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The Cubs are poised to make some significant additions at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, with a competitive 26-man roster and a farm system rich with solid position players in the upper levels of the minors. They’ve been consistently linked to some of the most impactful players who are potentially being traded, both because of their place in the standings and because they have the currency to make it happen.
For the Twins, who sit two games under .500, it’s hard to envision leaning too far into a complete fire sale at the moment. Fortunately, the Cubs have one player in particular whom the Twins can target, regardless of which direction they choose.
The Twins have a long-term problem at first base. Jose Miranda and Edouard Julien haven’t taken to the position as the team had hoped, and Ty France is an impending free agent who may not make it through the entire 2025 season with the team if his struggles persist. Kody Clemens is the only player on the 40-man roster under medium-term team control who can be considered anything close to a first baseman. Aaron Sabato is having a resurgent season for the Saints at age 26, after the former first-round pick’s prospect status has tanked, but his future remains in question.
The Twins have very little reliable depth long-term at one of the lowest positions in the defensive spectrum, and as we’ve seen in 2025, completely winging it at such a premium offensive position has consequences. This is where the Twins and Cubs can mutually benefit.Â
No, the Twins should not trade for budding superstar Michael Busch—he’s unavailable, anyway. Rather, the first baseman who’s stuck behind him makes a good target. Buried in Triple-A, Jonathon Long has earned a call-up, but is unlikely to get it in Chicago. The right-handed slugger is currently slashing .323/.401/.514 for the Iowa Cubs, with 14 homers and a sub-20% strikeout rate. The worst season-long OPS of his minor-league career is .851, and he’s never walked less than 10% of the time.
Long is far from a perfect prospect. He’s likely limited to first base, where he isn’t a standout defensively. He isn’t considered to be particularly fleet of foot. There are questions about his ability to make impactful contact when he reaches the majors consistently, but the power is real. His profile is very similar to that of Sabato, but Long is three years younger and has never struggled offensively in his professional career.Â
Long’s profile makes him acquirable for a relatively reasonable price, especially from a team with a long-term first baseman in place and who are looking to win now. The Cubs will likely at least inquire about players such as Willi Castro and Danny Coulombe, each of whom could make up a significant portion of the package the Twins would need to offer to get Long to Minnesota. Most outlets rank him in the 11-20 range of Cubs prospects, so even if the Twins had to throw in a bit more, it wouldn’t be much.
Acquiring Jonathon Long is a deal the Twins could make to thread the needle. They’re missing offense at the first base position, and Long could immediately step in to at least create potential improvement in that area. Whether they’re planning to acquire more, sell off bigger pieces, or otherwise stand pat, Long can get his feet wet in the majors down the stretch with minimal downside, and the Twins would have a full docket of team control over him for future seasons.
Perhaps the Twins still do believe in Sabato, but if the asking price on Long is as reasonable as one should expect, there’s nothing wrong with adding some competition. After all, the rest of the organization is devoid of any up-and-coming options at that position. Long has plenty of upside, and that’s exactly what the Twins need at first base.