Chicago Cubs Acquire Braxton Garrett From Miami Marlins in Pitching Trade

The Chicago Cubs have acquired left-handed starting pitcher Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins, according to reporting from ESPN. The Marlins received first-base prospect Jonathon Long, ranked as the Cubs' 10th-best prospect, along with right-handed pitcher Jace Beck, their 28th-ranked prospect, in the deal. Garrett remains under team control through the 2028 season, giving the Cubs a multi-year window with the pitcher.

Career Path and Recent History

Garrett, now 28 years old, was selected seventh overall in the 2016 MLB Draft. He experienced a significant breakthrough during the 2022 and 2023 seasons with Miami, combining to pitch over 247 innings with a 3.63 ERA while striking out roughly 24 percent of opposing batters. His ground-ball rate of 48.7 percent and walk rate of 5.1 percent during that stretch positioned him as a promising building block for the Marlins organization.

His trajectory changed in 2024 when Garrett underwent Tommy John surgery, commonly known as UCL reconstruction. The procedure sidelined him for the remainder of that season and the entire previous year. This season, he has made only two major league appearances, both of which came in May, with the pitcher struggling in those outings. Garrett has spent the bulk of his time in Triple-A Jacksonville, where his performance has been more encouraging, posting a 2.90 ERA across 77 innings while striking out 26.4 percent of batters.

Path to the Trade

Before the Cubs' acquisition, the Guardians had also expressed interest in acquiring Garrett's services from Miami. The Marlins had indicated openness to trading the pitcher despite his injury history. According to reporting, the organization had requested Garrett incorporate changes to his approach during spring training, modifications he was initially hesitant to adopt. The decision to keep him in the minor leagues for most of the season also reflected concern that additional poor performances at the major league level could diminish his trade value.

Garrett's pitch mix includes a low-90s sinker used just under 29 percent of the time, a low-90s four-seamer at approximately 22 percent, a mid-80s sweeper at 20 percent, a high-80s slider at 16 percent, and a mid-80s changeup comprising just over 13 percent of his pitch selection. The Cubs have not disclosed their specific plans for deployment, though it remains likely they will provide him opportunities in the rotation as he continues his recovery and adjustment to game action.