What would Reds' equivalent of Padres' Dylan Cease trade package look like?

After much speculation throughout the offseason, the Chicago White Sox finally traded starting pitcher Dylan Cease. The San Diego Padres were the winners of the Cease sweepstakes, but the Friars paid a heavy price. Some might even say it was an overpay.

The Padres sold the farm in order to secure Cease's services. San Diego surrendered right-handed pitchers Drew Thorpe (whom they just acquired this offseason from the New York Yankees), Jairo Iriarte, and Steven Wilson, as well as outfield prospect Samuel Zavala.

If you're a Reds fan, you're probably wondering what the cost would've been in order to bring Cease to Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Reds were linked to Cease early and often this past winter. It's always hard compare different farm systems, but it's safe to say that the Reds would've paid a pretty penny in order to swing a deal for Cease.

What would Reds' equivalent of Padres' Dylan Cease trade package look like?

This trade works for both sides, though the White Sox arguably got the better end of the deal. The haul Chicago received is quite similar to what Cincinnati got in exchange for Luis Castillo back in 2022 after trading their ace to the Seattle Mariners. Cease will not enter free agency until after the 2025 season. At the time of the trade, Castillo had over one year of team control remaining.

Thorpe is the only prospect involved who cracks the Top 100 according MLB Pipeline, but many outlets rate Iriarte quite high as well. Kylie McDaniel of ESPN had the right-hander as the seventh-best prospect in San Diego's farm system. MLB Pipeline previously ranked both Iriarte and Zavala among the Top 10 in the Padres' organization.

A similar trade involving the Reds likely would've included a package of Connor Phillips, Chase Petty, Carlos Jorge, and maybe one of Casey Legumina or Alex Young heading to Chicago in exchange for Cease.

That's a steep price, but it would've brought one of the more sought-after arms to Cincinnati on a relatively cheap contract. Cease is owed $8 million this season, and will receive a raise through arbitration next year before becoming a free agent.

It's an inexact science, as all baseball executives and talent evaluators have varying grades for different players and prospects, but the trio of Thorpe, Iriarte, and Zavala were widely seen as top prospects in the Padres' farm system. If you were the Reds, would you have made that type of deal?

More Reds News from Blog Red Machine