Bleacher Bums Forum

I’ll rephrase it.

What does hacing Jansen in 2023 do for the Cubs that Gomes/Higgins wouldn’t?  Maybe it gets them 1-2 extra wins? 2024 what does it do over insert cheap X player?  2025 might be the first year where 1-2 wins might really matter, at that point he’s a 30 year old catcher. Is he still league average?

The extra years of control do have value and they are worth what Happ is.  So again what is the point of trading Happ, the Cubs most valuable trade chip, for 3 years of Jansen?

Well, Jansen has 20 HRs in less than 300 PAs in '21-22.  He's at least league-average defensively at a premium position.  Happ is probably below average at a non-premium defensive position.  You don't know what Jansen is going to do as a regular starter, but that's a gamble you'd have to be willing to take.  He was a highly-regarded prospect who may be just entering his prime.

I don't see any reason to assume Jansen will decline by age 30.  He certainly has light mileage.  And who knows, maybe by 2025 the Cubs will actually be competitive.  And there's certainly a chance Jansen will be better than a league-average catcher, with his bat.