3 hypothetical Reds trade packages for White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease

The Cincinnati Reds have been rumored to be interested in trading for Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow and former Cy Young Award-winner Shane Bieber. But the Cincinnati faithful seem to favor a trade for Chicago White Sox star pitcher Dylan Cease.

There are rumors emerging that the Reds and White Sox have talked. And although nothing appears imminent, there's reason to believe that a deal could get hammered out as the offseason continues to unfold.

But make no mistake, a trade for Cease will not come cheap. The White Sox will get a haul similar to what the Reds received in 2022 when they dealt Luis Castillo. So buckle up, Reds fans. Not everyone will like these hypothetical trade packages, but that's the cost of doing business.

1. Reds trade former 1st-round pick and more for Dylan Cease

If you're a prospect-hugger, you may want to look away, because most of these proposals are going to lean hard into the Cincinnati Reds farm system. The Chicago White Sox are not going to compete this season, so the South Siders will be looking for young, controllable talent.

So, for everyone who assumes you can just offer up Jonathan India and a couple low-level prospects in order to secure Dylan Cease, keep dreaming. Understand that trading for a frontline starter with two years of team-control is going to sting.

Cam Collier, the Cincinnati Reds' first-round pick in 2022, could very well be involved in a deal for Cease. While Collier had a down-year during his first professional season, the talent is there. Collier has the potential to be a star.

But Collier alone won't be enough to land Cease. Like I said, this is going to sting. Go ahead and add Connor Phillips to the list as well. A lot of Reds fans won't like this, as Phillips is seen as a budding star in the rotation. But if the Reds got Cease for two seasons, perhaps losing Phillips doesn't hurt as much.

But wait, there's more. In order to seal the deal, the Cincinnati Reds would likely have to part with one of their young infielders like Sammy Stafura, Victor Acosta, or Leonardo Balcazar. Hypothetically, this could be enough to get Dylan Cease to Cincinnati.