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This Braves-Cubs Trade Involving Kris Bryant Could Actually Work

By Mark Powell

Braves could make sense for Kris Bryant
Braves could make sense for Kris Bryant / Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

The Kris Bryant trade sweepstakes are just starting to heat up, especially with the likelihood that Josh Donaldson signs in the coming days.

With that in mind, the Atlanta Braves could very well be a suitor for Bryant should Donaldson sign elsewhere -- presumably with the Washington Nationals. If that's the case, what exactly would a trade look like? We have some ideas.

Kris Bryant Contract

Bryant is scheduled to make $18.5 million this season, but is arbitration-eligible in the 2020 offseason. Therefore, he's technically under contract through 2021, but with a caveat.

Cubs fans may not want Theo Epstein to deal Bryant, but for a team trying to shed payroll, a move makes a ton of sense. Should Bryant be moved, with Atlanta as the prime location, the deal is likely to be centered around prospects. Thankfully for the Cubs, the Braves farm system is aplenty with top-ranked talent.

Drew Waters is a stud outfield prospect, and the No. 2 bat in the Braves farm system outside of Christian Pache, whom Atlanta is not willing to trade. Waters still ranks among the top-100 prospects in all of baseball and would be the crown jewel in most minor-league systems.

Along with Waters, the Cubs would likely want a pitching prospect to pair with their struggling rotation. Expect the likes of Bryse Wilson or Kyle Muller, both of whom are rapidly rising through the system, to be included to sweeten the pot. Should Chicago request another top-20 pitching prospect, Trey Riley or Daysbel Hernandez could do the trick. Both rank between No. 17 and No. 20 in the Braves system.

The Cubs heist likely ends here, however, as Bryant's contract scenario after 2020 remains a mystery, especially with the ongoing MLBPA service time grievance.

Yet, the Cubs are desperate for young talent and have vowed to ownership to get cheaper. A move for Waters and another top-10 pitching prospect, whether that be Wilson or Muller, should get this deal done, despite Bryant's powerful bat and potential franchise-changing talent.