MIAMI – The Marlins turned a breakout season from right-hander Edward Cabrera into a possible organization-altering return package.
Miami acquired outfielder Owen Caissie (MLB’s No. 47 prospect overall, per Pipeline’s rankings), infielder Cristian Hernandez and corner infielder/outfielder Edgardo De Leon in exchange for Cabrera, the club announced Wednesday. Caissie, who was the Cubs’ top prospect, became No. 3 for the Marlins, and Hernandez, who was No. 11 for the Cubs, slotted in at No. 12.
TRADE DETAILS
Cubs get: RHP Edward Cabrera
Marlins get: OF Owen Caissie (CHC No. 1), INF Cristian Hernandez (CHC No. 11), INF Edgardo De Leon
Caissie is the big-time power prospect the Marlins’ system has been lacking. In 505 Minor League games since 2021, he has a slash line of .280/.384/.487 with 120 doubles, nine triples, 81 homers and 301 RBIs.
The 23-year-old Canadian made his Major League debut in August, appearing in 12 games and receiving 27 plate appearances, but he dealt with a lingering concussion down the stretch. By the end of the Cubs’ postseason run, he was back doing full workouts.
According to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, Caissie creates “huge raw power with the bat speed and loft in his left-handed swing and the still-growing strength and leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame. He could provide 30 or more homers per season, with his pop playing from left-center to the right-field line and against both lefties and righties. He’s an aggressive hitter with a naturally long stroke, leading to a 29 percent strikeout rate in his first four pro seasons, yet he’s also a career .278 hitter with a 14 percent walk rate.”
The left-handed-hitting Caissie should compete for an Opening Day roster spot this spring. Miami’s outfield expects to start All-Star and Gold Glove finalist Kyle Stowers in left and Jakob Marsee in center. With his plus power (60 grade on the 20-80 scouting scale) and plus arm strength (60 grade), Caissie fits the right-field profile.
Other players in the mix include right-hitting Heriberto Hernández and Esteury Ruiz as well as left-handed-hitting Griffin Conine, who will also see reps at first base.
The Dominican-born Cristian Hernandez was one of the top signings of the 2020-21 international class, drawing comparisons to Alex Rodriguez and Manny Machado.
Hernandez, who recently turned 22, struggled stateside from 2022-23 before earning All-Star accolades in the Single-A Carolina League in ‘24 by slashing .269/.382/.406 with 34 extra-base hits and 37 steals in 95 games. In 2025, he posted just a .694 OPS but stole 52 bases in 115 games at High-A.
According to MLB Pipeline, Hernandez had some of the “best bat speed in the Cubs’ system and could translate it into 20 homers per season as he continues to add strength and learns to lift balls in the air more consistently. Hernandez has the quickness and arm strength to play at least an average shortstop, is more than capable at second base and has the tools for third base if needed.”
De Leon, 18, hit .276/.353/.500 with five doubles, five triples, five homers and 15 RBIs in 43 games for the Arizona Complex League Cubs in 2025, his second season in pro ball.
These three prospects head to the Marlins for Cabrera, who is in his first year of arbitration eligibility and is under team control through the 2028 season.
Cabrera, who will be entering his age-28 season in 2026, signed as a teenager out of the Dominican Republic as a part of the Marlins’ 2015 international class. But the flamethrower with a 96 mph changeup took considerable time to realize his frontline potential due to command issues and an extensive injury history ranging from recurring blisters to elbow trouble.
From 2021-24, Cabrera accumulated 4.3 bWAR, a 102 ERA+, a 1.347 WHIP, 5.1 BB/9 and 10.0 K/9 in 63 games (61 starts). When the Marlins chased a postseason berth in 2023, they optioned an unreliable Cabrera (5.96 BB/9, second highest in MLB among pitchers with at least 90 innings) to Triple-A and didn’t use him in their National League Wild Card Series against the Phillies.
Things finally clicked in 2025, when Cabrera set single-season career bests in starts (26), innings (137 2/3), strikeouts (150), walks per nine innings (3.1) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.13). He posted a 125 ERA+ and completed at least seven frames in four starts after combining for just three in his previous four seasons. From May 4 through Aug. 8, Cabrera held the third-best ERA in the NL and fourth best in MLB (2.22), behind NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes (1.60), finalist Cristopher Sánchez (2.06) and Framber Valdez (2.18).
This past season, however, wasn’t without additional injury scares. Cabrera exited his July 11 start with posterior right elbow discomfort but avoided the injured list because of the All-Star break. He left his Aug. 30 start with a right elbow sprain, then returned to make two starts over the final week, including the season finale (five scoreless innings) that eliminated the Mets from postseason contention.
