Would the Chicago White Sox have gotten better players back had they traded Dylan Cease to the Cincinnati Reds?

The Reds would have to give up their seventh and eighth-ranked prospect to at least match the rankings that the Padres gave up in Zavala and Iriarte.

The Reds seventh-rated prospect is third baseman Cam Collier. He is a left-handed bat who is off to a hot start in High-A ball. He has a .385/.385/.538 slash line. He is 19 like Zavala and was the Reds' first-round pick in 2022.

He does have a nice swing, but the problem is he would have to be moved as he is blocked in the Sox' system by Bryan Ramos. Sure, you make a place for him with his upside, but the Sox getting Zavala might finally solve the Sox' eternal problem at right field.

The Reds' eighth-best prospect is Carlos Jorge. He plays second and outfield although it looks like outfield will be his final spot. Jorge is at the High-A ball level and is off to a slow start with .188/.235/.375 slash line. He did have a .282 combined average last year between High and Low-A, although hit .239 in 23 games at High-A

The Sox can always use a second baseman of the future, but it looks like that will not be the position he ends up playing if he reaches the big leagues.

Lucas Sims would be the reliever who is the equivalent of Steven Wilson. Both are 29, except Sims is in his final year of club control. Wilson still has his three arbitration years left.

It looks like the Sox probably got their long-term needs addressed with the Padres deal. The Reds would have been able to send a really good pitching prospect in this hypothetical situation, but the rest of the package would be less than what the Sox got from the Padres.