhelming MLB debut in 2025. At just 23, his strong exit velocities should make up for his high swing-and-miss rates. Hernandez is a 22-year-old infielder who tapped out at High-A last year and De Leon is an 18-year-old who spent 2025 in rookie ball.